I think it means he grew up in a country where they spell football "fútbol" and the ball is round and no one GAF about college fútbol. That being the case, maybe he does not have a full appreciation of the traditions, nuances, and importance of college football that many of us share having grown up with it. I didn't take it as particularly directed at him for being Spanish - same thing would apply if he was born and raised in Japan, China, France, Germany, Iran, etc.
It's not ethicity. If his ethnicity was Spanish but he was born and raised in Milledgeville then it would be different. It's his background. Comprende?
you reinterpreted it for him. it sounded racist as hell. if he meant all of that, he should have said, as opposed to slandering his ethnicity.