Love Island USA’s Miguel Harichi gushes over Leah Kateb: “she deserves everything"

When 27-year-old London fitness model Miguel Harichi, famous for his “f*ckboi traits to keep things fun,” made his entrance in Episode 10 of Love Island USA Season 6, the women were instantly drawn to him.

After Harichi and his initial match, Liv Walker, ended their relationship, he teamed up with 24-year-old Leah Kateb for the remainder of his stay in the villa, excluding a few days spent in Casa Amor.

Even though they didn’t pair up right away, she attracted his attention from the start. “After our first conversation, I was like, ‘This girl’s a really big vibe,’” he told Elite Daily.

“I knew from the beginning I really liked her as a person in general.”

Now, the couple is enjoying their second-place finish, public support, and countless fan edits after leaving the villa. Despite his playful remarks about being a player, Harichi won fans over with his honesty, playful accents, and remarkable memory. (Fans were especially impressed when he recalled the names of Leah’s horses, pigs, dogs, and cat.)

 “I think people really appreciated that we were completely ourselves and didn’t let the pressures of Love Island affect our relationship,” he says.

Reflecting on how he deepened his bond with Leah, Miguel explained: “We kept it very real with each other and we didn’t allow the pace of Love Island to take over. We weren’t rushing anything. She was especially doing that for me, which I respected because I moved at my own speed.”

He also mentioned that he realized his feelings for Leah while on a date with Cassidy Laudano:“Leah kept popping up in my head, and I realized how much I wanted to get to know her on a deeper level. That was a lightbulb moment.”

Casa Amor served as a major test for the couple, but Harichi said he has no regrets about his behavior: “It’s obviously great to meet new people. Me and Leah had just started to get to know each other. We had just got into a couple. I was starting to really like her, and I saw this as an opportunity to test that, to see if it was just a puppy love thing or something a lot deeper.”

Miguel praised his partner, saying, “Every time I spoke to her, she was 120% herself. She deserves everything because the person that she is, is incredible.”

The reality star recognized Leah’s popularity, noting it wasn’t surprising: “it’s funny, they always had this inside joke that it was Leah Island. It really was Leah’s Island. She is genuinely such a character. It doesn’t surprise me — her little one-liners, her funny reactions to situations. It just makes sense. She’s an honest person and never tried to be someone else.”