As told to Jen Rodriguez
1) There’s no reason in particular I grew out my hair. I always had it short. About two years ago, I let it grow…and it just kept growing and growing. After having it short for years, it was a change.
2) It feels very good to be a father for the first time to my son Jayko. He was born in May of this year and he was so little, so I was scared at first. He would make a little noise and I’d be cautious, but now that he’s bigger, you get more accustomed. Before, I might’ve gotten mad at some things in life, but now when I see him, it just goes away. To play with him, and see him smile, changes your life. It’s truly wonderful.
3) Something my fans might not know about me is that I’m not as crazy as they may think. I’m a normal person. I’m passionate on the field, and they see me fight sometimes with other defenders but I’m a calm person. I’m a family-oriented person.
4) I describe myself as hard-working. I try to do things right and with a lot of effort so they’ll come out right. If things don’t work out I just keep working hard until they do.
5) I’ve played soccer all of my life, since I was young. I knew I had to study if things didn’t work out with soccer, but what I wanted to do the most was play soccer.
6) I miss Argentina. I was 14 years old when I left home to play soccer. From my hometown, I went to Buenos Aires to play in Boca Juniors for 6 years, then I went to play in La Primera Division, and from there I went on to play at various places. I miss my family most of all, and spending time with my sister, because after I left, we didn’t grow up together, but then afterward I really liked it here [USA]. It’s nice here in Utah. I like it because I’m from a small town in Argentina, and the mountain ranges here remind me of it.
7) It’s wonderful to be on the field, hearing the fans. When the stadium is full…that’s the best thing for a player, and the most gratifying is to win so that our fans can enjoy the game.
8) I think I work well with Alvaro Saborío most of all because we understand each other well. He is a forward that’s always fighting against the defenders and I always try to find a way to enable plays with him.
9) I’ve known Javier Morales a long time, years now, so it’s a good friendship. He’s a good person and a grand player. People really like him, and he’s a good friend. I get along with pretty much everyone on the team, but obviously I have more confidence with the people I started here with. The group as a whole is good, we’ve been together a while. Since Jason’s formed the group, there hasn’t been too much change, the key base is there, so we know each other and that’s good.
10) One of my proudest moments of my soccer career was to get to play in La Primera. It’s very difficult to get to play in Primera; it’s a big deal in Argentina, so that’s one of the best things that’s happened to me. The other is to be an MLS champion with Real. My first championship was with Real, it’s the only championship I have, so it was great. With Real, my upcoming goals are to win CONCACAF and be champions.
