Yes, Nick believes in me and he knows what I can bring to the team. I gained a lot of experience and maturity from my three years spent with the Toronto Lynx. Gabriel has helped me a lot so far. I played the first games on his side and he’s supporting me a lot on the field. His sense of communication, his experience and his composure have helped me in knowing what to do and what not to do. In Toronto, I learned a lot from defender Rick Titus.
Is there a difference between the Impact back when you first played with the team in 2003 and this season?
Yes, there is a big difference. I think that everybody contributes to the team’s success. There are a lot of new players on the team but we feel that everyone can play. There is a positive competition to be on the line-up. Coach De Santis is very demanding and he wants the best for every player. Everybody knows what they have to do. Organization-wise, I think that the Impact has done very good things in the past and the club has gained in notoriety. The Impact has now become a household name.
I gained a lot of experience and maturity from my three years spent with the Toronto Lynx.
It should be motivating to leave a struggling organization (Toronto) and join one of the best in the USL First Division?
Yes, it’s very motivating. Things are 100 times better here: practices, team preparation, organization, fans. Everything is great here. When you fight for a position, you’re not asking yourself why you are doing it and why you are training hard every day. And when you get to play in front of 12,000 fans, it brings something that you can’t get anywhere else.
You took part in the FIFA U20 World Cup with the Canadian National Team in 2003 with teammate Jason Di Tullio. How did you like the experience?
I lived great moments during this tournament. I think that the U20 World Cup is the greatest soccer event after the World Cup, so I was happy to be part of it. I had the chance to play for my country and face great teams like Spain and very good players. It’s great to host this tournament in Canada this year and people should attend the games at Olympic Stadium. It’s definitely worth the trip.
You are Canadian but native from Colombia. Did you have the chance to experience South American soccer?
Yes. In 2004, after my first season in Montreal, I played for Atletico Nacional. I played seven games with the reserve team. My greatest moment was in December 2004, when I played a classic game against the other team from the city, Independiente Medellin. There were 40,000 people in the stands at our stadium. The atmosphere was highly charged. I played all 90 minutes and we won the game 1-0.
You still like to go back to Colombia during the off-season?
Yes, I love Colombia. Every winter, I go back to my native country. My brother and I take care of the farm that belonged to my parents. We have chickens, cows and horses, and we are involved in the production and sale of chickens, milk and cheese. I love to spend time there and prefer nature a lot more than the city. However, Montreal is great because of the European lifestyle, the friendliness of its people, as well as the summer season. Toronto for example is too urban for me.
