Final Saturday, simply eight days after turning 17, winger Leandro Soria made his debut in Argentina’s Primera with Godoy Cruz and is now with the membership’s first crew. Born within the Borough of Queens in New York Metropolis, Soria is hoping this results in a “dream” call-up to the US U-20 crew. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke with the younger winger following his debut.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
November 10, 2021
7:00 PM
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FOR ANY YOUNG participant rising up in Argentina, making a debut within the Primera Division is a significant accomplishment and is usually a turning level in a profession. As one of many two finest leagues in South America, it’s full of rivalries, intense video games, and scouts from everywhere in the world.
For Leandro Soria, that milestone second happed on Saturday when he performed the ultimate 9 minutes for Godoy Cruz in a 2-0 loss to Talleres de Cordoba. Regardless of the loss, it was a constructive second for the membership to provide Soria, who is among the membership’s high younger gamers, a debut simply eight days after his seventeenth birthday on October 29.
Soria’s promotion to the primary crew was a fast course of as he barely frolicked with the reserve crew at Godoy Cruz and was moved from the youth ranges to the primary crew nearly instantly. As a participant, he can play as a middle ahead however is much extra comfy on both wing place the place he can take gamers on with dribbles, run into areas, or ship in crosses.
“It was a surprise. I didn’t expect it, but it was all really great. A wonderful experience,” Soria advised American Soccer Now from Argentina by an interpreter. “It was a surprise because I had only played four matches with the Reserva. My first game in Reserva, I came in as a sub, played 10-15 minutes, and my second game I was a starter and scored a goal.”
“I started to train on Friday with the first team, but then on that Saturday I went to play with the Reserva,” Soria recalled. “The Monday after that, [the manager] sent me a message saying that I was going to train with them. I started training with them and then on that Thursday night they sent a message to the group and told me that I was going to be ‘convocado’ [named to the gameday roster].”
The membership, which is predicated close to the border with Chile and is situated over 650 miles from Buenos Aires, lately celebrated its one hundredth birthday this summer time. Whereas not thought of one in every of Argentina’s huge golf equipment, Godoy Cruz has been rising in prominence in Argentina over the previous decade because it certified for the Copa Libertadores for the primary time in 2011. It then returned to South America’s high competitors in 2012, 2017, and 2019 the place it superior to the spherical of 16.’
Taking part in for Godoy Cruz runs within the household for Soria. His older brother, Matias, is a backup goalkeeper with the group and has made the bench with the primary crew however has but to debut. Soria credit his early success to is household – and his brother who helped him prepare. That is what made his debut on Saturday an emotional expertise.
“It made me very happy after all of the hard work that I’ve done and that my family has done and for all the support from friends,” Soria stated. “I am now training with the first team and training hard to be able to play more games in the first division… [Matias] has helped me a lot. He is a very professional person, he trains all the time, he goes to the gym, he does everything. When I was younger I had no idea what it was to train, and when I arrived to the club, he guided me and put me on the right path.”
Whereas Soria’s journey to changing into an expert participant has taken place in Argentina, he was born within the Borough of Queens in New York Metropolis. His household left Argentina as a result of nation’s monetary disaster in 2001. They finally returned to Argentina when Matias was 5 and Leandro was two.
Soria nonetheless has roots in the US with uncles, aunts, and cousins all nonetheless dwelling in New York. Like his older brother, he has a U.S passport (though it has expired). Neither of the Soria brothers have returned to the US since they left, however each have targets of returning quickly.
From a soccer perspective, Soria feels linked to the US as properly. Though he doesn’t have the chance to observe the U.S. nationwide crew typically, he’s planning on watching the crew’s upcoming vital World Cup qualifier towards Mexico. He additionally likes to observe most of the high American gamers in Europe.
“I like to watch Sergino Dest, who almost plays in my position as an attacking winger, I watch him a lot.”
Soria additionally watches highlights from MLS which is less complicated as of late in Argentina after the league’s golf equipment have closely recruited gamers from Brazil and Argentina in recent times. Along with the Higuain brothers and Ezequiel Barco, New York Metropolis’s Taty Castellanos lately received the league’s Golden Boot for the 2021 season and Castellanos is from the Argentine province of Mendoza, very near Godoy Cruz.
After making his Primera debut, Soria additionally hopes his progress helps him join with the nation of his delivery at one other degree. Whereas he’s nonetheless a really younger participant, can also be at present eligible for the 2023 U-20 World Cup. The US U-20 crew is simply starting its present cycle underneath new supervisor Mikey Varas and Soria is fast to level out he could be joyful to just accept a name ought to the U.S. attain out.
“Yes, the dream is to play for the U.S.,” Soria stated. “Obviously it would be a dream come true for me and my family. It would be wonderful to represent my country in the U-20’s.”
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Author : usa-foot
Publish date : 2024-12-29 03:27:40
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