ColoradoRapids.com recently sat down with the Rapids newest roster addition Argentine striker Facundo Diz for an exclusive interview.ColoradoRapids.com: Had you ever been to the U.S. before?
Facundo Diz: “No, this is my first time in the United States.”
CRC: How much did you know about MLS before coming to the United States?
FD: “I knew a lot about it. In Argentina they show the summaries and highlights of the leagues on ESPN. They highlight the Argentine players that are in the league, so I was exposed to MLS by way of TV and they also write about it in the newspapers.”
CRC: What was your impression of MLS before coming here?
FD: “I had a very good impression. It’s a good league and very competitive. There are a lot of good players and different types of players in the league. The league is really growing a lot and now there are many foreign players now playing in the league.”
CRC: After watching MLS games in person, how do you feel professional soccer in the U.S. differs from Argentina?
FD: “The game is very different. MLS is faster in pace than in Argentina, where it is much slower. Each league is different in its own way, but MLS is faster. The level of play is similar, but the style of play is what is the most different.”
CRC: What excites you most about playing in the U.S.?
FD: “I really like the organization of it all. I think it [MLS] will really grow and become one of the top leagues in the world. There are a lot of good players in the league and the stadiums are really new and almost all teams have stadiums. All of these things have motivated me to make the decision to come play in the U.S.”
CRC: What has been your favorite memory of your career so far?
FD: “When I was with Tigre, going from the second division to the first division, we managed to finish second in the first division. It was really great. Also, the last six months have been great for me because I have scored a lot of goals with Platense to help keep them from dropping down to the second division. I scored nine goals in 15 games and the team did not go down a division.”
CRC: What are some things you like to do when you’re away from the field?
FD: “I like to travel and take trips with my family. I also like to play basketball. Although mostly I like to be calm and be with my family. That is the most important thing to me, family.”
CRC: Do you have any brothers or sisters? Do they play soccer?
FD: “I have two older brothers and one younger sister. My older brothers both used to play, but they don’t play any longer. My sister competes in the javelin. She was a champion in the province where we’re from. Also, my father competed in the Paralympics in the Pentathlon and has won 11 Gold Medals. He has competed across the world including Japan, Israel, and England.”
CRC: Is it correct that you are only three classes away from obtaining your law degree?
FD: “Yes. I have only three classes left. It is hard to study right now because of my schedule, but I plan to finish very soon. I will definitely finish it as it will only take me six months once I start again. I don’t have a particular focus with in law yet, but I will choose a specialization of law and continue. I think it is great to have the knowledge and I can use it as a tool in the future.”
CRC: What plans do you have after your playing career is finished?
FD: “I would like to still be in soccer and stay involved. But, if it doesn’t happen then I will also have my studies in law as a back up. The future is far away and I don’t want to think about it too much.”
CRC: How do you like Denver so far?
FD: “I like Denver a lot. It is beautiful here. I don’t go out much because I have been training a lot so I have not seen everything and I am afraid to go out by myself because I don’t want to get lost.”
CRC: Is there anything else Rapids fans should know about you?
FD: “I’m going to give all of my effort and play as hard as I can to help out the team, make the team better and go to that next level.”
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