Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Sports


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published June 2, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified June 2, 2007 at 2:01 AM

E-mail article     Print view

Soccer Stardom | Galindo living out his dream

Maykel Galindo is living his American dream with a uniquely American team. The native of Cuba, once a Seattle Sounder, returns to his first...

Seattle Times staff reporter

Tonight

Chivas USA @ Sounders, 7 p.m., KDOW (1680 AM)

Viva las Chivas!


Five players to watch:

D Claudio Suarez: Mexican soccer legend played for 1994, 1998 and 2006 World Cup teams and is the second-most capped player in men's international soccer history with 178 appearances. Nicknamed "El Emperador (The Emperor)."

MF Francisco Mendoza: The 22-year-old left midfielder nicknamed "Panchito" is a product of Chivas de Guadalajara's youth development program in Mexico.

F Maykel Galindo: Former Cuban national team player defected in Seattle in 2005 and leads Chivas USA with five goals, including two game-winners.

GK Preston Burpo: Sounders captain from 2005 championship season expected to start against his former teammates.

GK Brad Guzan: Earned call-up to U.S. national team for upcoming Gold Cup tournament.

José Miguel Romero and Chivas USA media relations

Maykel Galindo is living his American dream with a uniquely American team.

The native of Cuba, once a Seattle Sounder, returns to his first U.S. home tonight when Chivas USA of Major League Soccer plays an exhibition against Seattle at Qwest Field.

Galindo defected in July 2005, leaving the Cuban national team's hotel while the team was in Seattle for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. His life-changing decision to leave his homeland behind has paid dividends perhaps beyond even his own imagination.

"It was a new city, and I didn't know many people," Galindo said. "It was the most difficult moment of my life."

Life is not so difficult now. Less than two years later, Galindo, a scoring forward for Chivas USA, has acclimated to his new country. He's found success in soccer, from leading the Sounders to a USL First Division championship in 2005, to catching the eye of ex-Chivas coach (now U.S. national team coach) Bob Bradley in a friendly last year at Qwest Field, to a major role with an MLS club with hopes of being a league all-star.

And Chivas USA, an organization on the cutting edge of the international sports scene, seems to be the perfect place for Galindo.

Tonight

Chivas USA @ Sounders, 7 p.m., KDOW (1680 AM)

Maybe it's because of how Chivas USA conducts its business. The third-year MLS team is the only pro sports team in the U.S. owned by Mexican nationals — Antonio Cue and Jorge Vergara — and has an automatic fan base because of its association with Mexico's ever-popular Chivas de Guadalajara team, which boasts several million red-and-white striped supporters in the U.S.

Viva las Chivas!


Five players to watch:

D Claudio Suarez: Mexican soccer legend played for 1994, 1998 and 2006 World Cup teams and is the second-most capped player in men's international soccer history with 178 appearances. Nicknamed "El Emperador (The Emperor)."

MF Francisco Mendoza: The 22-year-old left midfielder nicknamed "Panchito" is a product of Chivas de Guadalajara's youth development program in Mexico.

F Maykel Galindo: Former Cuban national team player defected in Seattle in 2005 and leads Chivas USA with five goals, including two game-winners.

GK Preston Burpo: Sounders captain from 2005 championship season expected to start against his former teammates.

GK Brad Guzan: Earned call-up to U.S. national team for upcoming Gold Cup tournament.

José Miguel Romero and Chivas USA media relations

"We look for support on that side," said Dennis te Kloese, Chivas USA's director of football. "They're sophisticated soccer fans."

Many Chivas staffers are bilingual, and everything the club does in media relations and marketing is in Spanish and English. The team was originally loaded with Mexican players, but is now stocked with talent from the U.S., Mexico, England, Colombia, France, Brazil and Romania.

Chivas USA also has its own soccer-developmental program. While the Guadalajara team is at the top of the Chivas food chain, the U.S. team is a place where the Mexican club can send players for high-level experience, as it has done with 22-year-old future star Francisco Mendoza. Or, as in the case of Claudio "El Emperador" (The Emperor) Suarez, a place where a Mexican veteran of high stature in his home country can play and attract fans to the team.

Suarez, Mexico's all-time leader in international appearances for the national team with 178, played for three World Cup teams. He and Mendoza are expected to play in Seattle tonight.

Chivas USA has Under-19, U-17, U-16 and U-15 teams at the amateur level and a soccer academy for younger kids. Players participate free of charge at all levels.

"Maybe a majority of our fans are Mexicans," te Kloese said, "but a lot of Anglo fans appreciate what we do in the community. The other team [in Los Angeles, the longer-tenured Galaxy] alienated Latino fans without any Latinos on the roster.

"They have a slogan of 'The Stars Align.' Ours is 'It's In Your Blood.' The Galaxy put all their money in one or two big names, while we rely on community and player development."

Chivas USA also joined the reality-TV revolution earlier this year, when it broadcast open tryouts for the team on Univision, the largest Spanish-language TV network in the U.S. The winner of the tryout earned a spot on the U-19 team.

Galindo, too, is a big winner. After playing for a meager stipend in Cuba, he was one of the two highest-paid Sounders when he signed with them and made an immediate impact with his speed and ability to open up space for his teammates. Meanwhile, he built lasting friendships with Sounders teammates and others. His girlfriend lives in Seattle.

Last year, Galindo suffered a broken nose when he collided with Chivas goalkeeper Preston Burpo, another former Sounder, in the first half of that match. The Sounders got the 2006 match with Chivas USA as part of the payment for losing Burpo, and received the same deal with Chivas USA this season for Galindo.

Though Galindo missed 2-½ months with the injury, his 15 minutes against Chivas USA was enough for the MLS team to show serious interest after the season.

He and Burpo are friends — Galindo said the collision was an accident — but he hopes it doesn't happen again tonight.

"It's going to be beautiful to be back," said Galindo, who is trying to secure a green card for permanent resident status. "I have plenty of great memories. I'm very emotional about it."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

More Sports headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

Vikings easily beat the Seahawks

Sideline Chatter: Fourth-down gambles leave New England in shambles

NEW - 08:02 PM
Auto | Driver Jimmie Johnson wins his 4th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title in a row

Brett Favre has masterful performance against Seahawks

NEW - 08:32 PM
College football | Coach Charlie Weis indicates he wouldn't blame Notre Dame for firing him

Advertising

Video

LA Galaxy's David Beckham
Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham talks about the upcoming MLS Cup final during after a team practice.

Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman
MLS trophy arrives in Seattle
Chittenden Locks Inspection
Interview with New Moon actors
Full interview with New Moon actors
Artistic Roller Skating
Girls Soccer: Mercer Island vs. Glacier Peak
Smash Putt! Miniature Golf
Opening day at Crystal Mountain

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising