It has still not been posted on You Tube... Claudio Lopez former KC Wizard and Colorado Rapids player did an interview for Fox Latin america program SIN ANESTESIA... In which he confirms he is now retired. He lives in a lovely lake community in Argentina. Some of the Tid Bits: ON MLS/ KC WIZARDS/ RAPIDS. 1. "I thought it was a chance to try something new. I knew GBS was there, Beckham was there, and that soccer was being taken very seriously. During my time in America (Club America, mexico) I was able to watch the US team play and said these guys are pretty good. So I said lets try something new." 2. "I loved how serious they (KC/MLS) take everything. 100% professionals. I really enjoyed my time in Kansas City. I scored some nice goals and got along very well with my teammates and fans" 3. " In Colorado I felt like a champion... I played very little but I was there to lend a hand with experience. It was a fun experience. We came in ekking into the playoffs and just built momentum. Thats what I like about MLS and Mexico. The playoffs brings that WC excitement to a regular season. When I was in Spain fans from like Osasuna would thank me for give the season some momentum. They'd say thanks for Valencia being competitive enough to compete.. We are so bored of Barca or Madrid... In the end we won the title and I knew it was hard to imagine I'd be back at 36. So to win a championship at 36 was a great way to end my career." 4. "My happiest moment? Scoring a goal in the WC against Holland in 98 on my dad's birthday" 5. Am happy and will always be greatful to live everyday with my family and my career. I was near death ( Lopez was saved from drowning while playing for America on a beach in Cancun) and just am glad to be here."
Nice to see a guy have good things to say about the league. Some have slagged the league off in interviews after leaving. KC should find away to have him back to see what they built there. He will likely be very impressed how far they have come.
GBS, Cuatemoc Blanco, Donadoni, Lopez, Gallardo have all said great things about MLS. Say nothing of Valderramma, and Leo Alvarez.... So who were or are the players who said something bad about MLS? I cannot recall...
I can't find the link but I seem to rememeber Freddie Ljungberg taking some not so direct shots at MLS, but every one knew what he was referring to. There have certainly been others over the years like Lothar The Fraud, who have also been less than kind.
Eh...he was just bitter 'cause his team got chopped. As was everyone else in Florida that year. (well, I got hooked on the sport with the following World Cup, so I missed this tragic moment in the history of Floridian soccer.)
These are all players that need to be brought back into the league in coaching/development roles...the league can only benefit from their experiences and different takes on playing styles.
I don't recall Freddie ever saying negative comments about MLS other then the passion aspect once he went over to Celtic. Otherwise he was always fairly positive about MLS from what I read.
Is he even really an American, other than carrying a US passport? I thank him for some of his contributions for the Nats, but I also dreaded when he was named to the 98 WC team because of some clutch goals he made in the waning minutes of some qualifiers and DC United games in 1997. He was crap when he came to Tampa Bay Mutiny. He once said MLS was a let down and that when he played in NASL the stadiums were packed. But anyone who does their research knows that MLS has had a higher average attendance (sans Cosmos) than the NASL
i don't think Wegerle could say that about most MLS games if he saw them now. at some venues, sure, but not as many as before. and the style of support now must be miles better than when the NASL was in its heyday.