Chivas is giving Cubans a shot
When the year began, Cuban soccer players Osvaldo Alonso and Lester More knew they were going to come to the United States to play in the Gold Cup. Not long after that, they knew they would stay.
Alonso and More defected from the Cuban national team last month.
“I was going to play two or three games so people could see me, and then I was going to leave,” said Alonso, who after two games left the team in Houston before its game against Honduras. He walked out of a mall while teammates and coaches were shopping.
“It was hard to leave my family, my Cuba, my country, but I was thinking about myself and about starting my athletic career,” Alonso said.
More, a high-scoring forward, left the team a few days before Alonso did while the team was in New Jersey. From there, he took a bus to Miami, where Alonso joined him later. They stayed with Alonso’s uncle.
Alonso, 21, and More, 28, left everything they knew behind in the hopes of living out their dreams of playing professional soccer. Now, Chivas USA is giving one of them a chance to do just that.
Alonso and More began a tryout with the team Tuesday that was expected to last at least the rest of this week. The team has one roster slot available, though there are no guarantees either will make it.
Alonso, a midfielder, and More were waiting in Miami to receive their identification papers, but last week it became apparent that the paperwork would not be completed in time for them to fly to Los Angeles and begin their tryouts.
So rather than wait for the papers they needed to fly, they decided to take a Greyhound bus to Los Angeles.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Alonso and More rode through seven states, three time zones and for about 2,736 miles.
“After the first day, we didn’t talk any more,” Alonso said. “We ran out of things to talk about.”
Chivas USA General Manager Javier Leon said the long bus ride was a mere inconvenience when looking at the big picture.
“When you ask them years from now what the most difficult part of achieving the dream was, the last thing they’ll mention is going to be their trip from Miami,” Leon said. “It’s going to be a part of the story of what they had to go through to achieving their dream.”
Said More: “Sometimes you have to sacrifice to do what you love. We’re here, we’re fine and we are ready to fight.”
On Tuesday, Chivas coaches decided that it would be best to have the players just do a light workout because of their trip.
The players arrived in Los Angeles at 6:30 p.m. Monday and were greeted by team manager Kevin Esparza and Chivas player Maykel Galindo.
Galindo defected from Cuba two years ago. He took his countrymen out to dinner and then bowling.
“They are lousy bowlers, but, oh well,” Galindo said. “When I started I was also bad, but I’ve gotten better. But that relaxed them a little and they got a chance to rest.”
Galindo’s play in MLS this season played a big role in Alonso’s and More’s decision to defect.
“He’s here having a lot of success and that inspired me a lot,” Alonso said. “I know I can do it too.”
Galindo, who has played alongside More, didn’t want to talk about the role he played in inspiring the players to come here. He is just glad they are here.
“At least I’m no longer the only Cuban here,” Galindo said.
After practice ended, walking back to the locker room, Alonso began to think about what he did to get here -- the decision, the goodbyes to his family members, the escape, the bus ride.
“The hard part is over,” he said.
The journey can now begin.
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