TALKING SOCCER
GREATNESS FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, although Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo is in the conversation as well. With six Ballon d’Ors and over 770 goals for club and country, Messi has cemented his legacy as one of soccer’s legendary names.
Soccer captains Henry McElhaney and Eric Yoo have been fans of the beautiful game for their entire lives. From how they got into the sport to current events, they’ve got a lot to say.
The first team I ever played on was when I was five. It was like a YMCA team. From there I never looked back. I’ve been playing ever since then at the highest level until high school, but it’s always been my only sport.. My dad tried to get me into other sports, but I never wanted to do them. It has always been soccer for me.
ICONIC Both McElhaney and Yoo remember watching Landon Donovan’s last minute winner against Algeria that sent the United States into the round of 16 of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. That goal helped put the team into the national spotlight and grew the popularity of the sport.
– Senior Henry McElhaney
Messi, he’s just unbelievable. If you watch him play, his dribbling is incredible, his vision is incredible, his passing is incredible, his shooting is incredible. He’s just ridiculous. He’s my favorite player right now. –Senior Eric Yoo
I wasn’t a fan of the European Super League proposal… It would have been 15 teams with five additional slots for teams to qualify. The 15 founding clubs were just rich clubs that would have the ability to never be relegated, so there’s no incentive if you’re not challenging for the title. That’s against the whole point of soccer, because besides the MLS, there’s relegations — there’s always an incentive to do well, and there’s never a reason to tank. –Henry McElhaney
PROTEST Fans of the biggest soccer clubs in the world voiced their opposition to the European Super League in April. The proposed league would help the clubs’ owners deal with financial troubles, but the majority of fans were against the idea of a breakaway league.
Interview Henry McElhaney and Eric Yoo Photos Creative Commons
19 | ENDZONE — MAY 12, 2021
