SJ INTERVIEW WITH JAIME MORENO – MLS LEGEND

in MLS SJ Interviews by Itai — July 30, 2010 at 10:22 pm | 7 comments

Jamie Moreno is Major League Soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer.  He has been named as one of the MLS’ Best XI five times,  an MLS All-Star seven times, won four MLS Cup titles, been awarded the MLS Golden Boot, and made a World Cup appearance [1994] for his home country of Bolivia.

We here at Soccer Jones had the great opportunity to sit down with this MLS legend for an exclusive interview.

You are the all-time leading scorer in Major League Soccer history with more than 100 goals netted.  Is there one in particular that stands out as your most memorable?

Well, there are always finals goals.  There was ’97 at home and ’99 in Boston.  Those were pretty important goals for me.  There are definitely some others, but those are probably the two that I think stand out the most for me.

In 1994, you signed with Middlesbrough, which made you the Premier League’s first-ever Bolivian player.  What was the transition like coming from Bolivia to the EPL?

It was definitely something new for me.  It was a difficult transition, but I was lucky to be around some good people.  Coaches and teammates helped me a lot throughout my experience.  It wasn’t really what I was expecting, but ended up being a great experience for me.

Just two years before coming to MLS, you competed in the ’94 World Cup as a member of the Bolivian national team.  How did competing on such a large stage help mold you as a player?

It’s kind of hard to explain.  I was very young and didn’t really grasp all that was going on around me.  It all happened so fast that by the time I realized I was playing in a World Cup, the tournament was already over and I was back home again.  Looking back at it now, I wish I could say more about it.  It was an amazing experience and I would have loved to of done it again, but that’s life and you just have to move on.

You have won a number of MLS Cups, the Golden Boot Award, and been named as one of the MLS’ Best XI and All-Star teams a number of times.  What else are you looking to achieve during your career as a player?

I really would like to win another MLS Cup.  We’re going through a tough stage right now, but you never know.  We’re just going to keep working.  I also have some goals in mind that I would like to achieve after I retire.

How have you seen the league change since your arrival in 1996?

The league has definitely gotten better as you have seen better players move into the league.  Overall, I think it has improved a lot since I first arrived, and I hope to see it continue to improve in the same direction over time.

You are an experienced veteran player.  What advice would you give to someone barely coming into the league?

Basically, you’re not coming into an easy league.  There are some people who think that they are only coming to enjoy life on vacation, but it’s a tough league.  I’ve been lucky to be part of great organizations with great teammates, but you have to do work.  Enjoy your job and enjoy your life as a player.

There have been games where while you’re out with injury, you are seen banging on drums and in the crowd having a good time with the D.C. United supporter groups.  What type of an impact has that had on the D.C. fans?

[Laughs] Well, it doesn’t have very often, but I really just felt like seeing what it was all about.  It was fun to be a part of their tailgating and fan experience, which was something I don’t often get a chance to do.

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