Q + A: National team great Marcelo Balboa talks about soccer in Las Vegas

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Sunday, May 14, 2017 | 2 a.m.

Marcelo Balboa played in more than 100 games for the United States soccer team beginning in the late 1980s. The defender is considered one of the nation’s best all-time players, starting on a pair of World Cup teams and having a lengthy career in Major League Soccer.

Balboa played for the Colorado Rapids in the league’s initial seasons, bring star power to the new league and helping lead its growth.

He’s now 49 and working as an commentator for Univision. He’s also back in Denver with the Rapids, coaching an under-14 team in their development program.

Balboa was in Las Vegas this week speaking to players in the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club, which is affiliated with the Rapids. Club officials say they are the lone youth club in Southern Nevada with a MLS affiliation, which led to the visit for the national-team great.

Balboa talked with the Sun about the state of soccer in Las Vegas. Here are some highlights:

Las Vegas was in the mix for a MLS team. You are really involved in the soccer community with working in the media and having played. How was Las Vegas received, of course if we would have done our end and got a stadium built?

Soccer is received well all over the country. If you look at Vegas as an option — yeah, it is a good option. The first test is to see how hockey does. Hockey will be a huge test. Let’s see how that goes. With small steps, I think eventually (MLS) could come here. I would like to see it be played here with a dome.

Las Vegas has hosted some international friendlies over the years that has been well received by our residents. How does that help enhance our image?

You brought Mexico here and it was a great crowd. You are showing MLS the grassroots of it and the showing the stability. Down the road, (getting a team) could be a possibility.

You come here and train kids. We have a ton of kids playing youth soccer. What’s your assessment of our youth soccer scene?

It was always difficult when I was a kid playing against Nevada teams. That was one of the rivals we had. I remember coming here for tournament. This is where I broke my first bone. I broke my thumb. In Colorado, we can’t play 12 months out of the year just because of the fact of the snow and the weather. There is a disadvantage for us in Colorado. Here is the same thing with the heat. You have to be careful with that. Youth soccer here has been growing for years and years. Nevada has always been a good soccer state.

Many kids want to follow your path and play in the World Cup and make a living in the sport. What do you tell them in terms of getting there?

There is no secret. It is hard work and dedication. It is not sitting on your butt playing Xbox and thinking you are a soccer player. It is getting out every day and training. We would train with my dad five days a week. It is about how much passion you have for it. How much dedication you have for it. How much time do you have to dedicate to it.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21