Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - Episode 89: 17-yr-old LA Galaxy right back Julian Araujo joins the pod

Episode Date: July 23, 2019

Our guest today is Julian Araujo, the young, pacey, aggressive right back for the Los Angeles Galaxy, the U.S. U20s, the U.S. U23s and hopefully, soon, the USMNT. He’s a top right back prospect who���s attracted attention from El Tri and youth call-ups from the USA. He assisted Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first goal in the Galaxy's El Trafico on Friday. We talked about that, his upbringing, his decision to play for the Barca Academy, where he wants to improve his game and his national team future. Skip the ads! Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon and get all episodes ad-free, plus any bonus episodes. Patrons at $5 a month or more also get access to Clip Notes, a video of key moments on the field we discuss on the show, plus all patrons get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedAlso, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.comAnd check out our MERCH, baby. We have better stuff than you might think: https://www.scuffedhq.com/store Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the scuffed podcast. I'm Adam Bells in Minneapolis. With me is Greg Velasquez in Des Moines. We talk about U.S. men's soccer. Our guest today is Julian Araujo, the 17-year-old who's played in 10 matches for the LA Galaxy this season, including seven starts in the league, despite taking a month off for the U-20 World Cup in Poland. He's a top right-back prospect who's locked in, defends, wins tackles, and gets forward in the attack. And he's the youngest of the young Americans breaking through in the league in 2019. Julian, thanks for joining the podcast. Really glad to have you. Of course. Thank you for having me on and taking your time.

Let's start with your most recent MLS appearance, which was a full 90 at right wing on Friday in El Trafico, the rivalry game with LASC, which the Galaxy won three to two. You assisted the first of Zlatan's three goals, which turned out to be his loveliest. Let's start there. Can you describe that sequence for me? I'm going to play Rolfletcher because he was coming on

and I thought he would give a slap in the past. But, like, very last minute I heard Ibra yell really loud. So I just turned my body and try hitting it his way and getting it to him. And I did that. And, I mean, he did the rest. So you got to give him all the credit as well. But, I mean, being able to get my first assist and to give him an assist, I mean, there's no other better feeling, you know.

So being able to watch him as a kid all along my soccer career and watching what he does and just experiencing that live playing with him, it's super unreal, you know. It's one of the best feelings ever. I want to ask you more about that, but first, you played on the right wing instead of your more usual right back position. Why do you think Skolodo played you on the wing in such a big game? I couldn't even tell you why. During the week of training, I didn't play right wing, and then like probably two days before or a day before the traffic girl, I started playing right wing, and then he just was explaining stuff,

and then I knew before the game that I would be starting. So, I mean, I just did whatever I was told and whatever he needed from me, and I just went out there and applied it to my game, and I just did whatever I could to help the team get a W, and that's what I did. Yeah, absolutely. What were his instructions? It looked like you were making a lot of vertical runs trying to keep Jordan Harvey pinned back. Were those your instructions, at least in possession?

Yeah, so obviously my defensively, when the ball was on the other side, I had to tuck in and let them play Harvey. So as soon as Harvey got the ball, I'd pressure him. and obviously you see him I got stuck in with him a couple of times. And that wasn't what he told me to do, but obviously that's what I wanted to do to get it, like, to let him know that I'm a young, I'm a young player, but I'm not afraid to get stuck in any tackles of anybody. So that's kind of what my objective was,

was to make sure they didn't play in between the gaps in the middle because that's where they're strong, where they're stronger players were. So I would let them play out wide, and then as soon as they did that, I would get out wide and try to get there since I'm quick. And then on the attacking side, he told me just to get out wide and play like a right back, you know, just receive the ball, do whatever I could just to keep it. And obviously I'm not really like an attacking player, but my goal or my objective was just to keep the ball if I couldn't pass the player.

But if I had a one-on-one to get past them because I was quick and just to hold the ball for us. try to make a difference and and just work hard. Yeah, you for sure did that. That's one of the things that's so impressive about your game is your willingness to get stuck in. Did you feel like maybe you could have gotten

a yellow card earlier in the game if the ref was a little stricter? Yeah, probably. I definitely could, but I mean, I don't, yellow card's not going to stop me from getting stuck in again, so. Yeah, awesome. Let me ask some more.

questions about Zlatan going back to him. You tweeted the other day, I think it was the day after the game, a picture of you jumping on him after that first goal while he was yelling at Bob Bradley, along with a picture of a lion cub perched on the head of a full-grown lion. Is that how you see it? You're learning from Zlatan, how to be a lion? I mean, definitely. Everybody learns for him. Everybody in the locker room works with him on and off to him. Like, he's a super good guy, and he really does. He really does. He's a lot of demands a lot from us, but it's always just to help us out. And he tells us what we need to do better and what we're doing or what we're good at. So he's been helping a bunch of our young guys

a lot, but he obviously still helps a bunch of the older guys. But yeah, I definitely do learn a lot from him. And not only from him, every player I learn a lot from. And yeah, I mean, I definitely, I definitely learned from him not to be afraid of anything. I mean, as you can see, he's not afraid of any things. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, what's maybe as specific as you can be about what you're learning from him, I think would be really interesting for people who are listening.

Like anything, like you learning from his example or like specific things he's told you, whether that's in training or on the field? So, you know, like in training, like sometimes I'll be hesitant. And sometimes I'll obviously make mistakes during training. And everybody makes mistakes. But yeah, during training, he'll, who if somebody messes up or if uh if i mess up he'll tell me like what i need to do better like if i'm going at a defender when i want and i play with the outside of my foot instead of playing it with

the inside like he'll tell me little details like that like what what would happen if i did play with my inside of my foot like the defender might go out wide and then i can kind of back in instead of instead of the defender already knowing that i'm a player wide it's just little details that he he brings up and he gives us and it's just uh small details i can make a big difference So there's a bunch of things that he's giving us advice about. So I couldn't really just name a couple. Sure, yeah, yeah. Well, I noticed a specific instance in the game on Friday.

Late in the first half, you won the ball in LFC's defensive third and then took it to the N-line. And you had kind of two choices. Lataan was right in front of the goal drifting. Or him back post. Yeah, yeah. And you chose the ball to Antunah at the penalty. market, which I think is generally the correct choice there, but the pass was blocked, and then

Zlatan sort of gestured at you. I think that he wanted it in the air, wanted it in the air. Yeah. Do you, yeah, yeah. How do you process that? How do you process that? Are you like, okay, next time I'll stand it up for him on the back post or like, oh, that's just Latton complaining that the ball didn't come to him, or what do you, how do you process

that? I mean, he wants to bought all the time, so, I mean, but, uh, yeah, so there'll be, they'll be, there'll be times where I don't give him a pass. But honestly, on that one, I didn't even see him until after I gave the ball. Okay. I'll be honest with you, but yeah, after I seen him when he gave me that little gesture, and I was my fault. I'll do it next time.

It's just what it is. And after that, he just applauded. Like, he clapped a little bit. I think it was that one in a different play, but there was another player where I didn't give him a ball. Yeah, he definitely clapped at you a couple times. I noticed that too. Yeah. Yeah.

But, yeah, like, if I don't give him the ball and he's right open, he will, he will, like, say something to me. And I just, okay, well, I just run back and just try to get it off my head and then do it the next time, look for him the next time. And if I don't see him, then I don't play him, you know. It's just, I don't let it get to my head. Right, right. Cool.

So one last question about Friday. I mean, that's a huge rivalry game in MLS, you know, arguably. the biggest rivalry already in the league, arguably. And this was your first time playing in it. How did the intensity and the atmosphere compared to other MLS games you've played in? I mean, the atmosphere was so surreal. Everybody was chanting the whole game.

It was so loud. The whole game could barely hear our players. I mean, it was something I expected that, but like something I've always dreamed does, you know, something like that. Those are the games that I love to play in. I mean, I love to play in hard games like that. I love to get stuck in. I love to play against big teams.

I love to play against good players. I love everything about what that game has to offer. I mean, I'm a kid that likes to work hard and win, and I like to get stuck in. I like hard battles, and I think that game brought a lot. For my first time playing in O-Tropica, I think it's all I ever wanted, you know, is to start my career like that with a game like that, it's crazy. I love it. I mean, I was glad and blessed that I was able to be a part of that.

So hopefully when we're back at it again in August, I'm a part of it again. So we'll see. Awesome. Yeah. And congratulations on the win. It's a huge, huge win for the galaxy. And it means a lot in the, sort of in the lead right now. Thank you so much.

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You grew up in Lumpoke. Is that the right way to say it? Lumpok. Yes, Lumpur, California. That's two and a half hours outside of Los Angeles, I think, if Google Maps is to be trusted. How did you get into soccer? So I got into soccer with my brother and his friend, you know. I think I just always love soccer.

I mean, I had a park in front of my house, and I would always just go play there, and I would use the trash can. I would take up the trash cans, and sometimes I would get in trouble from the park rangers because I'd remove the trash cans, and I'd make them as goals. So me and my brother and his friends, and they're all older than me, probably like a good three, four years older than me, and I would always just go play soccer with them. We'd always just make a little soccer field up at the park and just play soccer for, like, hours. So you...

I think that's how I got... I got involved with soccer. I see. So how many siblings do you have? How many of them are older brothers? I have two older siblings. One older sister, she's about 25, 26, and then one older brother, he's about 22, I think.

Is he playing soccer anywhere? No, no, no, no. They all just work. Yeah. And you get to play. You get to play, right? Yeah. Yeah.

Not really. Yeah. So your dad has been a truck driver. I think I read and your mom works for the school district in Launpoch. Is that right? Yeah. So is your dad really into the sport and your mom? Yeah.

So my mom and dad grew up in Mexico. But they both came over here when they were really young. My dad's, yeah, a bunch of my family is really involved in soccer. Yeah. My dad never played soccer, but he always watched soccer. And he loved watching soccer and so did my mom. So they never played soccer. My parents never played soccer.

Interesting. So where does that elite athleticism come from, that closing speed? Is that from your mom's side or your dad's? My mom did play basketball. My dad, I don't know. I don't think he played any sports, but my mom did play basketball, and she was a good basketball player. But I think that's about it.

I could tell you where I got it from. Okay. On a really serious note, I understand your dad was scheduled to have his last treatment for cancer in May during the U-20 World Cup. How is he doing? I think he was in remission the last. It was reported. So he's doing really good.

About two months or a month ago, a month ago, they told him that he didn't have a lot. any more cancer blood cells. So he's been really good. He hasn't gotten the treatment. He did have his last treatment. I think he still goes and checks up. Or he will go in like six months just so that they go give like a blood nerve test or something like that.

But he's been really healthy. He just started going back to work. He's happy because he can work now. And yeah, so he's doing really well. I think he still just take some pills or whatever. But he's staying healthy, so yeah. That's great to hear. That's great to hear.

Yeah. Thank you. So you kind of came on the national scene in a big way, at least, with Barza Academy in the spring of 2018. At least came to, like, my attention. And I wonder, how did you get noticed by the Academy in Casa Grande when you were, I think you were playing in Santa Barbara, right? Before that? Yeah. Yeah, it was.

So how'd you get noticed by them and how'd you decide to make that move to Arizona? So I heard about Sanibaba, I mean, Barset Academy, because I knew that we all South Lake was going to leave and Barser Academy was going to go, was going to get there. And I just, I think it was just because I like did more like investigating investigating, investigations and stuff and like just into like the academy and just realized that like if I went to them nobody would have my home going right and so that's I think that's what caught my eye and that's what I just wanted to be a part of something like because I knew I had the opportunity to go to La Mesaia and when I went over there I did well and I had the coach the coaches really

liked me over there but obviously I wasn't 18 and I didn't have a Spanish passport but I mean it turned out to be really good I don't know like I got I got scouted from one of their one of their I think scouting guys or whatever and then I I got in contact with them well my my agent got in contact with them and then after that we went out there for like a little for like a week just go see everything see the facility where I was going to stay and see if I liked it And I went up there and I liked them and I stayed out in my year and I turned out to be really good. I mean, it's one of the decisions, the best decisions I made because I didn't want to rush anything and go to an MLS team. Yeah.

And because I wasn't sure because I had a lot of MLS teams. A lot of MLS teams that wanted me to just wasn't sure who I wanted to go to. But, yeah, I think it was the right choice. And I think it was a good, good year of experience of living on my own over there. And, yeah, I think that's why. I think the main reason was because nobody would have my homegrown rights, and I can take your time to think about what team I wanted to go to and what was best for my fit.

And obviously, when that came to an end, I thought that Galaxy was going to be the best for me. And that's why I joined Galaxon. Yeah. Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. That reminds me, so you have a pretty young agent. I haven't seen his birth certificate, but I know Henry is pretty young. and I'm a fan of his.

We text. We both watch a lot of soccer. We text a lot. A lot of kids end up picking Wasserman or some other established agency, but you picked an independent guy. What gave you the confidence to put your trust in, and, you know, kind of a lone wolf like Henry? I think that'll be interesting for other young players, you know?

Yeah, just because, I mean, he wasn't just looking out for, and I'm not saying this for any other agent, but a bunch of agents look out for themselves as well, and I think Henry was just looking out for me and my good help, and he was just trying to be a friend, you know? He wasn't even trying to be my agent. Like, until this day, I don't even, like, call him my agent, but I'm just saying it now.

I just call him my friend. He's my friend. Like, he's my, he's family to me. So I think that's what's better. Like, when you have somebody that you have a connection with, when you can, when I text Henry every day, I call him every other day. We stay connected.

Like, it's not even like a, like an agency thing. It's like a brother. He looks after me. He doesn't just look after my soccer career. He looked after my, my, my, my family, if my family needs something, he helps them out. If my family needs help with something else. And that's what I thought worked out best with me was because he wasn't just looking out for me. He was looking out for my whole family and he was looking out for my, for the best of my career. And obviously, he's been doing a good job with everything and that I trust him a lot. And I think that he can do he's going to do a good job with the rest of my career.

And I think that, yeah, I mean, obviously, I like the way he works. So, and yeah. Awesome. Yeah. I mean, I know a lot of, you know, a lot of families and a lot of young players, they do really struggle with the decision of, like, who to get to represent them. And it can be very complicated and intimidating for folks. So it's awesome that you found something that works.

I see. You've played some midfield over the years, maybe a little bit in Casar Grande. When did you settle in as a defender? And do you see that as your long-term position? So, yeah. Santa Barbara, I played right wing or midfielder. And I think that was the last time I ever played like maybe four years ago. Okay, okay.

And then, like, three years ago. But I think the last year of Santa Barbara, I started playing right back. and then or centerback actually like my last out of play centerback and then I moved over to barista academy I think it was just like a jump to right back I was playing I was playing right back and I was jumping in the midfield and they were just playing me where where they could where I could help the team out and I think it was towards the end of uh towards the end of the barster academy where they realized that right back is going to be my position so that's where they're going to start. That's where I can make a difference and that's where I can help a lot of teams out

and that's where I'm most effective. So I love to attack and I love to score goals and I love to help the team in the attack and I love to get forward and I love to defend. So I think that's the position where you can do all that. Yeah. And I think my, my, the last of my Barstead Academy is where they realized that and that's why I played most of the year, most of the end of the year. year with uh right back with barsa and when i got to galaxy um i played right back as well and uh like a bunch of my national team coaches and um like scouts or whatever they a lot of people think that right back is going to be my um my my is what i'm going to play in my professional career and what it's going to be my long long term position and i love it so i i hope it is and i like to um i think i'm

think it will be too. Yeah. I think I've done a lot. I think obviously I still need to learn a little more because I'm still not fully like used to it, but obviously if I continue to grow and continue to learn, I think I could be a good player right back. Totally agree. Why did you decide to go to the LA Galaxy?

You know, I guess it was after the DA playoffs last year. Did Brian Clybin play a role in recruiting you? What went into that decision? big role. Brian Brian actually didn't stop talking to me since that was at Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, he would talk to me every tournament that I'd seen.

He played when he had two of us USA. Contacted me like literally every tournament. He wouldn't stop bugging me. I love Brian, man. I love Brian. He's my man. He's my man. Good guy. But yeah, no, he played one of the biggest roles, obviously. You wouldn't let

go. Wouldn't let like you would keep in touch every tournament. He actually took a trip down the Lompoc to talk to my family because he wanted me that bad. And I still said no. I still said no. I don't think it's going to be a bad decision for me. And I still think that I want to go to Barso Academy.

Like I told them and said, all right. And he didn't even, we still talk. We still, we were still friends. And then I think after that, I was like, you know what? I want to go. I want to go. I think this is my year. And I think he can help me out this year.

And hopefully I break into the first team. So that was he played a big role I mean he didn't if it weren't honestly if it weren't for Brian I probably would have never been at would have never been at um galaxy Yeah that makes sense He the man knows what he wants I guess Yeah for sure

So I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable situation But it occurs to me I should ask like what's your What's your take on Brian's exit from the galaxy Was he was he treated fairly was like what's the deal there You can I don't want to get to you in trouble. Yeah, no, I don't, I don't know anything behind the, behind, like, the doors or whatever, I know what happened, but obviously, I mean, he's a good guy. I think that even, I respect him. Everybody should respect him. I don't know what happened. I couldn't tell you, you know,

but, I mean, obviously, I don't know. I really could tell you, though. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's a bummer. I hate to see it, but, yeah. I just, I don't know what to say. Yeah, fair enough. That's fair. It's an uncomfortable question. So let's move into, more back into the game of soccer. What do you think your strengths are as a player?

Like, what sets you apart from the typical 17-year-old? I think what sets me as part is my how brave I am, you know, is how I'm willing to get stuck in with older players. And I feel like a bunch of, a lot of younger players, don't like to get stuck in, don't like to get, like, dirty with other players. And I like, I like, I like to get stuck in. I like to have that competition. And I like to, I like other players to hit me.

That's what I love. I mean, I love, I love to get in, like, battles like that. And I love to get stuck in. And if someone hits me, I'm going to go hit you back. So that's, I think that's what sets me apart. So I think that's one of my, one of my biggest, like, strengths. But I also think that I'm quick and, I'm fast. I'm composed.

I mean, those are some of the strengths that I have. Yeah. But I think the one that sets me apart from others, from other young players, is that I'm really, I'm brave and I'm not afraid of anything. Awesome. So what do you think you need to get better at? Like if, you know, if you're going to achieve all your goals as a player? Definitely my left foot.

I have to get better with my left foot. I would say sometimes I tend to like, step into players when I shouldn't step into players and not like tackle players but just step in and then they take a touch around me I just need to to know when to go when to not go and I feel like I do that I do that sometimes too much and I get beat sometimes and those are the times when I get beat is when I step in when I shouldn't step in and I feel like just learning just learning how to play right back learning what I have to do and I think I'm going to learn with these coaches that we have.

They're super, I love the coaches. So I feel like with these coaches that I have, that they're going to teach me how to play the position, like they have been. And I feel like as soon as I learn more about the position and learn more about what I have to do and how the position is played, I feel like I can adjust to it more.

Who are your role models at the position of right back? Like, oh, I love Danielva. Yeah. I love Danielva's. Sergio Roberto. Yeah. Those are two guys that I really like to watch. And obviously at Galaxy, I learned a lot from golf.

He helps me out a lot. And he gives me advice and tells me, gives me good advice and helps me out a lot on the field. That's cool because sometimes older players can see, you know, a talented young player like yourself as competition. and the enemy, but it sounds like Ralph is really helpful to you. Yeah, yeah, very. He helps me out a lot. Even when I was playing right wing, he was telling me a lot of good stuff.

He really helps me out on the field, so I'm thankful for that. Yeah. Okay, let's get into the national team setup stuff. The U20 World Cup experience for you was kind of strange. As most of the people listen to this podcast will know, you joined the roster after Iowa Aconola was a late scratch for injury. So maybe you found out what four days before the first game that you were going to be going to Poland, something like that? I think I got there two days before the first game.

Okay. Yeah, I think I got there two days before the first game or three days. But yeah, that's when I found out. I mean, I found out, well, they called them they called the Archie. GM, Dennis, and I think it was like right after training, they told me, the coaches told me to come into the office. I was like, what? I thought I was in trouble or something.

And I was, I think it was okay. And I went in there, and like the whole staff, like the high ups were there and everybody was there. And I was like, wow, what's going on? And then they just told me, like, that cab called me into the World Cup. And I was just like, okay, like, when do I? have to leave and like everything and said we need to put you on the fastest flight there and then we just sorted everything out and then yeah I mean that's how that's how I got my call I mean they told

Dennis then it's told me and then I flew out there I see because you and you had found out like less than a week before that that you that or I don't know a couple weeks before that that you weren't on the roster from tab right yeah I found out like maybe two like a week before that that I wasn't going to be on the roster so that's kind of like some some whiplash there back and forth where you yeah i was just like wow like am i on there am i going and what am i going and what am i going to do like it's kind of it's kind of like weird feeling you know yeah did you so by the time you got the word from dennis were you excited to go or were you kind of like ah you know i wasn't on the first choice roster i guess i'll go obviously i was thankful

to go to the to the world cup obviously a lot of kids don't have a lot of kids that want to go to the World Cup, don't have the opportunity. So obviously, I was going to go. Excited, I would say, it was just like, wow, like, now I'm going. And I wouldn't say, like, I was, obviously, I was super excited at the time, but just realizing that, damn, I'm going now. But obviously, it's how soccer works, and it's the game of football. As soon as someone gets injured, it's your time to go.

So, yeah, I mean, obviously, I was excited. I would say I was excited. There was something in me that I was saying something different. Now, and then you didn't play. Tabramus didn't play you in the tournament. Were you frustrated by that? Were you? Very frustrated.

Yeah, okay. Yeah, and I was frustrated, but we were winning games. So obviously it's about the team, not about myself. So, yeah, I mean, we got into, what, the quarterfinals, semi-finals? Quarterfinals, yeah. Yeah, quarter-finals. So, yeah, I mean, obviously we had a good run, and we were winning games, and he put the best starting 11 that was going to win the game.

So obviously, it wasn't all at soccer's not about themselves. So I was just looking out first for the team. So, I mean, it was me helping the team on the bench, supporting them and being a guy on the bench, then it was me being on the bench. But, yeah, I was frustrated to be. because Wolfletcher back home was injured and I could have been playing games. And me, I just loved to play. I just love to play soccer.

So in whatever way, I mean, I was, I was frustrated because back home, Galaxy was missing a right back and we had Daniel Starris playing right back. And I just felt like I could have been home playing right back. But then again, I was at the World Cup and not many players get the opportunity. So whatever way I could help the team out at the World Cup, whether it was me sitting on the bench, and I was going to do that. So I didn't really, I was frustrated, but I was just, I was thankful for being there. Yeah.

I'm sure it was complicated, a complicated set of emotions. Did you get along, do you get along with Sergenio Dest? He's also a pretty good fullback. I wonder what the dynamic was there. Yeah, we get along really well. We do. So you didn't try to crunch his ankle in training at the World Cup? Oh, no. I'm just kidding.

No, I didn't. Well You know And a couple months before the World Cup You were called up to the U23 camp And to start getting ready for the Olympics At the same time the U-20s

We're having a camp You know, I don't know, next door in Spain Yeah Is that a goal of yours To be on that team in the Olympics? Oh yeah, definitely My goal is to be a part of the first team, obviously But if I can get into the Olympics

with the U-23s and obviously I mean, it's a goal of mine and I hope I can reach it. But, yeah, obviously I'm a continue to work hard and hopefully I get called into the next camp and go show myself and show them what I'm about and obviously I didn't play at the

U-20 World Cup, so hopefully I can play at the U-23s. So we'll see what happens, but obviously it has a goal of mine. Yeah, you played really well in that camp for the U-23s. I mean, people still talk about how you shut down Justin Klevert, the Dutch winger. Has Burrhalter been in touch with you since then, or Jason Christ?

Are they standing in contact? No, I haven't talked to them. Yeah, okay. That's always the answer I get when I ask that question of anybody. Have you been watching the U.S. men's national team under Burrhalter? What's your analysis? Yeah, I've watched them at the goal. Cup when they um yeah i watched like every game at the gold cup those are the games that i've watched

what do you make of the way they're playing do you like it you think it's oh yeah i like it i mean when we were when we were at the u23s camp um jason christ had me playing as how uh like uh we were playing how burhaw people wanted to play you know the right back goes into or the relft back would go into the midfield. And that was my job at the U-23 camp, was to go into the midfield and help out. And I think I did a pretty good job at it. I mean, I was kind of confused,

but obviously the national team is going to know because they're going to be practicing on it, but we had only practiced on it for, like, a good three days before our game. But, yeah, I mean, I like it. I think it's been working out for them, so. Yeah, pretty good. They seem to get better at the Gold Cup. Yeah, for sure.

So here's a question everybody will want me to ask you. Officials with the Mexican Federation have definitely expressed interest in you as a player in various ways. Where do you stand on that? Do you want to play for Mexico or do you want to play for the U.S.? Are you still kind of like keeping your options open? Yeah, my options are always open. You know, it's always about opportunities. Whoever is getting in me better opportunities.

I would never, I'm not going to close the door on Mexico and I'm not going to close the door on U.S. You know, it's just that Mexico comes at me giving me opportunities and I'm going to have to take it, you know? I mean, I haven't heard anything from the top or like Burrho's, I haven't heard anything from anybody else. I haven't heard, you know, but it's all about opportunities, you know. I mean, obviously I wouldn't close the door on any of the,

on any of the team because I grew up in a Mexican household. I've watched Mexico throughout my life and I've also watched U.S. throughout my life, and I'm a dual citizenship, so I can play for both, and I'm just working hard right now. I'm not even focused on that.

Whatever comes will come, and whoever comes to have a better opportunity is what's going to, it's where I'm going to go, because, I mean, ultimately, it's what soccer is about. It's about opportunities, and that's what I'm going to do.

Yeah. So that makes total sense. sense, the opportunities part. Do you talk with, do you talk with any of your Mexican-American teammates about it? Like, you know, Richie or Alex or Uli or David? Or do you talk about that with Jonah? Like, who do you speak with about that besides your, you know, your family and your agent? To be honest, I just will, like, how would I, like, I'll speak to like,

I'll speak to like Sebastian Leje, I'll speak to like John now, like, they're always just messing around, like come to Mexico, come, yeah, US,

and it's just crazy, you know, it's just always, they always tell me the same, bro, like it's just the same. Like, it's whatever,

whoever gets you more opportunities, bro, wherever you're going to see the field and whoever's going to call you up to their first team. Like, whoever's not going to, not going to make a fool of you and whoever,

whatever you think you best, you fit best in. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's too bad. I think a lot of us fans thought it was too bad that you didn't get at least to play. You know, I mean, everybody thinks Sergenio is a good player, right?

But it's too bad you didn't get to play at least in that game against Cutter when Mark had to be played at right back. I don't think I'm going too far, too far afield in saying that that was disappointing for a lot of people who watch the team. But, you know, whatever. I know Todd Ramos is a He's a good guy And he's getting his best Um Okay just a couple more questions

You're in your first season And it's going about as well as can be expected Like you said you're focused on that But what's your, you know What's your long-term goal in terms of the club You want to play for? What do you want to be in five years? Five years I want to be overseas

Five years I want to be overseas Obviously my contract's not that long but it just depends. If I get an opportunity to go overseas and go play for a team out there, obviously I love my time here at Galaxy. I love the organization. I love everything about Galaxy.

And obviously, if I can go overseas and come back to Galaxy, that would be what I would want to do. But, yeah, I mean, obviously I want to go play in Europe, but I want to go test my tests. I want to go, like, I want to go reach the stars, you know. I want the sky's the limit. So I want to go do that. And I want to go, I want to go to Europe and play at a high level out there.

And then I want to come back and come back to the U.S. But I think in five years I should be playing in Europe. And that's my goal. So I'm going to do everything possible to reach my goal. Yeah, well, you've got the world at your feet. Still, you turn 18 next month, right? Yeah, next month. Do you, how long is your contract?

Is it another 18 months or end this year? I think I have three, four more years. Oh, okay, three more years. Got it. All right. So you got a little time in L.A. still. Anything, Julian, anything you wish I had asked, I don't want to cut this short, but I've come to the end of my list of questions.

No, I mean, whatever. If you have more questions, I'm free. Yeah, I appreciate that. I don't. I don't. So I won't just stumble around and waste your time. But thanks again for talking on the phone with me. I appreciate that.

All the best to you with the rest of the season. And hope to see you, you know, called up at minimum for the Olympic squad as soon as possible. And hopefully more than that before too long. because we want to see you in red, white, and blue. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. And thank you for taking the time out of your day to do this. Yes.

Thank you. And hope to get another scuff podcast. And hope to stay in touch. Yeah, put me on the calendar for a year from now. Please. All right. Sounds good. All right.

Take care, man. Bye-bye. All right. You as well. Thank you.