You play like you live. Nothing is separate from football. I like to read philosophy and theology—“theology” is a correct word?—because I am Catholic. I also like to read science…. I just like to read. To read is good, because you can make a difference by thinking. In a game, I think one player touches the ball for only one minute. But for 89 or 90 minutes, you’re thinking. You think, think, all the time, to see into the field, to see the space and the players. So reading is good for the intellect.
Those are the words of Portland Timbers creative midfield maestro Diego Valeri taken from a special interview with Portland Monthly Magazine. With the team still in the hunt for the playoffs and Valeri very much a central cog in the club's attack, the Argentine talks about his time in Portland, learning English and growing up with soccer.
It's a great read about a player who is relishing his time in the Rose City.
