2015 proved to be a whirlwind season for midfielder Diego Valeri as he recovered from a torn ACL he suffered at the end of the 2014 season. He returned to the pitch for Portland and found his form, helping the Timbers lift the MLS Cup trophy behind an MVP performance. Valeri chats about being healthy again, MLS Cup MVP honors, his daughter Connie’s excitement about MLS Cup and his love for the guitar and music.
MLS Cup MVP
“It was a plus for that game, but the most important for me was the trophy, was the team. I was happy about that for me it was good, but I was thinking about the team, and the club and lifting the trophy. You can’t think about you. The game I enjoyed that, but the MVP was a plus for me. I will keep it, it’s nice, but for me the most important was that we won the trophy.”
Proud Daughter
“I think she thinks that she won the trophy with me. The night before the game we watched videos together and she was focusing on the game like a player. She wants to be a soccer player. For the Western Conference final she couldn’t go to the game and she was watching the game at home and touching the screen. I think she’s like another player on this team.”
Musical Maestro
“I started to play guitar when I got my first injury, my ACL in Argentina. I can’t practice too much at home, but now with Connie we can play a little bit more. It’s a nice hobby for me and I like to spend time with an instrument, with music. I like music so Connie can help me with that too. I like to play rock and Christian music too, but mostly it’s rock ‘n’ roll.”
Picture of Health
“It means a lot for me. It’s very important for me because last season I was rehabbing my injury. You know you can’t join the team as you want. This is special for me, I’m enjoying it and working hard for the team. It feels good.”
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