Player: Carlos Mendez
The sport of soccer has taken Carlos Mendez around the globe. From here in the United States, to Mexico to Finland and Sweden and even Denmark, the Denver native will take advantage of any opportunity that calls his number.
The outside midfielder's passion for the game started at a young age where he then took his talents to Broomfield High School, scoring 31 goals and registering 33 assists over his three-year varsity career. He was all conference and an all state honorable mention before taking his talents to Mexico, where he traveled throughout Mexico City and Guadalajara on trials with Chivas de Guadalajara and Cruz Azul Reserves.
After that stint he was hand picked by Pro Soccer Consulting LTD to represent their agency on a tour of some Sweden and Finland. He played in six games against professional teams that ranged from first division to third division clubs. He made four starts as a center midfielder and tallied 4 assists on the trip. Carlos then got an opportunity to play for FC Lejre in Denmark where he registered 19 goals and six assists in 16 games.
Now Carlos is back in the United States and may have an opportunity in Bosnia, but is currently playing for the the Colorado Rovers in Denver in the CASL. Here are 18 questions with our new featured player Carlos Mendez!
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How old are you? I am 23. I was born April 18th, 1992.
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How did you get into soccer? My dad played in Mexico and my parents thought it was important to play sports so we could see what we liked growing up. Soccer stuck more than the other sports. I liked the free flow of the game.
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What's one skill you think every player needs to cultivate? Having a good first touch, everything about soccer, especially as you get into higher levels, is all about how quickly you can execute what you want to do. You're first touch is the most important part of that.
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Who were your soccer heroes growing up? One of my first heroes was probably Kin Kin Fonseca of the Liga MX he lead Pumas to championships and later had huge success with Cruz Azul. I didn't watch alot of soccer that wasn't Mexican League but I did hear alot about Thierry Henry and although i couldn't pronounce his name properly, I thought he was fantastic and this was around the time Arsenal went undefeated for so many matches.
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Can you compare the similarities and differences in quality of competition (styles of play) in Denmark (league & division) to the competition (style of play) in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying and the NCAA II division? Everywhere you go soccer is soccer, I think you get alot more commitment at this level from players to do the right things on and off the pitch. The speed of play is similar to NCAA II and you get a lot of athletic players, another slight difference is that you get more soccer players here rather than just athletes. At this level its about doing all the same things right whereas in the US Open cup and even Collegiate soccer you can get away with a little more.
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What is the difference in developmental systems between the US and Denmark? Obviously soccer is the biggest sport here so their whole focus is on building better soccer players. You can't walk 1 mile without seeing a pitch or a goal with a net on it, that being said at higher levels the US does really well at providing quality facilities and everything a player needs to succeed once they are there. In Denmark you can go to almost any club anytime and request a try out and they'll allow it, in the US you have to pay and its with 500 other players fighting for maybe one spot. They give you more room to develop and be noticed.
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What were the preferred systems and formations your club used in Denmark? Generally we played in a 4-5-1, to overload the midfield. If we needed to play more offensively we would switch to a 3-5-2, but the majority of our play went through our wingers because of our speed and ability to get the ball in behind defenses.
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After playing for FC Lejre for one month what has made the biggest impression on you from a soccer playing perspective? Take every chance you get, it's okay to be a little selfish, it's the only way you'll stand out. You have to prove yourself day in and day out.
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What advice would you give to younger boys about making it to the professional level? Practice practice practice.The work you put in when you're not at practice with your team is what will set you apart from everyone else.
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What’s your greatest moment on the pitch? My first game in Denmark, I started on the reserve team to assess my fitness levels and how I was feeling on the ball. We played a 1st division team's reserve side and I finished seven times which immediately got me recognition around the leagues here. This was also the most I've scored in a single match.
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What was your worst moment on the pitch? My worst moment is always the same thing; not finishing opportunities. I practice finishing often, so when I don't do well with a chance its upsetting because I know I'm capable of so much more.
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How did you get past this moment? You have to have a short memory and get after the next chance as if you didn't just miss. Its a huge mental game.
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What is your biggest strength on the pitch? I believe my speed and vision are my biggest strengths on the pitch.
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What music do you listen to before games? I like listening to things that take my mind away from the game completely, I don't really think about the game into the whistle blows. Lately JCole, Kendrick, and George Ezra.
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Where does your motivation come from while your playing? My family definitely. My younger brother Mark is a huge motivator for me, he's one of the hardest working guys I'll probably ever know and my parents have always taught me no greatness without goodness, I use that with soccer to push me to be my best.
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What do you value most in your teammates? Their hard work for one, we have players that are phenomenal and they leave it all out there for our team every game, since the beginning its been like a family and I've been brought into that family since day one.
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What sports and activities do you enjoy off the pitch? Chess has become big again for me, I'm addicted to Netflix, and i enjoy exploring new recipes in the kitchen.
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Where will we see you in 5 years? In five years I hope to be playing in the MLS or another top level in the world. If not soccer, traveling as much as i can!