Mic'd Up: The AppleTV+ analyst talked about his interest in the Club World Cup and why it's such a big tournament for MLS
Diego Valeri is arguably Major League Soccer’s first true Argentine star. His resume speaks for itself: a bona fide legend not just with the Portland Timbers – the club he called home for nearly a decade- but across the league as a whole. Few foreign players have reached Valeri’s level in MLS, and even fewer sustained it as long as he did.
Valeri's own stardom, though, doesn't exempt him from marveling at MLS' current star Argentine, Lionel Messi. As a man who has worn that No. 10 shirt himself, Valeri, too, often finds himself mystified at what Messi can do, and, as the Club World Cup looms, Valeri is as excited as everyone to see Inter Miami's star lead his side against some of the game's best once again.
"It's insane still," Valeri tells GOAL. "It's the best player in history, and he's won everything, the World Cup, and he shows the mentality it takes to compete, to lead the team, to win more trophies. That's how you make a league better, right? That's what I like most."
The Club World Cup, ultimately, is a tournament that the now-Apple TV+ analyst finds himself gravitating towards, largely because it unites so many parts of his own fandom. There are the MLS sides, of course, including the Seattle Sounders, his once-hated rival whom he now finds himself begrudgingly pulling for this summer. There are the European heavy-hitters, including Porto, a club that he played for once upon a time. And then, of course, there are the Argentinian powerhouses, Boca Juniors and River Plate, two clubs that have long set the tone for the South American game.
Valeri talks about the brilliance of Messi, the Argentina-USA connection, his expectations for the Club World Cup and more in the latest edition of Mic'd Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL US taps into the perspective of broadcasters, analysts, and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty ImagesON THE CLUB WORLD CUP
GOAL: We have the Club World Cup coming to the U.S. this summer, and it's such a unique experience and unique tournament, particularly for the teams in MLS. As someone who knows and loves the league, and knowing the challenges they'll face in terms of opponents, what are you looking forward to?
VALERI: I feel inside that I really want to play! This is a dream come true to play in tournaments like these. It was my biggest wish to play in finals or in these types of tournaments with the Timbers, but I also really want the MLS teams to succeed. Obviously, it's not easy, and you can see how hard it is in that Champions League final where PSG score five against Inter, right? Soccer is a special sport in that it's just 11 against 11 and, no matter what, you can still compete. There are so many epic moments in history where the team that isn't the best wins a championship because they played better for those 90 minutes, right?
In this case, MLS has a home advantage, and they have to use it. They'll need to play a perfect game against these teams, have some luck, get some points, and then, who knows? Things can happen in soccer. If you win the first game, maybe you get a result in the second one and, hey, you have a chance, right?
AdvertisementGetty Images SportON THE SOUNDERS
GOAL: One of the teams representing MLS in this tournament is, of course, the Sounders. As a Timbers legend, you're not legally allowed to say nice things about them, right?
VALERI: Usually, I'm not allowed to say good things about the Sounders, but actually, for this Club World Cup or for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, I'm an MLS supporter. Any team in MLS that is there, I'm supporting them. It's weird, but I do want them to succeed because I know how much talent all of the teams have here, and even though it's still a process of growing and making this a better place, these are the moments to do it.
In terms of the Sounders, people who know me know that I'm always trying to be fair, and you have to say that the Sounders, in the last decade, they deserve this. They make the finals. They win trophies. They have had the same coach [in Brian Schmetzer] for years, and that's fantastic. They did it right, and I think that's something that's good for the Timbers, actually, as a rival. We want all of the teams to keep improving and we want to win an international trophy. The Timbers need to be there next time. We need to make those tournaments, but it's healthy to be competing in an environment like that. So, when I have to talk about rivals, I put aside my feelings of being a Timbers supporter and being so identified with those colors.
Getty ImagesON MESSI
GOAL: For someone with one foot in Argentina and one foot in the U.S., what's it like for you having Messi here? Now that he's been here for a while, what changes have you seen, both in the U.S. and abroad?
VALERI: All of the skills, the goals, the magical moments, but also the way he's competing, I think he's leading the way. MLS, young guys, even the other South Americans that have come to MLS, he's shown the way you can arrive in MLS and compete. Having the chance to broadcast him on Apple TV, every game is pure story, right? He does small things that nobody knows, and he makes it look easy, like it's nothing. I love soccer and I love to watch an Argentinian transcend our flag, but at the same time, to lead the right way.
GOAL: You have to get a little jealous, though. He gives his shirt to other Argentinians after every game!
VALERI: After every game, he's giving his shirt to someone! That shows character, too. Sometimes he gets pissed off at the referee and that's genuine and that's good! He's still a kid when he's playing. I did have the chance to meet him, and I said thanks when I shook his hand. I told him he chose the right place. He had all of these different countries and different leagues he could play in, and now, it's about us having the chance to enjoy it and having everyone learn from the best.
Getty ImagesON CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND THE U.S.
GOAL: Obviously, you are part of a long line of Argentinian stars to come play in the U.S., but there are so many connections. Mauricio Pochettino is the U.S. head coach. When Argentina play here, it's always a huge party. What's it been like seeing that connection build as someone who is part of growing it?
VALERI: Soccer is social, right? That's a big part of it. Argentinians can always adapt in different leagues, and that's why there's been so much success in America. The MLS game is an American game, which is trying to score goals, trying to create chances, and looking to attack your rival. That's good for the Argentinian style of playing, for playmakers.
At the same time, the rest of the world, maybe at some point in the last 15 years, it's changed a bit. They've transitioned to systems without No. 10s anymore. In the other direction, we have talent everywhere. Just in Buenos Aires, there's a No. 10 on every block! That's why there's a connection. Argentinians are very ambitious and very competitive, and that's something that always makes a difference here. Some people may say the league here is easy, but Argentinians don't. They come here to compete and make a difference.
GOAL: Obviously, Boca and River are coming for the Club World Cup. What will that be like for them? Surely the crowds will be huge?
VALERI: I think they're going to play like they're at home! Stadiums will be full of Argentinians. All of the Argentinians that live here will go to see River and Boca Juniors because these types of performances are very important, and other Argentines know that this tournament gives us prestige. We want to play Inter Milan and PSG, right? It's a measurement. There may not be the same level of investment as the European teams or even the Brazilian teams, but Argentinian teams will always come and compete. Success for them is making it out of the group and then moving forward and making it to a semifinal or final. Otherwise, people in Argentina will be saying they fell short. Exiting in the group stage is not going to be acceptable for that. They have set their own bar really high.
