This article appeared originally in Mßs F·tbol. Mßs F·tbol is Soccer America‘s bilingual (Spanish/English) monthly magazine. The English version of this article follows the Spanish.
Biograffa
Jaime Moreno (D.C. United/Bolivia)Nacimiento (born): 19-enero-1974 en Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Talla (height): 5-10 (1.78 m)
Peso (weight): 163 (73 kg)
Posici=n (position): Delantero (striker)
Clubes Anteriores (past clubs):
1991-94 — Blooming (Bolivia)
1993 — Independiente Santa Fe (Colombia)
1994-96 — Middlesbrough (Inglaterra)
1997-98 — Middlesbrough (Inglaterra)*
*En prTstamo de la MLS (On loan from MLS.)
La Selecci=n de Bolivia (national team): 1991-Present
El Dream Team de Jaime
Portero (goalkeeper): Dino Zoff (Italia)Defensas (defenders): Cafu (Brasil), Franco Baresi (Italia), Paolo Maldini (Italia), Aldair (Brasil)
Mediocampistas (midfielders): Socrates (Brasil), Zico (Brasil), Junior (Brasil)
Delanteros (forwards): Garrincha (Brasil), Marco Van Basten (Holanda), Elber (Brasil)
Jaime Moreno no para. Se le escap= de las manos su tercera copa de la MLS consecutiva pero la estrella de la selecci=n boliviana ha sorteado de defensas y marcado goles desde que lleg= de Inglaterra. Por Amparo Sim=n +C=mo cambi= Tahuichi tu vida? Estaba loco por el bal=n y siempre estaba destrozando las plantas de mi madre en la casa, por lo que ella decidi= matricularme en la academia, que en ese momento era una bomba futbolfstica en Bolivia. EntrT allf con 7 a±os y los diez a±os que estuve allf son los mßs hermosos de mi vida porque con s=lo 15 a±os empecT a viajar por Europa y disputar partidos internacionales, algo que fue fundamental para que ganase la experiencia necesaria para poder jugar profesionalmente. +Y que hacfas en tu tiempo libre? Jugar mßs f·tbol, siempre andaba con la pelota entre los pies. Tuve una infancia muy linda. Recuerdo con especial cari±o nuestros viajes de fin de semana al pueblo de mi madre, La Guardia; allf estaban todos mis primos con los que podfa jugar f·tbol; porque por parte de mi padre no tenia ning·n pariente de mi edad con quien jugar. +C=mo supiste que el f·tbol serfa tu futuro? Tenfa 17 a±os y todavfa no estaba muy maduro para decidir pero se me plante= el dilema entre los estudios o el f·tbol. Fue entonces cuando mis padres que, aunque al principio pensaban que el f·tbol era un pasatiempo y querfan tuviera otra carrera, me apoyaron totalmente y dejaron que fuera yo el que decidiera. Asf que optT de nuevo por el bal=n y luchT para convertirlo en una profesi=n en la que pudiera sacar adelante a mi familia econ=micamente y fuera moralmente satisfactoria. +Que hubieras hecho si hubieras optado por los estudios? Querfa estudiar arquitectura o agronomfa. Quizß alg·n dfa retome mis estudios para hacer alguna carrera corta. Enseguida lleg= el Blooming (1991-94) y la selecci=n Fue todo rapidfsimo porque fichT para Blooming en 1991 y ese mismo a±o debutT con la selecci=n en la Copa AmTrica. Crefa que era un sue±o y me pellizcaba para ver si era verdad, pero al mismo tiempo no querfa despertar porque era algo espectacular estar rodeado de todas las estrellas futbolfsticas de mi pafs. Gracias a Dios lo asumf con mucha responsabilidad aunque era muy joven. +No se te subi= el Txito a la cabeza? Tenfa siempre a gente importante a mi alrededor, jugadores mayores que me ayudaban. Recibf muchos buenos consejos sobre todo de Milton Melgar porque compartfamos cuarto y Tl me hablaba mucho. Ademßs, gracias a Dios, por la educaci=n que habfa recibido de mis padres siempre tuve los pies sobre la tierra porque todavfa no habfa hecho nada; estaba comenzando y mßs bien me asustaba haber tenido tanto Txito y poder luego tener un baj=n. Te convertiste en el primer boliviano en jugar en Inglaterra cuando fichaste con el Middlesbrough (1994-96), +c=mo fue la experiencia? Es otra Tpoca muy rßpida. Fueron dos a±os buenos y malos. Malos porque futbolfsticamente no me fue muy bien y buenos porque conocf a mi actual esposa y naci= mi hijo. Al fin y al cabo logrT algo positivo. +QuT es lo que fall= con el equipo? Aunque fue una experiencia espectacular jugar en Europa, los ingleses tienen otra mentalidad. Quizß yo me dejT estar un poco, pero me daba rabia que hubiera futbolistas que no tenfan ni la mitad de mi juego y estuvieran jugando mientras yo estaba en el banco. El tTcnico no me dio la oportunidad de mostrar mi valor, y si lo hacfa eran 20 minutos como mßximo y asf no podfa demostrar nada. Cada jugador tiene sus malos ratos y lamentablemente a mf me agarr= muy joven pero tambiTn supe levantarme. Estaba medio enterrado allß y, gracias a Dios, pude venir a la MLS y demostrar todo mi f·tbol. +Cußl es tu balance de tus tres temporadas con el D.C. United? Los dos campeonatos que hemos ganado han sido espectaculares. El equipo es fantßstico. Mucha gente nos envidia por tantos logros porque hemos entrado en la historia y es mucho pedir a Dios que nos siga dando mßs. Mi contrato con liga es por tres a±os mßs, pero si tengo la oportunidad de volver a Europa me gustarfa bastante. +C=mo es tu vida en Washington? Muy tranquila. Me gusta jugar al golf y al billar y pasar mis ratos libres con mi esposa Louise d’Ambrosio y mis hijos Laura (8 a±os) y James (3). TambiTn solemos salir con Marco [Etcheverry] y Mario [Gori] y sus familias. Es una vida relajada, sin presi=n, aunque eso no es bueno porque siempre hay que tener un desaffo en la vida. Toda la gente en el club se ha portado muy bien y estamos tan agradecidos que queremos devolverlo con buen f·tbol. +QuT tiene Marco van Basten para ser tu fdolo? Es un goleador nato con mucha tTcnica y muy vivo. Trato de imitarlo aunque no soy un goleador nato y sT cußles son mis cualidades y hasta d=nde puedo llegar. Me gustarfa tener su calidad pero Dios es quien reparte las cualidades y yo estoy muy contento con las que tengo: velocidad y dribling. +Cußles son tus objetivos? Ganar con el D.C. United la Copa Interamericana contra Vasco da Gama [14 de Noviembre y 5 de Diciembre] y clasificar para el Mundial con la selecci=n boliviana, aunque para eso la selecci=n tiene que estar mßs tiempo junta porque no tuvimos la oportunidad de trabajar mucho durante los pasados calificatorios y por eso no llegamos a Francia ’98.
ENGLISH VERSION
Jaime Moreno doesn’t stop. He couldn’t win his third consecutive MLS Cup, but the Bolivian star has been speeding past defenders and scoring goals since arriving from England. Success in States after struggle in England How did Tahuichi change your life? I was crazy about soccer and was always destroying my mom’s plants at home, so she decided to take me to the academy, which was taking off at that time in Bolivia. I started when I was 7 years old and the 10 years I stayed there were the most wonderful of my life because I traveled around Europe and played international games when I was only 15 years old. This was fundamental in allowing me to gain the experience I needed to be able to play professionally. And what did you do in your spare time? I played more soccer. The ball was always at my feet. I had a very wonderful childhood. I remember with special fondness our weekend trips to my mom’s hometown, La Guardia, where I got together with my cousins, whom I played soccer with because I didn’t have any relatives my age on my dad’s side. How did you realize that soccer would be your career? I was 17 years old and I wasn’t mature enough to decide. I had a dilemma: to chose between soccer and my studies. It was then that my parents, who in the beginning thought that soccer was just a hobby for me and wanted me to have another career, supported me completely and let me decide. I chose soccer again and fought to transform the sport into a profession where I could support my family economically and it would be morally right. What would you have done if you had chosen to pursue studies? I wanted to study architecture or agronomy. Maybe someday I will go back to school to pursue a short career. Blooming (1991-94) and the national team came along very soon … Everything happened very quickly because I signed for Blooming in 1991 and that same year I debuted with the Bolivian national team in the Copa America. I thought it was a dream and I pinched myself to make sure that it was real, but at the same time I didn’t want to wake up because it was amazing to be surrounded by my country’s soccer stars. Thank God I assumed everything with a lot of responsibility even though I was very young. Didn’t success go to your head? I always had important people close to me, older players who helped me. I was very well advised by Milton Melgar, with whom I shared a room. Moreover, because of my parents’ education, I always had my feet on the ground because I hadn’t done anything yet; I was just beginning and I was scared of having so such success so quickly and crashing later. You were the first Bolivian who played in England after signing with Middlesbrough (1994-96). How was the experience? It was another time that passed quickly. The two years were good and bad at the same time. Bad because it didn’t turn out well in terms of soccer and good because I met my wife and my son was born. In the end I got something positive. What went wrong? Although it was an amazing experience to play in Europe, the British have another mentality. Maybe I let myself down a bit, but I was furious when I saw that players who didn’t have half the skills I have were playing and I was on the bench. The coach didn’t give me a chance, and when he did it was 20 minutes at the most and I couldn’t demonstrate anything. Every player has bad seasons and, unfortunately, I was very young when it happened but I knew how to step up. I was half buried there and, thank God, I was able to come to MLS and demonstrate my soccer. How do you feel about your three seasons with D.C.? The two championship years have been spectacular. The group of people on the team is great. Many people envy us for having accomplished so much, we made history and it’s a lot to ask of God to continue giving us more. I have a contract with the league for three more years, but if I have the opportunity to go back to Europe I would like it a lot. How’s life in Washington? Very quiet. I like to play golf and pool and spend my spare time with my wife Louise d’Ambrosio and my children Laura (8) and James (3). We also hang out with Marco [Etcheverry] and Mario [Gori] and their families. It is a very relaxed life, with no pressure, although that isn’t always good because you always have to have a challenge in life. Everybody at D.C. has treated us well and we are so thankful that we want to respond with goals. What about Marco Van Basten makes him your idol? He is a natural goalscorer with a lot of technique and is very sharp. I try to imitate, though I am not a natural goalscorer. I know what my abilities are. I would like to have his talent but God gives us the skills and I am very happy with mine: speed and ability to dribble. Goals? Win the Copa Interamericana against Vasco da Gama [Nov. 14 and Dec. 5] and qualify for the next World Cup with Bolivia, although the national team has to play together much more often because we didn’t have the chance to work together very often during the qualifiers for the last World Cup, which is why we didn’t qualify.