He was once cited as the best young talent in MLS by Zlatan Ibrahimovic himself, and ahead of the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, LA Galaxy homegrown attacker Efrain Alvarez is hoping that 2020 can be his breakout year after all.
No one has questioned Alvarez's raw talent, which he's already shown in flashes in his brief MLS career. But in order to truly make good on his lofty potential, Alvarez says he's committed himself during the league's hiatus to the finer points of being a professional, from changing his diet to honing a committed mindset and defending with as much energy as he spends attacking.
In a new feature from Los Angeles Times writer Dylan Hernandez, Alvarez revealed how the time in quarantine has allowed him to focus on making those changes, saying they were inspired by conversations with the legendary Ibrahimovic and his older brother Carlos, who plays for the San Diego Loyal in the USL Championship.
With Carlos's advice, Alvarez said he's spent the layoff improving his diet to include more water and fruit over junk food. He's also begun the process of changing his body, training hard at a facility run by his father with a workout program using resistance bands and dumbbells.
He's already noticing the changes.
“I think this is the year I do something big for myself and for my family,” Alvarez said.
Give Hernandez's full feature a read here.
Watch: Best of Efrain Alvarez
