SAN ANTONIO – For all but one US national team player on Wednesday, playing in San Antonio will be a novel experience.
But for midfielder Miguel Ibarra, it's a routine stop in his annual travels.
Ibarra, the reigning NASL Most Valuable Player, plays his club soccer for Minnesota United FC, of course, and the Loons play against the San Antonio Scorpions in Texas every year.
He may be able to show his US teammates the sights while they're in town. But most of his focus will be on Wednesday's highly-anticipated friendly against Mexico at the Alamodome (8:30 pm ET, FS1). And for the Mexican-American winger, his latest call-up was just that much more special.
“We’ve always watched Mexico play against US since I was little,” said the son of Mexican parents about playing against El Tri. “Just being here is surreal. It means a lot, just being with the US team now facing Mexico, which we know is a good team – but we know we are just as good.”
Ibarra is a name for MLS fans to take note of on the club level as well as internationally. He has scored 14 goals in 82 appearances since signing in 2012 with Minnesota United, who will make the move up to MLS in 2017 or 2018.
“I was with the US team, but I was really excited,” Ibarra said, describing when he heard the news of Minnesota United's move to MLS. “Just seeing how [Minnesota] have come from the bottom and are now in MLS is a big step for them.”
Ibarra recognized that some of the fans who will turn out to see him play on Wednesday night might also be fans of the San Antonio Scorpions, who are the defending NASL champions, and for them he offered his advice in their quest to join MLS one day.
“Just keep pushing, keep supporting,” Ibarra said. “Obviously [fans in] Minnesota did the same thing with us. Going out to the games is a big thing, making them see that there are fans out here.”
It will remain to be seen how the crowd will split on Wednesday in terms of those supporting the United States and those supporting Mexico, but Ibarra offered his thoughts.
“I think it will be half and half,” Ibarra said. “There are a lot of Mexico fans here and a lot of US fans as well. I think it will be a great atmosphere. It will be a really good game with all the crowd and all the energy.”
