You're listening to Raising Anchor on 990 WBOB.
Welcome to the Raising Anchor Soccer Show with
Matt Entrigan and Jason Carey. Your home for
news, analysis, and everything Rhode Island FC.
Each week they take you inside the locker room,
inside the tactics, and inside the storyline
shaping RISC. Here's Matt and Jason. Here for
a special edition, a special treat of the Raising
Anchor Soccer Show. We once again get to sit
down with some of the most important people within
the Rhode Island FC community. And of course,
that is the players themselves. Happy to get
to introduce and talk today with none other than
Leo Afonso, Rhode Island FC attacker. Leo, welcome
to the show. Hey, Matt. Thank you for having
me. Really appreciate it. The pleasure is all
mine. I look forward to these moments more than
just about anything because it allows us, it
allows listeners to get a sneak peek behind the
scenes and understand who's the human inside
that jersey, you know, more than just the number,
more than the statistics, who is that person
on an individual level. So I want to start things
off and kind of get people set on a baseline.
My favorite conversation that we've had so far
is actually the very first one and I'll never
forget it because a reporter came up to you and
started assuming that you spoke Spanish. You
then fired back that you spoke Portuguese and
then they assumed that you were from Portugal.
it was very evident in that very first, let's
call it meet and greet, that you had a very strong
pride and connection to your Brazilian roots.
So I want to ask, I know that you're born in
São Paulo, but I also know then that you moved
to Florida at a young age. Talk us through those.
Was it too young? Was it too early for you to
have Brazilian roots and memories and something
that came later? Or did you get time down in
São Paulo to kind of get that early Brazilian
vibe? Yeah, no. I was born and raised in Brazil
in São Paulo. I lived there for 14 years. So
it was, my roots are in Brazil, born and raised
there. And then I came to the US to Florida when
I was 14, right during the World Cup was happening
in Brazil. So I'm still kind of upset at my dad
about that. But yeah, I have a lot of pride in
my upbringing and where I'm from. So as a Brazilian
then what is it like when we talk about the football
culture because you've seen it here in America
And it's you know, it's a fourth -tier sport.
It's adoption. There's there's some fanatics,
but it hasn't taken a hold of the country Maybe
this World Cup cycle we could see that but from
a Brazilian mindset. What is that cultural edge?
What is that cultural difference if you had to
compare it when you were growing up in Sao Paulo?
Yeah football in Brazil is just it's life Uh,
people have their jobs. They have everything.
But football is the one thing that everyone has
equal is like everyone likes the same amount.
Everyone stops whatever they're doing when their
team is playing on the weekend and they watch
the game. Um, it's just our life is around football
in Brazil outside. Careful about saying football
is life. You're going to potentially play against
the Danny Rojas and El Paso locomotive at some
point in the near future, but you talk about
it. It grounds you. It's your identity as a kid,
especially in Brazil. Who were the greats that
you idolized? Was it Brazilian Nationals at that
point or was it players in the wide variety of
leagues across the planet? For me, it was Brazilian
Nationals. I loved watching Kaka when I was really
young. Neymar is the biggest in Brazil when I
was growing up. It's, yeah, Brazilian players
outside. Are you even allowed to say Kaka as
he was an Orlando player and you come from Inter
Miami? Is that still allowed to be said in this
day and age? I'll allow it. You didn't run into
him, right? He was already out of MLS when you
entered. Yeah, he was already out. That's a shame,
that's a shame. All right, well then, if that's
being the case, we're talking the national stage,
at least the national team. What about the local
teams? What about the leagues within Brazil?
Is there a team that you are deeply committed
to in that case? And if so, who is it? Yeah,
Palmeiras, which luckily I got to play against
them, the Club World Cup with Miami. So that
was a pretty cool experience. Just my mom's side,
or my grandpa, my mom. big Brazilian big Palmeiras
supporters So that's what I was born into All
right, and then talking about you know, you're
in your youth. You're developing your skills
clearly There's a desire beyond this being a
casual thing Like you said football is life want
to talk about youth Academy youth development
at least starting in the the Sao Paulo community
aspect of it How did that like I imagine everyone
down there has insane amounts of talent. How
do you differentiate yourself in academies down
in Brazil and especially like in America? And
I'm sure you probably saw a little bit of this,
but it was a later age. You know, kids, they
all want to be the striker. They all want to
be the one that scores the goals. But then. the
skills develop, you get to a certain height and
suddenly you're a defender or a goalkeeper. How
did you stay on the front foot of being an attacker
through your youth journey before we even get
to the collegiate or your time as a professional?
Yeah, I mean, I always loved scoring goals and
I was good at it. I played a little bit as a
10 when I was a little younger, played on the
left, played on the right side. I played kind
of every single position you can think of as
a forward. And I think that really, really helped
me. Now I have that experience from back then
and I know how to play multiple positions and
I think it's Something that maybe more kids should
try when they're young Explore different positions
and be versatile because you never know So if
you coach one day whether it's at the pro level
or the youth Academy level Is that is that the
X factor? We need to start talking about is be
a little experimental and find out where your
comfort zones are and where you excel Yeah, I
mean it only gives you more uh in your back pocket
if you know what i mean it's just if you can
play on the right and then you go on the left
and then you can play up top and you can play
in the midfield it's you're gonna play you're
just more comfortable in four different positions
than just one it just opens up your your ability
to get on the field and play So we're gonna talk
about your particular skill set and ability a
little later here But want to get into then the
transition you come to the United States now
I didn't know this it sounds like it was at the
worst time possible in the middle of World Cup
while it's in Brazil How difficult beyond the
soccer part was that transition or was it pretty
seamless coming to the states? It was a little
difficult. I mean the first three to six months
I didn't speak English and then But I got lucky
that my school had a soccer team and I got on
the team and people were just like, the Brazilian
kid doesn't speak in English, but you can play
soccer. So people immediately started asking
me questions and being intrigued about who I
was and where I'm from. So after those three
to six months, I'd say it was an easy transition.
Does the skill set that you had And the fact
that you were Brazilian put a target on you as
you're trying to kind of grow your brand within
the youth systems. Like, does everyone go, oh,
we got to take the Brazilian out or watch out
for the Brazilian when it came time to play?
Yeah, it was always every time I stepped on the
field. Oh, he's Brazilian, Brazilian, Brazilian
this Brazilian that does that. Did that make
you feel included or did that make you feel like,
all right, I'm going to show you what Brazil
is all about? I was like, whatever, let's play.
Fair enough. All right, so then you go, you spend
time with Boca United and you go then through
a couple of different academy systems, it looks
like, beyond that. I found out that you had time
with the Philadelphia Union and of course, Inter
Miami, which we'll talk about, not just as the
academy, but of course then Inter Miami 2 and
then Inter Miami Senior. When you look at each
of the stops along your way, did they all offer
you different pieces of your skill set or was
it just more refining what you already had as
you went along your soccer journey? I would say
it was both. For example, Philadelphia, I went
to Philadelphia because there was no MLS Academy
near my house besides Orlando. And Philadelphia
had a great program with the YSC Academy, which
is a school for the players. That was always
something that was important to me and my parents
was soccer and education. So Philadelphia was
a good choice for me. And after spending a year
there, I feel like I developed a lot of that
hard work mentality, kind of more worked on my
physical aspect of the game. And then coming
back to Miami for the Academy was was a great
feeling because I was coming back home, back
home to my family. But yeah. In terms of Inter
Miami's Academy. Was it a net new? Like, we've
talked to previous players that have been with
the club where they've been a part of it as an
expansion program. The senior team may have been
online for a minute or two, but the Academy is
always that, like, you start things off and you're
really designing shape and culture and what you
want to see come to fruition in three, five,
and 10 years even. Was it kind of the wild, wild,
I guess, East, not West at that time as the Academy
was coming online itself? Yeah. It was a pretty...
surreal feeling to be playing for a team that
you knew was gonna be huge in Miami. Like even
back then, we were training at a college campus
and there was no first team facilities, there
was no stadium, but you just had a feeling back
then that this was gonna be something huge. And
to be a part of that since day one is something
I take a lot of pride in and very happy about.
You weren't training at Pitbull Stadium back
in the day, were you? No, we were in Broward
College. It was a college before. Because that
would have been ironic since now, you know, Miami
FC and whatnot. Having talked about that then,
I want to ask, you know, Miami is the last stop
for you in the Academy element of your development.
How important were those final instances before
you then go off for the University of Virginia.
And there's a little bit of going between, right?
There's a little bit of reshuffling there. But
how important were those Academy moments to prep
you for your time at the University of Virginia?
It was a great experience. I mean, you're traveling
and you're living the life of a young pro at
that point. U -19 level, it's pretty high competitive.
It gave me the opportunity to play against people
from all over the U .S. So it helped me a lot
develop, I think. As a Brazilian, knowing that
you had already seen a version of the system
at your time in Brazil coming in where, you know,
as Americans, we introduced this collegiate programming
instead of having just dedicated academies that
get you all the way to, you know, the moment
of trial by fire, if you will. Was it a was it
an interesting conversion to watch? this go from
a structure that you were already familiar with
into this brand new idea of college soccer? Yeah,
I mean, for me, it was always it was the weirdest
thing was the short season that we had in college.
But for me, it was always just about playing.
And I love the sport and I just anywhere I could
play out play. So going into college for me was
no different. I went in with the same mindset
as I was still in a young pro academy to doing
the same thing in college. So. wasn't that bad
of a transition outside. What are your thoughts
on the NCAA expanding it to a longer format?
I think that just actually got announced a couple
of weeks ago. Is that going to be good for the
players in the game, or do you see adjustments
that could maybe change or at least redirect
the attitudes and mindsets of college players
today? Yeah, I saw that. I think the biggest
issue colleges are going to face, like for example,
Virginia, we shared the stadium with the lacrosse
team, which their season's in the spring. So
kind of be interesting to see how that dynamic
is gonna work, but I think it's fantastic for
players that want to play the next level. If
I could go back in college and we played a year
round, I would love that. I mean, yeah, I think
the USL2 system's probably the most at risk right
now because that was kind of the offset. Did
you ever get time with the USL2 team? I know
a lot of your colleagues on the squad have, like,
they played Flint City, but did you ever get
a chance at a USL2 look or wasn't part of your
journey? No, I didn't play us L2 I usually every
summer I would come home from from college and
I would go train with Miami second team I was
close to the coach at the time and he was like
hey Leo you want to come train? So it was a great
way to stay fit and keep my name at the door
No, that's that's incredible. So want to kind
of finish off here on your time with your Virginia
career 22 goals Is there a moment in there that
stands out? I talked to Omidy last week, and
he reminded me that his favorite moment of his
life was putting Nick Scardina in a very sad
state in a final, a championship final. Do you
have a goal? Do you have a moment at your time
with the University of Virginia that rises above
all others? I have two moments. I'll do one,
which is mine. I think I scored, I can't remember
which game it was, but I think it was my third
year in college. I scored against Syracuse and
I think they were unbeaten at the time. We were
ranked number one and we scored in the last five
minutes. So I think that's my favorite goal in
college. Then my second moment was when I played
against Hamadi and he got a red card against
us. Do you so how many tells us all the time
that he reminds Nick on a constant basis? Do
you ever go into the well? And if you need to
check Omidy in any way, do you just remind him
of that moment? Yeah, we talk about a couple
of times a week No love lost when you're on the
wrong side of the competition Well, we got to
go to break and when we return we've got more
with Leo Afonso all here on the raising anchor
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.com. Now let's get back to the Racing Anchor
Soccer Show on 990 WBOB with Matt Entrickett
and Jason Carey. All right here with Rhode Island
FC attacker Leo Afonso Leo We just finished talking
in the first segment all the way up through your
time at University of Virginia But I want to
take a step back now and kind of look back at
everything you have done up until this moment
a lot of the times People or players will tell
me it's certain individuals. It's certain moments
that shaped their soccer career It shaped their
personality. It shaped their mentality if you
had to give homage to you know, the three most
important people that helped you along to be
the player you are today. Who are we giving flowers
to? Oh, and by the way, your mother and father,
when I met them, told me that if you don't answer
them, they're going to have strong words with
you. So be careful here. I was going there. My
parents, my dad always helped me train, taught
me a lot of things. So my dad, for sure, number
one. I think my coach when I was at Miami Academy,
Darren Powell. I think he's at Nashville now.
He was very high on how I played and always helped
me and looked to give me advice. And yeah. And
then I think my coach at UVA also, he was George
Gionovach, was a big influential in my career
growth. If you had to quote them, what's the
most profound thing you remember them telling
you? Not to put you on the spot. I can't remember
exactly one thing they said, but they always
told me to keep working hard and keep my head
down and everything else will happen. Fair enough.
I want to then get into a little bit more about
your leadership. So something that I don't think
fans necessarily know is that at that time at
the University of Virginia, you were both a captain
and leader for the program. We're going to talk
at length about Inter Miami and now here at Rhode
Island in your first year. Do the qualities of
being a leader, do they go away when you aren't
wearing the armband? And if not, and I think
they don't, but want to hear it from you, how
do you make sure that in those moments you do
step up as a leader when you're supposed to,
and then when there's another captain on the
squad on the field, how do you make sure that
you differentiate so that that person can be
a leader in their own way? Yeah, I think there's
different types of leaders in every aspect of
life. I'm more of a Not gonna see me talking
too much, but I'll show my actions. I'm kind
of like Look, this is how you do it So sometimes
you're seeing games. I'm not talking much. I'm
not yelling much but I'm Doing everything I can
my head's down and I'm working hard So I think
that's my best leadership skill And I also think
sometimes captains and people, they see one thing
and someone else sees something a different way.
So if you always have open floor to put your
input and things, and sometimes if our captain
misses something, then I'll tune in and say something.
I love that. Wanted to now talk you through college.
It's the MLS Superdraft. And this is probably
the most common question I ask every player that's
gone through it is that some players will say
that they didn't know where they were going,
they didn't know if they were going anywhere,
and others have told me that coaches are having
conversations, agents are setting things up behind
the scenes, and maybe the draft pick number is
not what they thought, but it's the intended
result at the end. Want to walk through your
super draft, you return to Inner Miami, what
was that like? Was it expected? Because you just
said a second ago you already had such a great
standing relationship during the summers with
the Inner Miami Academy system. Was it kind of
a known variant that you were going to be going
back to in Miami? To be honest, no, I had no
idea. My senior year in college, I got hurt.
I had a high ankle sprain, so I was out for I
think I played four games, five games that season,
which is the most important season. And if you
want to get drafted, so I didn't have any expectations
going into the draft. And after the round one
finished, I remember turning my TV off at home
and I was like, I'm not watching this anymore.
I can't. And I go up and I'm taking a shower
and my mom comes banging on my room door and
she's like, Leo, Leo Miami picked you. And yeah,
after that, it was just crazy. Just a dream.
Want to talk about the injury for a second. I
know that you missed a lot of the season. And
when you know that that's something that could
have potentially set you back, but you have to
get back into it. What is the mental reset look
like in those critical moments? Because it. I
feel like it can be incredibly disparaging and
devastating and understand it can be like, hey,
I want to prove to myself that I can rise above
this. How do you go through that, especially
when there's that much at stake? Well, it was
it was pretty hard. I'm not going to lie. Like
I thought I was like, this is done. I'm not going
to get picked on the draft. Like everything I
did this past three years is gone. But I got
lucky when I came back and I played a few good
games and scored and. everything ended up working
out. But I think just when the pressure is on,
that's when you really know yourself. So I think
that's the biggest thing I live by. When you're
injured and you're in rehab, do you constantly
relive that moment where the injury happened
or do you try not to think about it and just
focus on getting healthy, getting back to 100
% like for me, I feel like that's that moment
where I'd be like, all right, if I hadn't done
this or if I just position myself in a different
way. maybe things would have been different.
Do you live in that moment for an extended period
of time? Yeah. So I had to wear a cast, I think,
for about a month. I was on crutches for two
weeks. And I think those two weeks on crutches,
I was rewatching the play and I was like, oh,
come on, don't do it. What are you doing? But
then once I got off the crutches, I was like,
oh, OK. Just constantly looking. It's like an
out -of -body experience almost at that point.
All right. Then let's get into Inter Miami, specifically
starting here with Inter Miami 2. want to ask
how good did it feel that Inner Miami first selected
you and then knowing that you kind of already
have a leg up where at least you know some of
the technical staff, some of the administration,
did it feel like this was the only place you
could have landed because of all of the relationships
you had already built earlier in your career?
Yeah, so when I got there it was I think three,
four months after Messi or no, Messi got there
in June. It was after Messi got there. So they
changed the whole staff and I didn't know any
one of the club. So that's why I was a little
surprised. Wait, I thought they only changed
like the senior technical coaching staff. Are
you like they cleaned house all the way down
to the Academy? I'm not sure about the Academy,
but the second team staff was was different than
when I was there. Fede Higuain was the coach
when I got there and I think He might have been
there one summer when I went to train. I can't
really remember. But yeah, they changed. They
changed a lot of people. So that doesn't give
you any leg up. It sounds like it resets it for
everybody. I'll switch the question around then.
How do you differentiate yourself in an early
marking? I know in your early time with two,
you scored four goals in your first, I think
it was two matches. Yeah. Did that just kind
of give you the catapult? I know there's a couple
of things we'll talk about around like these
temporary loans that you had assigned to you.
But did that just give you the ammunition to
propel yourself amongst the top ranks within
Inter Miami 2 at the time? Yeah, I mean, I think
it was kind of the same mindset of my last three
games in college that I was like, I have to score
if I want to get drafted. So I went into preseason.
I was like, I'm just I'm going to do my best
and see what happens. Didn't expect much from
it. Went in with the goal and and yeah, I got
got lucky some will say that I scored a lot of
goals in the beginning and yeah When does a player
in the two system or the reserve side? When do
you feel comfortable enough to say that you belong?
Is it only until you get that senior contract
because you're fighting for every goal, every
minute, every look to eventually advance? Or
is there a moment where you can still feel comfortable
enough to say, like, I belong here now on this
team? I'm not sure. For me, my goal is always
to be on the first team and to get playing time
and to be regular playing time. So when I was
in the twos, this is just a warm up for when
I get to the senior team. a speed bump along
the way. Want to talk about the senior team and
specifically your debut, top three moment in
your life. How was it? Could you describe, could
you walk us through the experience of being able
to play for Inter Miami first team? Yes. So I
remember when I made my debut, it was, um, we
played rebels away. Um, and I remember the game
was like, I think on a Saturday they told me
Thursday, Oh, you're traveling with the, with
the senior team. We had some guys on international
duty and I was like, Oh, okay. Like I'll be on
the bench. Like this is super cool. Uh, and they're
like, Oh, and Sunday, like you play with the
second team there too. Cause they were in, um,
they were in Jersey as well. Um, and we went
to the game and I remember, I think it was 70
minutes in that that calls me over and he's like,
Leo, you're going in. I was like, Oh, I trained
with these guys for like two days. Uh, I was
like, okay, let's see. and I went in and I played
a good game and then after that it was just everything
happened really fast. If you have to go back
to that moment especially away because players
have told me the debut away is different from
a debut at home like your first is always your
first. What was that sight? What was that smell?
What was that one thing that stood out amongst
all of the different things going on as you find
out that you're going to take the pitch? I think
you just think back to everything you've done
and it gives you confidence to to step in the
field and once I stepped in you kind of forget
everything else that's going on and it's just
a game. You're just playing 11 versus 11 and
you're running around and it's all that matters
at that moment. All right well we're going to
talk more Inter Miami FC, the rest of your MLS
time so far and of course everything with Island
FC when we get back but we've got to go to break
here on the Raising Anchor Soccer Show. Fans,
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let's get back to the Racing Anchor Soccer Show
on 990 WBOB with Matt Entrickett and Jason Carey.
Here with Rhode Island FC attacker Leo Afonso
as we are going through his soccer journey his
soccer life and The last segment we pick up from
his time at Inter Miami Leo I want to make this
show about you But I would be doing a disservice
to fans across the world if we didn't bring up
a certain player Maybe a certain set of players
at your time down in Inter Miami Want to ask
you first question. There's there's these signings
that happen how do you go from coming from Inter
Miami 2 to now signing and playing in the first
team where there are all these legends that show
up like Lionel Messi, Busquets, Alba, Suarez,
how do you go from that surreal moment and now
you're playing on the pitch alongside these individuals?
Yeah, I mean, I think anyone that says that it's
not intimidating in the beginning, they'll be
lying. In the beginning, I was a little intimidated,
but they're really good guys and they just Busquets,
Jordy, they took me under their wing a little
bit and just show me that it's okay to make mistakes
and it's okay to try your things and give you
tips here and there. And watching these guys
train every day, you just see firsthand how good
they are and how high their level is. So you
learn a lot. Does their soccer IQ do their abilities
and skills does it transfer pretty seamlessly
like would you say arguably that you became a
much better player by playing with them or were
they at a place that It's almost like there's
a distance. There's a distance between the skill
sets and I'm not insulting you or anyone but
obviously players are at one level or another
do you quickly elevate your own game to players
like that or is it just like Okay, what whatever
I can learn from you in the time I get to be
around you. That's that's all it's gonna be Yeah,
I mean being around those guys that elevate to
100 % just because you see how well they're doing
things and you're like, okay I have to do it
try to do it as well as they are Or when you
know exactly where Messi's gonna put the ball
when when he gets it in this spot of the field
You're like I'm gonna run here because I know
he's gonna put it there where Jordy, he's crossing
the ball, he likes to cross it back. So you're
like, I'm going to position myself here because
I know he's going to play that ball. So I think
the biggest thing playing with them that I learned
was just being one step ahead of everyone else.
Yeah. Has it made your life significantly more
difficult when you don't have the level of service?
or the defenders behind you so that you can be
a little braver. You can take on more risk. Has
it changed the way you've played your game? Because
once you've played with that level, you get a
taste for it, right? Obviously, Atlanta, Rhode
Island, I see no disrespect again, but they're
not going to offer necessarily the same level
of skill. Is it almost like you've seen the best
and you might not ever get to see that again
in terms of teammates? Yeah. I mean, when you're
speaking about arguably one of the best in history,
So, when you have Messi playing you through balls
or Jordi Alba playing you through balls, it's
definitely a lot higher level than other teammates.
No disrespect to any teammate. Of course, of
course. I think Clay Holstead will agree. He's,
you know, he's no Bousquets. But we can ask him.
I do want to ask one final question though about
Messi alongside you. We made the joke when you
first got announced that we were getting a Leo
from Inner Miami. There's two Leos on this team.
What was the name differentiation during practices
or even on the pitch? Were you both just allowed
to be Leo or how did it work out? This is actually
funny. So there was three Leos when we were at
Miami. Oh, Campagna. Leo Campana, Leo Messi and
me. And then it was Leo, it was Messi. Campana
was, they called him Campana and me was Afonso.
Afonso, Afonso. But it was funny because they
would say Leo and then all three of us would
look at each other like, who is it? Oh, I love
that. I want to end things in Miami before you
get traded onto Atlanta. Is there a key moment
that's just, you know, is the is the core memory
you'll have. Maybe it's something on the pitch.
Maybe it's something off the pitch. I feel like
it's going to be that incredible goal you scored,
but I want to ask and let you you do the talking
here. What is that key moment for you at your
time with Inter Miami? I would say I would say
that Philly goal against Philadelphia. It was
just two men down. I don't know 10 minutes left.
It was just crazy stuff. I think that was a top
10 Sports Center moment for her. I want to say
it was almost a contender for year. of the like
the top year moment as well. That was an incredible,
incredible goal. How did you feel after that
game, knowing what you accomplished on the night?
It was pretty crazy because the game ended and
I was like, oh, OK, whatever we won. And then
talking to people on the field and then I go
into the locker room, I call my parents, I call
my girlfriend. I just scored. And they're like,
yeah, we know it's all over the Internet. I'm
like, oh, I haven't even checked. I'm not a big
Instagram guy or Twitter. I'm just I'm like,
whatever. So you're on this high, you're doing
all the things you're supposed to do as a left
winger, an inverted winger. And then you get
the call and you find out you're getting traded
to Atlanta United. How devastating was it to
know that you were working hard for this level
of success? You're being integrated in this team.
Miami's doing well at the time. And you find
out that your services are being sent to Atlanta.
What's the honest emotional reaction as a human
being that you have to go through knowing that
your time in Florida is over? For me, it wasn't
too bad. I mean, I was more sad that I was leaving
home. I actually asked for the trade because
I wanted to play more. I wasn't getting a lot
of minutes, so I asked for the trade to Atlanta
and I need the GM over there, Chris Henderson,
because he was at Miami before. So it was It
was sad leaving and wishing things could have
been different, but I was happy to try a new
adventure and see what else was out there for
me. What did your experience in your time with
Atlanta give to you? Obviously, not as many probably
touches that I think you would have wanted, especially
coming off of some of the success that you saw
with Inter. Did you get what you wanted to out
of that journey in that time, or what were those
lasting impressions with Atlanta? Yeah, I mean,
it was... quick. I was there for, I think, only
three months of the season. Did not get what
I expected, but that's life. You never get everything
you want and hope for. So, yeah. Do you equivalent
that as the resiliency similar to an injury or
a setback of that kind? Obviously, those are
moments that are unpredictable. How do you walk
through that when you're trying to put your brand
out there, develop yourself? How do you adjust
to those kinds of circumstances? You just you
just have to keep going on about life and just
do your best every day and Whatever happens happens.
You can't really control it. You can control
the work you put in every day. You can control
how you react to things So yeah, I think just
moving on and keep doing what you're doing and
Things will work out. We'll talk about Rhode
Island here in a second. But looking at this
moment you're in MLS do you still think about
where that ceiling is for you? Obviously, we're
going to talk about now in championship play,
but you've played amongst the best. You've been
one of the best in that group. When you look
at the ceiling for yourself and you specifically
focus on MLS for a second, is there more in that
story that you want to go after? Is there more
to be said about your time and your impact that
you left in Major League Soccer? Yeah, I mean,
I think I think things are not finished with
MLS. I think my biggest goal coming here was
to being in a team that has a clear identity,
a team that has a good setup, that wants to win,
has a great fan base, the coaches have a vision,
everyone here has a vision and aspire for more.
So I think coming here was a good move for my
career and we'll see what else happens. All right.
Well, we're going to go to our final break and
when we return, we're going to talk all things
Rhode Island FC. Don't go anywhere. It's the
Raising Anchor Soccer Show. Now let's get back
to the Raising Anchor Soccer Show on 990 WBOB
with Matt Entrickett and Jason Carey. All right
here with Rhode Island F .C. attacker Leo Afonso
and we're getting to the most important part
where listeners want to know and that's everything
about you joining the amber and blue. So I want
to ask you know we learned in the last segment
that you had initiated the transfer to Atlanta.
How did you get connected with Rhode Island F
.C. as a club and what's the origin story that
got you here playing in the Ocean State? Let's
see. So my agent is friends with Kano. He knows
Kano well and I actually met Kano at the MLS
Cup final. I was there for that game and Kano
was there too. So I spoke to him for a little
bit briefly and he expressed his interest and
yeah, things from there just took a good path
and I like the vision that he had, that the team
had, the club had. So here I am. I want to talk
a little bit about the vision and the opportunity.
You know, when you get to Rhode Island, and I
know that the first moments that we met, it was
training in that offsite indoor facility. It
wasn't necessarily yet in Centerville Bank Stadium,
especially in front of fans. But what were those
initial impressions and opportunities that kind
of exposed themselves to you as you started to
really digest Rhode Island FC after you had signed
with us? Yeah, I mean, I already knew all about
the setup. I knew the stadium, the fans. It was
an environment I wanted to be in, an environment
I felt like I could grow, apply a lot of things
that I learned over my two years in MLS. But
yeah, the snow I was not prepared for, the climate
change. It doesn't snow in Sao Paulo? No, in
Florida, neither. You talk about the environment,
you talk about the conditions. Rhode Island FC
is considered one of the crown jewels in the
league right now, both because it's a newer team,
but also there's just a really strong implementation
and investment around facilities, amenities,
culture, everything. You've now played enough
games across the league that you've seen other
teams. If Rhode Island hadn't been a destination
for you, could you have seen yourself going to
one of these other organizations that, you know,
like, we can talk about Hearts of Pine, no disrespect,
but they play on a track field. And I think you
guys were changing in cargo containers on that
weekend. So when you look at what that is for
Rhode Island, how critical is it for a player
of your caliber to see those amenities, to see
that investment in the resourcing of player development?
And is it just a must for you? For me, yes. I
mean, I like to be in the gym. I take recovery
serious. There's a lot of things that needs to
be at a high level for you to perform at a high
level. So having those. resources. It's something
I don't really negotiate on. If the team doesn't
have a good setup, then I can't perform my best
and that's not in my best interest. Speaking
of your best, when I first met you, I asked you
if you had had an early identity. I think you
were week two into your time with Rhode Island.
I had seen like, hey, you know, are you going
to be someone that is implemented on the left
wing? At the time, we didn't know who our right
winger solution would be. And you said, you know,
I'll play wherever coach wants me to play, but
I prefer the left. I know that rings true, but
did Kano give you that sense of knowing where
you would be in this organization? from the get
go or was that something you had to earn? Because
I have a theory that between you and Aldair,
you forced Jojaya to have to go outright because
it was something he had not done primarily up
until this third season with the club. So did
you prove your case that you were the one that
was going to be on the left side or was there
ever a moment where you could have been playing
the opposite side, similar to kind of what Jojaya
has now on the other side? Yeah, I mean, I think
I came in a preseason. I was working in the off
season, working hard, and I came in fed. And
I just, I think I showed something that he liked
and yeah, that's where he put me. And like I
said, I'll play anywhere the team needs me to.
I mean, Clay can be our backup goalkeeper. Maybe
you might have something in the cards to do it
as well. How good are you with your hands? I
would need a Peter Czech helmet to protect my
head now. Especially right now. Listen, I wasn't
going to bring it up, but I mean, people are
going to watch this and they're going to be like,
what happened? Yeah, you have to. do you want
to go into details or do you want to leave it
mysterious as to the battle wound that you have
uh currently on screen right now as we're as
we're recording this it have been a work work
incident well i guess it's a good thing the the
uslpa renegotiated their health insurance contract
it couldn't have come at a better time So I want
to get into the conversations about the workplace.
I want to first ask the locker room, the environment
right now. We know we've had conversations that
you've got a friendship, an existing friendship
with Frank Nodarse. I want to ask, how have you
gelled with the rest of the team? Who have been
the go -to guys that have taken you under their
wing? Or maybe you've taken them under your wing
as you've come in and integrated with this team.
Yeah, I mean, I think this is probably one of
the best locker rooms in terms of um the vibes
and how everyone is uh i think we everyone bonds
really well together um but a couple of guys
that i i came in and i think frank for sure because
i already know him uh jacob um trying to think
who else how many i'm always joking around with
them uh our our head kit manager is nick from
brazil so i'm always messing around with them
too and Yeah, everyone in the locker room is
good vibes and good people. We have a lot of
different cultures and ethnicities as a melting
pot, specifically in Pawtucket, but around the
greater Rhode Island area. Have you found places
that can remind you of home? We could say Florida
or we could say Brazil. I know of a few places
to grab a bite that are Brazilian, but have you
found niches to carve out so that even when it
is 10 degrees and freezing or snowing, you can
find a little piece of home when you need it?
Yeah, my parents always send me a little sweet
treat for here and then from Brazil, so I have
that. There's a Portuguese restaurant I went
to. I can't remember the name, but that's a place
I really like. But yeah. Are there things now
as the weather's getting warmer, we're now into
the heat, are there things that you're excited
to get to do on the off days, whether it's sights,
bites, experiences, is there anything you're
looking forward to more as you don't have to
deal with the cold for at least the next four
-ish months? Yeah, I went to the beach last week
with my girlfriend and my dog and I almost got
third degree burns, so that's how I know. That's
how I know I need more sun. Trump, sunburns.
Leo, we gotta take care of you. We need you for
the rest of the season. Yeah. Wanna talk about
your performance on the pitch, your contribution
to this team. you've had some of the highest
shots this year in the across the league not
always necessarily converting to goals but the
attack is building up in ways that fans of this
club have not seen ever right we've been historically
somewhat stingy sometimes on our goal production
and yet we see something more from this attack
that's been an exciting promise it hasn't always
led to multiple scored goals and we've had a
couple of nil -nils across the time but As a
player like yourself that has this high shot
status, what's the missing click? What's the
missing thing that you need to start converting
more goals on the season? Is it an individual
moment? Is it just more time playing with the
team? What is it that's going to separate you
from being a single goal contributor to a double
digit goal contributor by the end of the season?
Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of things are going
to play when you look at Soccer as a whole scoring
goals is the hardest part of it. I think in the
beginning of the season I had a lot of chances,
but they were kind of half chances. I wouldn't
say I missed many setters. So I think just having
better quality service and that's something that
we've been getting better at every game. Being
a little more patient and taking better shots
instead of forcing the shot is something I've
been working on in the past few games. But yeah,
I think the best is yet to come, and I'm not
worried about my goals scoring for now. I don't
think anybody is. We just want to see more and
more. Rhode Island is a greedy community, and
they just want to see five goals a game. That's
not too hard to make happen, right? In terms
of your time here with Rhode Island, a player
like you, I think fans are always a bit suspicious
that, hey, you come from a level of quality and
talent. You're clearly playing in a different
level of soccer now. How long do we have a player
like Leo Alfonso? And so it almost feels selfish
to ask, but, you know, what's the what is the
thing you want the most out of this time with
Rhode Island, whether it be one season, two seasons,
or we have you for the rest of your life and
then we build the statue and you hang up the
boots? I mean, like I said, everything happens
the way it's supposed to happen. I'm just focused
on every week and every weekend week out, focus
on scoring goals and winning games and doing
the best I can for the team and the community.
Are there any personal goals that you can share
for the season that you want to accomplish? It
doesn't necessarily have to be a stat line goal.
Is there just something that you've made a promise
to yourself that you want to see come true by
the end of the season? Yeah, I think just keep
enjoying everything I'm doing today. I get to
play a sport for a living, so I'm blessed. So
I think just take every day, day by day and just
enjoy it, not think about the future and not
think about other things going on in life. And
speaking of enjoying things, I would be remiss
if we didn't bring up the World Cup, especially
as a Brazilian. How important is it for you to
feel connected in this Cup? You already talked
about missing some of it when it was in Brazil.
How important is it for you to experience it
here in the United States where you now live?
Yeah, I think it's going to be great for the
country. I think it's going to bring a lot more
awareness to the sport. And I think. If we have
a game on the day that Brazil plays, maybe I
have a headache. You're going to pull a Neymar?
Maybe I'll have a headache. No, I'm joking. But
yeah, very excited to watch and happy that Neymar
is on the squad. People are going to remember
this now. And should you not be fit to play in
a match, you've seen the deal. Is there anything
specific that you're going to try to do with
this World Cup cycle? I know that there's one
away game that's going to take you, I think,
down to Virginia. It's Loudon. And then there's
only one other game at home against Orange County
around the 4th of July. How much, like, am I
going to see you at the breweries? Am I going
to see you at the fan zone? Or are you going
to be trying to go to some of these stadiums?
I think Brazil plays and like Philly. What is
your World Cup experience going to look like
personally for León Alfonso? I would love to
go to Philly to watch Brazil play, but I think
they'll be a hard trip to make considering they
were mid -season. But yeah, I'm definitely going
to try to find a watch party or something that
I can go to and experience the atmosphere with
other people and yeah. What are Brazil's chances
in winning the whole thing this year? They've
been I think a top five from what I've heard
But they haven't necessarily been picked as the
the number one or two seed to to take it all
Obviously you're gonna be biased and say they're
gonna get it But like what's the realistic chances
from your football from your football knowledge
since you're a player that knows ball? Realistic
chances, I think We'll have to see how the outside
backs do. I know that's a big criticism for Brazil
right now. It's the outside back positioning
But again, I think soccer is a sport that anything
can happen any day. So we'll see. And then my
favorite question of all time, especially for
a player of your caliber, is looking at what
the World Cup, looking at what your professional
career has been. What is that emotional feeling
you still get today when you come between the
two, right? Like it's a job for you at one part,
but you've got to find the joy in it and then
you get to see it at the highest stage. How do
you sum all of that up in an emotional description?
I think for me it's just, it's kind of, it makes
summer better. It makes days better. You wake
up and you have teams playing, nations playing
and just knowing the joy it brings to the community.
I think it's something really powerful. Well,
we shall see how Brazil does in the World Cup,
and we should also be watching your career to
see how you do with Rhode Island FC. We expect
you to get 20 goals by the end of the season,
Leo. We want it, we need it, and we can't wait
to see it happen before the end of the season
in October. Leo, any final thoughts, any final
words before we let you go? No, all good. I appreciate
you having me on the podcast again, and happy
I get to do this and show a little bit of myself
off the field, so thank you. Thank you, and we
cannot wait to catch up with you soon. Leo Afonso,
Rhode Island FC attacker, everyone. You've been
listening to the Raising Anchor Soccer Show.
You can follow the show on Twitter, Reds, Blue
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.com. Fans, we thank you for listening. We ask
you to be kind and courteous to your neighbors
as you leave the show. We thank you for joining
us and look forward to seeing you again. Until
then, I'm your main man Juju, and on behalf of
the Racing Anchor crew, goodbye for now. And
as always, we are Rhode Island FC.