Chasing dreams in the old country

Michael Orozco has emerged as one of the best players on the U.S. team that will take part in this summer's Beijing Olympics. Brad Schloss/Icon SMI Luis Bueno's Mailbag Submit a comment or question for Luis. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

Over the past decade, American players have made unprecedented inroads in foreign leagues -- they can be found scattered across numerous clubs in some of the world's toughest competitions, like the English Premier League and the German Bundesliga.

But Americans abroad aren't limited to Europe. There's a growing contingent who play in Mexico. Michael Orozco of San Luis is one of six U.S.-born players who have seen action in the Clausura 2008 campaign. (The others are José Francisco Torres of Pachuca, Daniel Hernández of Jaguares, Edgar Castillo of Santos, Sonny Guadarrama of Morelia and Jesús Padilla of Chivas.)

Orozco, however, is unique among the group: He's the only one to also suit up for his country. He plays a key role for the Under-23 national team and last month helped the Americans qualify for the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

With San Luis, Orozco has been a pillar of strength. The 22-year-old Orange, Calif., native is a fixture on the back line and has logged 721 minutes this season, starting all 10 of the games in which he's played. San Luis has the most points in the league after 15 weeks.

I recently had the opportunity to talk to Orozco about playing for the U.S. and his rise through the Mexican league.

SI.com: Do you feel you have an advantage over your U-23 teammates because you play in a stronger league? Or do you feel that you are at a disadvantage because many of them play here and are more familiar with the setup?

Orozco: It's hard because some of the players play differently. I guess I have some kind of advantage because with soccer [in Mexico], the structure is much better. The competition is tougher out there, better soccer skills -- everything is just way better.

SI.com: When you were called up by the U.S. and then decided to play for them, what was the reaction in Mexico from your club?

Orozco: It was kind of hard, me going out there. They didn't agree with it, but overall, they came to a decision in talking to my agent that it was best for me, since Mexico wasn't looking to call me. It was a great chance for me and my future and that's how I took it. The club told me it was great and to come out here, work hard and see what I could do.

SI.com: Talk about your path to Mexico. What were your options in the U.S. and how did Mexico fit into your plans?

Orozco: Four years ago, I was with [youth club] Irvine Strikers and I had a chance to spend the preseason with Necaxa. The coach [Raúl Arias], who is my coach now with San Luis, saw me play and told me to go down to Mexico, that it was a good chance for me. The options I had here were limited. They weren't the best.

I took the chance of going down to Mexico. I could grow up as a player and as a person. I took that chance and everything has gone great. Now I'm with San Luis, in the First Division, for the past two years. I'm a starter now. I hope things get better as the road goes, on but everything is good so far.

SI.com: Where does MLS fit into your future plans?

Orozco: Hopefully within a year I can come back to MLS. Of course I want to play here. My family is up here and I want everybody to see me play. That would be a good option.

SI.com: Growing up, how often did you go to Mexico?

Orozco: I probably went down there once, but that was about it.

SI.com: So when you started life as a professional in Mexico, were you homesick?

Orozco: I was scared. I missed everybody back home but I guess it's what you have to go through -- be away from your family to try to succeed at something that you love in a profession like soccer. I think I can take my parents out there and visit me every once in a while now that I'm playing First Division, but at first, I guess, you've just got to suffer to try and accomplish what you want.

SI.com: How difficult was it for you when you first went down there?

Orozco: I didn't even have money to eat. It was hard for me to talk to my parents because I didn't have a phone. Trying to get around the city, trying to buy my personal stuff was just hard. I didn't have any contact with any of my family down in Mexico so I was practically down there by myself. I just had to get through it. There were times that I didn't have a place that I could sleep. I guess that's something you've just got to go through. Nothing is easy in this world. You've just got to try and accomplish your goals.

SI.com: Did you ever think about quitting, just walking away from soccer and going back home?

Orozco: There were a lot of times I wanted to do that, just go back home and do something else. Thank God I talked to my parents a couple days after that, after I was feeling all depressed. They would motivate me all the time and they motivate me now to try and succeed and do better things day by day.

SI.com: Obviously you are born in the U.S. but of Mexican descent. How are you accepted by people down in San Luis, especially now after your call-up to the U.S. national team?

Orozco: I'm still a Mexican because of my parents and I play down there as a Mexican. They don't look at me like someone else -- like a foreign player. I've just got to keep working and hopefully everyone just accepts me as what I am. I'm just defending my colors, coming out to the U.S. It's great to play for a national team. Hopefully it can stay like that.