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Behind the Stripes

Leandro González Pirez

By Atlanta United FC

December 27^th, 2017

“A-T-L” ricocheted off the walls of Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the sea of Atlanta United faithful roared on their team in eager anticipation of the first goal in their new home.

Just moments later, an unlikely hero would answer their wishes.

“I remember everything. I have a photographic memory and I remember everything. I remember it was a corner that we took quickly, I was jogging into the box and when I saw they played it short to Miguel I started sprinting because if not, I knew I wouldn’t get there. When I got to the penalty spot, I decided to make a run to the far post because I had a feeling the ball would get there.”

And it couldn’t have been timed more perfectly, as defender Leandro González Pirez met the ball just feet away to bulge the back of the net and send the crowd into hysteria.

“The moment it went in I didn’t know how to celebrate it because as defenders we’re not used to scoring.”

Unexpected. It's a word he uses to describe the moment but also nearly all of his incredible journey in Atlanta since making the decision to move from Argentina and join the MLS expansion club.

Pirez admits that he and his agent were initially hesitant due to their lack of familiarity with the league, but a few words from the man in charge persuaded him otherwise.

“I ended up deciding when I got a call from Tata. He convinced me and told me about what the club was building, what the club wanted, that it was an interesting proposal and I liked that. I was going to have a chance to play consistently and at that point it would just depend on me and how I perform on the field. So, I decided and came here with big hopes.”

Big hopes for him personally on the field but little expectations off the pitch. If you ask him if he’d foreseen record-breaking crowds of 70,000+ and a city devoted to red, black and gold, he’ll give a genuine laugh and tell you no.

“I imagined an average club, more than anything because it had just recently started. Yes, I knew it was going to have a great stadium and a ton of things but I never imagined so much affection from the fans towards us. It was something incredible that I hadn’t experienced almost anywhere else. I think it also served as motivation for us to have a good season. I hope that over the years we’ll continue to have this great fan base because for the club and the history of the city it’s very important.”

“It’s a country where soccer isn’t a priority, so we knew what we were getting into but it was all the contrary. We found ourselves in a city where soccer is practically a priority. Where the fans wait to come watch us, to cheer on the team, and that’s something that surprised me a lot and as I said before, hopefully that will continue for a long time because it’s an advantage the city has over others.”

Unexpected but marvelous. Pirez still stands in awe of the adventure Atlanta has set out on with the club. From front office to teammates to supporters, he’s moved by the culture of it all, and he can sum it up in three words.

“Fanaticism, joy and work.”

“Those are three things that there are in the city in general and also within the club. There’s fanaticism for the things they do in the club, the people who work there, from the cooks to the players, through the doctors, equipment guys, the people who clean, everyone."

"There’s also a lot of joy for the things we’ve been achieving, for the joy the fans convey. We’re a joyful team. All the players are always in a good mood and working for the same things."

"And work because you can see everything we’ve done in our first year, the front office, the coaching staff, and the fans, because it’s also work to come cheer us on and spend money out of their pockets to be able to come to all the games.”

A pleasant surprise would be an understatement for the boy who first touched a soccer ball on the streets of Buenos Aires. Twenty-one years later, he finds himself on another continent where he plays the sport professionally and crowds of Atlantans cheer his name.

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