MLS.net continues its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a lengthy interview with Seattle striker Fredy Montero, the team's leading scorer with 11 goals. The 22-year-old gushes about his first season in Seattle, the style of MLS, his ability, and his hopes for the Colombian national team.

Montero on the impact of fans in Seattle, which averages more than 30,000 per game: "It's wonderful for a player. It's something you dream about. It motivates you to win games, to leave your last drop of sweat on the field, to win every ball you fight for out there, to score goals for all those fans that go to the games. It is nice, and it's the closest there is to playing a Champions League game in Europe. Playing in Seattle is amazing. The Open Cup championship we recently won is for the fans, for all their support throughout the season."

On how he adjusted so quickly to MLS: "I believe it's a mix of youth and desire. When you leave your country for something else, my beliefs are to keep on going and always leave a mark, wherever I may be, that can help me achieve bigger and better things at any given moment. I feel that this new step is an important one for my professional career and my life in general."

On why he is a unique striker: "I believe that a game where I don't touch the ball much, where I don't have many scoring chances, where I don't have many shots on goal, is a bad thing even though I might end up scoring a goal. Before a striker, I consider myself to be a player who connects well with my teammates, creates scoring chances and assists on goals. I am a player first, then a striker."

On MLS's style: "What I like about MLS is its competitive style; it is a game of aggressiveness and force. Referees don't stop the game that much, like they do in other leagues, and that makes it more entertaining because the attacks are continuous and this allows defenders to show what they bring to the table as well."

 

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