By Mike Woitalla
Watching Jorge Campos navigate San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf reminds one of what made him such a delightful soccer star.
During his futile search for a Starbucks — he settles for a Peet’s — he’s always smiling and cracking jokes. Later in the day, he’s signing autographs in San Jose and enjoying himself asmuch as the children who idolize the Mexican goalkeeping legend.
It’s been nearly a decade since Campos retired and we’ve not seen another goalkeeper like him. He played likean 11th field player while the world’s best sweeper-keeper, a now bygone concept. His 16-year career included two World Cups (1994-1998) and the boost he gave MLS, when it launched in 1996,rivals the influence David Beckham had on the league. At 5-foot-9, he compensated for size with agility, anticipation, speed and smarts — an inspiration for all young keepers notblessed with height.
But what one misses most about a player like Jorge Campos — especially in the goalkeeper position where there’s so much barking and grimacing — is theinfectious joy he displayed.
“It’s a game!” Campos says. “It’s hard sometimes. There’s a lot of pressure. I always tried to enjoy myself and usuallydid.”
Upon retiring, Campos served as Mexico’s goalkeeping coach at the 2006 World Cup. He currently lives in Los Angeles and commutes to Mexico City for his work as an AztecaTV commentator. He’s in the Bay Area making appearances for Alianza de Futbol, which for a decade has conducted talents searchesfor young Latino talent in the USA.
I ask him what advice he’d give to young players …
“Enjoy yourself! … Have good character. Practice everyday.Take care of yourself. Go to sleep early and wake up early.”
Advice for youth coaches:
“The first thing is to let them play. The most important thing is thatthey’re enjoying themselves.”
Advice for parents:
“Parents are always asking me, ‘Can you watch my boy play? Do you think he can go pro? Do you thinkhe can get a scholarship?’ … They should be more concerned that their children are having fun.
“I go to youth games, U-10, U-11 — in the United States and Mexico –and the parents are screaming, ‘Go up! Go back! Do this! Do that!’”
He finishes mimicking the parents’ gestures and shakes his head.
Campos grew up inAcapulco, and when he describes his childhood sports besides soccer — surfing baseball, basketball — he acts them out despite the fact that his English is good. After he tosses the imaginarybasketball, he recalls his youth soccer days:
“My father created a soccer team [Deportivo Campos] and I played with my older brothers. Goalkeeper and forward. We also played on ourown a lot, often on the beach. My brothers helped me a lot.”
At age 16, he left for Mexico City to try out as a goalkeeper for UNAM Pumas but was deemed too short and sent home:
“My father said, ‘First, you study for a couple years and then go back.’ So I did and I practiced a lot. I practiced on the beach. Jumping in the sand helped give mespring.”
When he returned to Pumas at age 18, he was offered a spot on the third team.
“So I practiced even more on my own. In the morning, in the afternoon. Ishot against the wall and made saves. I found people to take shots on me.”
By age 20, he was starting for Pumas, for which he also had stints at forward, and in 1991, at age 24, heplayed the first of 125 games for Mexico. In 1993, he helped Mexico, in its first Copa America appearance, finish second to Argentina. I asked him if he agrees that the Tri of the mid-1990s wasMexico’s best national team ever.
“Mexico is better now,” he says. “We now have more players playing in Europe.”
When will Mexico win the WorldCup?
“I hope next year!” he says, punctuating yet another sentence with the optimistic Campos smile.
Watch highlights of Jorge Campos and Mexico duringhis El Tri career HERE.
(Mike Woitalla, the executive editor of Soccer America, isco-author, with Tim Mulqueen, of TheComplete Soccer Goalkeeper and co-author with Claudio Reyna of
And take time away from video games? Kids who are motivated to practice on their own? Our league instituted a practice attendance policy because of all the kids( & their parents) who think they should have the fun of playing without the hassle of practice. Who do we think we are, football/baseball/basketball coaches?
& if the parents knew what to yell?
And I think you folks have a great site!
I have two memories of Jorge Campos: It was my privilege to kick the honorary kickoff at the first MLS final in Boston that year and in a heavy rainstorm. No complaints from Campos even though I don’t even recall who played or who won; and 2) I kicked off that honorary ball to Campos who flashed that big smile and then shook my hand. Memories are made of this.
Nice similarity between his comments and attitude here and Klinnsman’s comments to kids on SA also. People hardly ever mention that the most beautiful form of the beautiful game are pickup games in the park on Sunday morning, when diverse peoples of diverse skills and ages just have a lovely time kicking a ball around. Playing with my kids one Sunday long ago I started counting, there were eight languages being spoken on the field, and everyone was laughing and getting along, except for two guys of one nationality, and I’ll leave it to you to guess what language that was.