Thereafter Costa Rica’s 2-2 draw against Xherdan Shaqiri’s Switzerland in Los Ticos final FIFA World Cup 2018 Group E encounter inside the atmospheric 43,319 capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, FOX Sports 96.9 FM/1340 AM’s Dean Perretta caught up with Costa Rica and New York City F.C winger, Rodney Wallace, to discuss his experience representing Costa Rica at FIFA World Cup 2018, as well as New York City F.C’s current season and success in the 2018 Major League Soccer Eastern Conference.
Wallace’s Costa Rica (which boasts Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas, Arsenal’s Joel Campbell, and Santos’ Bryan Ruiz to name a few) are currently ranked 23rd in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings, whereas Major League Soccer giants New York City F.C are presently second in the Major League Soccer Eastern Division (New York City F.C are official partners with English Premier League champions Manchester City); New York City F.C compete inside the 47,000 capacity Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York.
Wallace has earned 29 international caps for Costa Rica since beginning his international career in 2011. The Costa Rica and New York City F.C star has scored three goals for Los Ticos, including an extremely vital game-winning goal against El Salvador which the talented Costa Rican netted in the Semi-Final of the 2013 Copa Centroamericana, which Costa Rica would go on to win.
Perretta: First and foremost Rodney, how was your experience representing Costa Rica at FIFA World Cup 2018?
Wallace: It was awesome. Unbelievable experience. It’s the World Cup, there’s nothing like it. For me to be able to be there and represent my country was an unbelievable experience. You have to slow it down and remember where you are and literally what brought you to where you are.
It was good to be centered and focused on where I was and enjoy the moment aside from the results and the training and what the media would say. Things like that were non-factors on how I felt inside. I wasn’t going to let anything really rattle me.
Perretta: What are your thoughts on New York City F.C’s MLS season thus far?
Wallace: It’s been a good season. I think that we’ve been working hard. I think that we have certain goals that we want to accomplish and I think that every player has bought into what we want to do.
We don’t have any loose ends at all. I think that everyone is connected and I think it shows in a week like this where we have three games in a week and we’re able to get the 9 points is great.
Perretta: Before we leave Rodney, New York City F.C’s loyal fanbase and support within the community is exceptional. How would you describe your connection and rapport with the great people of New York?
Wallace: That’s what sets us apart from the other clubs. Our connection to the community is fantastic, especially being in New York where everything is magnified.
Being able to help out the community and having that support is key for the club to grow, but it’s more important for those communities. Having a connection is only going to make for the better of the future generations and different families. And it’s good for the Club to get more awareness and to get fans to the stadium and for us to give that back to them (the fans).