And then there were two. Among the 18 players remaining in Dallas Sueno MLS 2008, only two are goalkeepers. One, Raul Herrera, a 21-year-old native of Richardson, Texas, has his sights focused on being one of three players remaining after March 15.
"It would mean a lot," Herrera said, one of the 18 finalists headed for a training session this weekend. "To get there, you won't have to just be the best player at your position. You will have to be one of the best soccer players out there period. It would mean a lot because there's a lot of great talent out there."
Herrera had started in goal for Richland College each of the last two seasons before redshirting this year. He intends to transfer to another institution with Florida International and Incarnate Word among his possibilities. He was a four-year starter for Berkner H.S. in Richardson prior to his time at Richland.
After being introduced to the game when he was six or seven, Herrera first played between the posts when he was eight and has remained there ever since.
"I like the pressure of playing back there," he said. "It's different from being a field player. If you make one mistake on the field, it might go unnoticed but if you make one in goal, it could cost you the game and I like that kind of pressure. I look forward to facing that in each game and live off that."
He considers being one of two 'keepers left a big accomplishment. "It's a big honor being one of two 'keepers left," Herrera said. "That shows that the coaches there really like me. It's an experience that I will remember for a while."
After a solid performance last Saturday, Herrera found himself in a unique position when his name was the first of the 18 finalists read by FC Dallas assistant coach Jorge Alvial.
"It was more like a relief because I had no control over it," he said. "I hate it when I can't control things. All you can do is play your best and put it in the coaches' hands. I knew that the first name called would be a goalkeeper because it was going by position. Then, I heard my name."
He was also pleased when close friends Jaime Benitez, a 21-year-old defender from Dallas and Fernando Garza, an 18-year-old midfielder from Garland, were the third and fourth players chosen.
"It felt good," Herrera said. "I kind of expected it because they're both great players. I was happy for them. It's pretty cool. Out of all the players that came there and for them to also be part of the 18 is cool. It's a better experience to also have them among the 18."
Herrera calls Chivas de Guadalajara his favorite side but ventures across the pond when naming his favorite player. "My favorite player is Marco Amelia, the goalkeeper from Italy," he said. "I think he's the best and I want to be the best. He's played in Europe and the World Cup. I admire him a lot."
When asked what he loves the most about soccer, Herrera replied that he likes the diversion it brings from the rigors of everyday life.
"Soccer is just a relief for me from everything else," he said. "I love playing it and can't live without it. When I'm on the field, I forget about my problems, school or anything else on my mind. It helps me forget everything else."
He is excited about being among the 18 but Herrera knows that to be among the final three, he will have to take his game to a whole new level.
"It's a great opportunity and I'm happy that I made it this far," he said. "Hopefully, I can make it further. It's going to be hard because now it's not about having to be the best goalie or anything like that. Now, you have to be the best player on the field. You have to outplay the players on your own team. You have to do what you do and see what happens."
Thus far, Herrera has been impressed with the talent level of those around him in Sueno and admits the competition only gets better as the field is pared down even further.
"It's been about like what I expected," he said. "Once we got down to 60, I knew we had the cream of the crop in talent. It's been a lot more competitive, a lot more organized and the quality of soccer has been a lot higher."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
