AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY
'Sports is our Business'
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • Radio
  • TV

Larin: I'm no longer star-struck by Kaka

8/6/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
© Getty Images

Cyle Larin has exploded on to the scene over the past 15 months. The Brampton native made his Canada debut as a 19-year-old – despite having never represented his country at youth level – and scored in both legs of the 6-0 aggregate thrashing of Dominica, which propelled the Canucks into the third round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™.

Larin rejected English Premier League and German Bundesliga interest to become the first overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The striker has since repaid Orlando City SC’s trust by scoring 11 times in 15 appearances.

Larin has, in the process, become the second-youngest player – and third Canadian – to score an MLS hat-trick, and has tied Damani Ralph’s record for most goals in a season by a rookie. The 20-year-old, who played college soccer for the Connecticut Huskies, has credited Orlando team-mate Kaka with helping him make such a positive impact.

“When I first came to Orlando I was star-struck,” Larin told ExtraTime Radio in reference to the Japan/Korea 2002 and FIFA World Player of the Year winner. “But not now. He’s my friend, he’s a great guy, he’s a very humble guy.

“It’s a great experience to play with him. On and off the field, he helps me a lot. I watch how he plays so we can connect more and score goals.

“[It’s about] being in the right positions, being right on to him, so when the ball comes I’m ready for it, because you never know when it’s coming. I make sure I’m in the right spots [for him] to get it to me and to get it back to him. You saw in the last game the one-twos we were playing.”

Larin had training spells at Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg and Club Brugge. Despite interest from esteemed clubs in Germany and England, however, he chose to to begin his professional career in the
USA.

“It was because of the new teams that are still coming into the league, and the very good coaches they have here. And I felt very comfortable here, that I could develop here and make an impact in MLS.

“I made the right decision. I came to a great place. Adrian Heath is a great coach and is teaching me a lot. That was my final decision: to start a new journey with a new team. We have a great team and great coaches, and I think we can go far.”

Orlando beat Columbus Crew 5-2 on Saturday to leave themselves outside the play-off positions on goal difference. Larin’s double during that match left him four goals shy of MLS 2015’s leading marksman, Kei Kamara, who drew a blank at the Citrus Bowl.

“At half-time during the game Kei Kamara told me, ‘You’re trying to catch up to me'. I thought that was funny. I know where I stand in the rankings, but I’m just focused on winning games with my team. Whether I score or I don’t score, I just want to win with my team and have a good season.

"When I first came in I expected to work hard and do what I had to do to get in the line-up. It’s a lot different from what I expected, but I took my opportunity and I’m doing well with it.”


After spending 17 years in Ontario and two in Connecticut, Larin is loving life in ‘The City Beautiful’. “I live with my room-mate Pedro Ribeiro,” he said. “He’s a great guy, a good guy to be around. I live in a two-storey apartment. It’s nice, it’s nice and warm, it has a pool, a nice complex. I love it down here – it’s very relaxing, a good place to be.”
By: FIFA.com
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Menu

    All
    2014 FIFA World Cup
    Athletics
    Basketball
    Boxing
    Commonwealth Games
    Cricket
    Golf
    Hockey
    Marathons
    News
    Olympics
    Rugby
    Soccer
    Spotlight
    Tennis
    Track And Field
    Volleyball
    Women Soccer
    Wrestling


    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Tweets by ASMONTHLY

Tweet to @ASMONTHLY

Contact Us

    Contact Us

Submit

Donate & Support Our Efforts at African Sports Media Network