Rapids star goes abroad to accelerate career

Any honest Major League Soccer player will admit the real action is overseas. Colorado Rapids star Pablo Mastroeni has spent a decade wondering if he had the skills to excel in Europe.

Soon, he will stop wondering.

Mastroeni, 31, said Friday night that he will leave the Rapids after this season to seek a contract from teams in Spain's La Liga or Italy's Serie A.

"My mind is made up," Mastroeni said a few minutes after the Rapids' 4-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls. "I'm ready to go. Every soccer player wants a challenge every day."

He's making the right move. Mastroeni has proven he can battle with the best in the world. He ranks among the top players in the MLS. He's a physical midfielder whose defensive tactics resemble stalking.

When scoring stars such as Landon Donovan play in Colorado, you can be sure Mastroeni will be nearby, shoving and hassling and, usually, silencing them.

He, at times, struggles to control his considerable fire. Mastroeni started for the U.S. in the 2006 World Cup and earned a red card for a late tackle against Italy.

He's enjoyed a comfortable career in Colorado. For the past six seasons, Mastroeni has served as the face of a franchise. He will earn $318,000 this season, the final year of his contract. He has few complaints.

"I love it here," he said.

The question is, why has he waited so long to test Europe?

"There's a level of comfort playing in the MLS," Mastroeni said. "The pressure is not there to win or lose. You can go to the supermarkets, hang out at the park, enjoy your Sundays playing Frisbee with your friends.

"If you go to Europe, it's not like that. Everything is cutthroat. If you're not winning, you better be focusing on the next opportunity. Soccer is so much more part of everyday life."

He has a point. Soccer is growing in the U.S., but the MLS still struggles to gain acceptance.

When you see a U.S. soccer fan wearing team colors, it's almost always a team from far away.

When American soccer fans - and there are more of us than you think - talk about the game, they usually talk about games played in Europe.

They talk about European stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka and David Villa. They don't talk about the MLS.

Mastroeni wants to play against the world's best players. He knows it's a risk. He realizes it's a huge leap.

Now, he can bumble through the worst game of his life and still expect smiles to be welcomed by smiles. If he competes in Europe, he will soon face wrath from obsessed fans.

He's enjoyed his comfortable soccer life in America. He's ready to be uncomfortable.

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Columnist David Ramsey can be reached at 476-4895 or david.ramsey@gazette.com. Check out David's blog, David Ramsey Says What?, at daveramseysez.freedomblogging.com