CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

March 3, 2021

Jhon Espinoza

Press Conference

Q. It's still really early days, of course, but what are your initial impressions of the team so far and what do you think the competition for a starting place will be like?

JHON ESPINOZA: Yeah, definitely. I see that the competition is very difficult. It's going to be hard, but I'm here for a reason, so I hope that I will soon be able to fit in with what our coach wants us to do and learn his style and break into the starting 11.

Q. You're playing in a league this year that could be in four different time zones, a lot of different weather, a lot of different elevations even. What have your coaches and MLS experienced teammates told you about dealing with that and how important it is to keep yourself physically fit during an MLS season?

JHON ESPINOZA: We haven't really had that talk yet about all of those different things, but I definitely have teammates who have been talking to me about the importance of staying fit and recovering at home and taking care of your body so that you can be physically fit and ready to play throughout the entire season and just take care of yourself in that way. And as far as the different weather and the different climates go. I've never played in a place this cold, but little by little I'm getting used to it, and I hope to be ready. I know that I'm adapting slowly but getting there.

Q. I think that a lot of people when they heard that you were coming to the Fire, they remember you from the goal you scored against the United States. What do you remember about that goal and that game that you played against the United States?

JHON ESPINOZA: Well, I think the thing I remember the most or the only thing I remember about that game was that it was very complicated, very hard. It was a tough game because the United States was matching us with their same physical conditions. They also -- I think it was a little more complicated because they had Weah. I don't remember where he was playing at the time, but he was there, and I think the thing I remember the most and that makes me happiest is the goal that got us through to the semifinal.

Q. I'm wondering when you first learned of interest from the Fire, what was it appealed to you about coming and being a part of this project here in Chicago?

JHON ESPINOZA: I think I found out about interest from the club around October. I learned that there may be some possible interest, and I decided to come here and be part of this because I wanted to experience this football before maybe going to Europe. I wanted to experience it because it's a lot faster, it's very intense, and I wanted to be part of it, and really I didn't even consider any interest from any other clubs after learning about Chicago. I just wanted to come to Chicago.

Q. Have you heard about the Ecuadorian community here in Chicago? And is there a chance that you'll be taking part in the World Cup qualifying with Ecuador?

JHON ESPINOZA: I hadn't really heard about the Ecuadorian community here in Chicago but I do have a friend that has taken me to a couple of restaurants and I was able to meet some Ecuadorians here and he's also Ecuadorian. And as far as participating in qualifying, I have to work hard first here with my club and put in a lot of work so that I can get the attention of the Ecuadorian national team head coach.

Q. Just wondering how you would describe yourself as a player, what skills you bring to the table and specifically how you'll complement your teammates here in Chicago.

JHON ESPINOZA: I think my qualities are that I'm a fast player and I like to attack a lot, especially down the sidelines with a lot of possibility of coming in on the diagonal toward the goal. I little by little am getting used to learning about what the team wants, what the head coach's tactics are, so little by little as I get used to it I'll be able to complement my teammates more while we're in there.