2022 MLS ALL-STAR GAME: MLS ALL-STARS VS LIGA MX ALL-STARS

August 8, 2022

Walker Zimmerman

Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez

Adrian Heath

MLS All-Stars

Allianz Field

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Thank you to our All-Stars who are participating in our press conference today. We have Walker Zimmerman, welcome, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, and of course head coach of our All-Stars, Adrian Heath.

Q. What does it mean to be an MLS All-Star to you?

WALKER ZIMMERMAN: It's always an honor to represent the league, represent your club team and your city. So it's a really fun event. It's great to receive that recognition but also to play with some of the best players from around the league. So it's a really special opportunity, and I think it's one that everyone here doesn't take for granted.

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: Yeah, like Walker said, it's an honor and a pleasure. Always been very grateful to be over here, and like I said, our training, amazing coaching staff and players, deserve to be here and it's a great experience. It's not every day you see all of this amount of people over here, all the stuff we're going to do, regardless that probably we prefer to play only a game and go home but we know it's part of the job.

It's a great experience and a great way to connect as well with a lot of fans in these kind of events, because it's the main reason that MLS and LaLiga are doing this.

Q. Walker, obviously this showcases a lot of American versus México, MX, MLS and U.S. in México and the CONCACAF stage as well. What did you learn about the competition in last year's game, and what are you expecting in Wednesday's game?

WALKER ZIMMERMAN: Judging off last year, it's a competitive atmosphere, not something you see in a typical All-Star Game, whether it's NBA, baseball. It's very competitive.

Having it last year in L.A., the fans were all behind it, it was passionate, and then we won in a PK shootout. Now we are looking to run it back, and it's a great game with certainly a high level of competition, and again, you don't see that all the time in an All-Star Game.

Q. Last year, the MLS beat the Liga MX, and also the Seattle Sounders won the Champions League CONCACAF. Is this an opportunity for you to keep proving that the MLS is growing and it's better at some point for Liga MX?

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: Yeah, for sure, there are some results that have been a consequence of how the MLS is improving through the years. Like I said in so many interviews, I think both leagues need to learn from each other because they both have a lot of positive things and other ones that they need to improve obviously.

But yeah, of course, we are going to go Wednesday and try to win, and yeah, of course, I think the Liga MX has been in this sport longer and has proven so many things. But, yeah, it's going to be a competitive game, like Walker said, and hopefully we can go, we can win. That's why we are in this league, try to help, try to keep everything that we can on and off the field so this league can keep improving day-by-day.

Q. As you know, the Mexican fan base is the largest soccer fan base that we have here in the United States, and yet there's still a lot of doubting by the fan base about the quality of MLS no matter how many times MLS has done better and better against teams in Liga MX. What is it going to take for Mexican fans here, and then via TV, via México, what is it going to take for them to appreciate what this league can do and appreciate the quality and become fans of teams in this league and not just follow teams in México?

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: It's a very difficult question, which I don't think the answer, it's that easy just to mention one thing. I guess it's going to be time, patience. And, I mean, we were talking that, as well, in 2002, one of the most difficult days for Mexico national team happened, and the MLS wasn't even as big as it was now.

Just to put an example, growth is something that takes time to develop and it takes time to accept sometimes in the mindset or in the minds of a lot of people. Yeah, that's evolution and that's part of life that a lot of things are evolving and you need to adapt and you need to accept that competition is something that makes you better. You don't need to feel threatened by it. You need to feel it's something that's going to make you better and better and better.

And we've always been neighbors. It's very surreal this situation, I'm a Mexican guy representing the MLS, even as a captain against Liga MX. It's like they are gray areas that we need to mention. And I mentioned the 2002 because it's a very far date and it was a World Cup match and they went farther than we went and I wasn't even in the first division.

We need to be more of a gray area. We need to take the best out of each league. We need to take the best out of things and not stay in this narrative of heroes and guilty persons and white and black and etc. and etc. We need to be more like positive to have a narrative.

And of course competing-wise on Wednesday and even the skills challenge I'm going to be involved tomorrow, I'm going to try to win. That's part of this competition, like Walker said, and I mention it a lot. It's not that easy. People think we come over here to have a fun time. No, we come here, it's part of our jobs. We're very grateful, we're very honored to be here. And I'm sorry to keep talking that much, I'm so sorry.

But yeah, I want to have the narrative that the Liga MX has so many things that we need to praise, the same as MLS, and then this type of events are going to help us both like keep going.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, that's a lot of passion that we hear about coming out and competing, and you're in charge of getting it done on the field with them in the formation. Can you tell us about your strategy there.

ADRIAN HEATH: I think the most important thing is the reason these guys are where they are is because that's their nature. I guarantee you, these two have had that competitive nature since they were this big and started playing the game.

Adding to that question, being from Europe and coming here 13 years ago, I've seen, and being on the outside and watched it, I think this is the closest that MLS has ever been to Liga MX. I think years ago, I think 13 years ago when I arrived, the gap was pretty big, but it's been continually closed and closed for the investment that the clubs have put into the clubs now in the U.S. I see one of the federation guys said in the last 12 years, he's gone up 600 percent.

You know, there's been incredible investment in the teams in the U.S., which is down to obviously the ownership groups, and I think it's good that it's getting closer. Long term this will be good for Liga MX as well, the fact that the U.S. are getting closer and the leagues are getting bigger, buying more players, competing now for the same players to buy. I think it's only good in terms of the competition.

Q. For both Javier and Walker, are there any specific players you're looking forward to competing against or friends you'll get to be reunited with in the game on Wednesday?

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: I don't want to just mention one guy. I mean, playing against a league that I played for a short period of time, but that helped me to open the big doors to have an amazing career afterwards.

Yeah, I think with any Mexican player -- and I can speak on their behalf -- they are going to be very excited to come over here to be part of this event to be recognized as one of the best players in the league.

Like I said, they have so many players like Walker that we play against not only in the MLS, as well in the national team. And then we are here to try to get the win on Wednesday.

But all the players, I'm very excited to play, and like the Coach said, it's good for the improvement and growth for the league and every player and every team.

Q. The feeling of being partnered with two high-quality players but for different reasons are playing in the national team, our colleague said that you have had some meetings -- what can you tell us about those meetings? Is there a hope for you to be in the next competition in Cartagena?

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: I'm happy to be with Carlos to share, even for a short time with him. He's been a great partner. He's a great friend. We have had great experiences together since were children and throughout our careers, many stories and very funny times, very good times. I'm very happy to be with him again. We have a very long-lasting relationship, and I'm always open to do my best, and I have tried to make the best decisions on and off the pitch.

I try do my best for the team. And if I am called for the national team selection or not, that's the coach's role. I am open to all possibility and it's an honor and a pride to represent my country. And right now I'm focused on this game on Wednesday. I'm very grateful that they have taken me into account. I will do my best on the pitch all the time. I have tried to do that all the time in my career, in my positions, that's it.

Q. Adrian, have you ever coached in an All-Star Game before, and how much coaching can a coach do in a game like this?

ADRIAN HEATH: No, it's something new for me. Something I'm really excited about and something I'm really looking forward to.

I think one of the highlights for a coach is when you get surrounded by top-draw talent, and that's what we have got. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them just a little bit more than just shaking hands after a game.

As I said, we think the game is going to be really competitive. I'm really looking forward to it. Yeah, I think it's going to be a great occasion.

I think the big thing, as well, is you know the atmosphere is going to be terrific, and the game is sold out, so we are all looking forward to it.

Q. So as an ex-athlete/current athlete myself, music is very important for me in the locker room. I have two questions. One, what song is on before the game for both you guys, and is there one player on your team who you do not want on the aux cord before the game?

WALKER ZIMMERMAN: Unfortunately I don't think my teammates wouldn't want me on the aux cord. I enjoy more relaxing music like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, country music. All of those things combined adds for a pretty bad recipe for a hyped-up locker room experience.

In Nashville it's usually Daniel Lovitz on the aux. Here in the All-Star game, I'm curious to see who is going to take that responsibility and see if they can pump us all up.

ADRIAN HEATH: I'm going to do it (laughing).

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: In the locker room, it's Mark Delgado. And no, we listen with a different type of music. We go with more hip-hop, reggaeton and that kind of stuff.

Yeah, looking forward, too, to see who is going to be the brave guy to take back the leadership in the music.

Q. For all three of you, you're unified for these next couple of days here but then you're also going into a pretty keen playoff race against each other. What kind of things, not that you're spies necessarily, but what do you take back to your teams?

ADRIAN HEATH: We go back to Nashville on the weekend, so they are going to play a full 90 (Laughter).

We've been talking about it actually. I've looked at everybody's fixtures, and it seems it's going to be like last year where we went to the Galaxy on the last game; and if we won, we were fourth, and if we lost, we went out of the playoffs. I don't think it's going to be any different than that. So it's going to go right down to the wire for sure.

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: They assured me they are going to draw for the weekend, so that's great.

Q. Javier, you found out that you will be the captain, being a Mexican, what do you think? What do you feel about that?

JAVIER HERNANDEZ: When I finish the training, we were speaking about that with my colleagues. I felt grateful, grateful, very grateful, very happy, satisfied because this is the right perspective. There always need to be a captain to represent the players, but we all can be leaders. We all can give a lot. Many of the players in this league are captains on their own teams. This is just part of the game, and I don't need or deserve a special treatment. I just have to take this responsibility to be humble and to be grateful.

Like I said, before it is kind of surrealistic, right, to be a Mexican player playing in the MLS as captain. Just I'm grateful and very humble, but being a captain doesn't mean that I'm more important than the others.

Q. With Brandon Vazquez being a late addition to replace Taty Castellanos, what has been your impression of Brandon's rise this season?

ADRIAN HEATH: I think like everybody, I remember Brandon from the early days at Atlanta when my son was there playing with him, and he used to speak really highly of Brandon.

So it's been a gradual sort of -- gradually him getting to the top where he's got at this moment in time, and he's playing exceptionally well at this moment, at this moment in time. He's developed into a really good center forward. He's big; he's strong; he's quick; he's athletic, and yeah, he's doing really, really well at the moment in time, and he's worked hard for this opportunity. It's well-deserved for him.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the attacking talent on your team, you're sitting next to Chicharito here, I wanted to ask in particular about No. 10 attacking midfielders on this roster, and Emanuel Reynoso who you play this weekend and the attributes that those guys have, and in particular, Rey.

WALKER ZIMMERMAN: I think in our first little meeting here, Coach was basically saying we have ten No. 10s; maybe we'll just go out with all of them on the field, which will be really fun for me to watch, actually. I would love to see, maybe we could switch positions at some point tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

But no, it's so fun to be able to watch these guys live and in training and especially when we take the field Wednesday together. So much talent, and I hope that they will all gel on the field, creative minds, creative feet. There should be some pretty special connections that take place on the field.

Q. Third All-Star appearance in your career. Curious your perspective the similarities or differences in the progression of the league at each All-Star appearance, and maybe events, not just on the field, but off the field, events, and experiences and new teammates as well?

WALKER ZIMMERMAN: Each game is different and each game is a lot of fun, a lot of quality. The biggest difference is obviously shifting from we played Atlético de Madrid in Orlando in 2019, and it was competitive. You know, you're wanting to prove that you can play at a high level but the competitiveness on the field last year in L.A. against Liga MX was definitely a new step in terms of the competition.

Then Orlando was also, I believe, the first time that they had revamped the skills challenge and brought that to life.

It's fun. You get to watch guys score crazy bikes and scissor kicks which I expect to see from Chicharito here tomorrow, maybe a little celebration or two, a little shimmy, I don't know what you do, but we'll see something from him tomorrow.

But it's a fun event. It makes it fun for the players when you can watch guys showcase their talent. I'm excited. Each year is an honor and just happy to be here again.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much to our All-Star participants, we really appreciate your time and best of luck on Wednesday.