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With the news that Canadian goalkeeper David Monsalve has signed with Colombian side America de Cali breaking yesterday, the Canadian National Team player pool will now have a player competing and plying his trade in one of the top soccer nations in South America.
According to Monsalve, the move to join Los Diablos Rojos came together quite quickly.
“An agent I was introduced to a while back through a friend I played with got a hold of me a week before I came here, told me the club saw my videos and was interested,” Monsalve told RedNation. “We quickly agreed on terms and I flew over a few days later.”
While playing for one of the storied clubs in the soccer hotbed that is Colombia would likely be a dream come true for most professional footballers, taking his career to Columbia does hold a special meaning for the 25 year old shot stopper given the fact that both his parents were born in the South American nation.
“It's a step closer to making my dream a reality,” Monsalve explained. “I've always wanted to play here and be an important part to the club’s success. Growing up watching Colombian football in a Colombian household makes this experience that much more special of course.”
In Monsalve’s estimation, his own familiarity with the country and culture, his ability to speak the language and his familiarity with Colombia’s football culture are traits that should enable him to hit the ground running quickly in his first campaign in the Categoría Primera B.
“I'm looking forward to the change in general,” the 25 year old Toronto native said. “I feel like I needed a new challenge and this is the perfect challenge for me. I'm looking forward to not only playing a more technical game but adding to my past experiences in order to be the most rounded keeper I can be.”
“I think South American football is home to great football and it's definitely somewhere I feel I can play to my strengths,” the Canadian International added. “Colombia will be good for me and my intentions are to better both my strengths and my weaknesses and I hope to be here for a while.”
While Cali are currently playing in the Colombian second division, the club’s history as one of the most successful clubs in Colombian soccer is something that immediately attracted Monsalve to his new club.
“I came here to be a part of a club that's accustomed to winning,” Monsalve said. “It's in the clubs culture! Simply put, I want to play and WIN.”
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