Sandy • Once the scorching-hot training session came to a close, Santi Morales stood a few feet away from his dad, rocking an electric blue Barcelona jersey and the accompanying shorts.
The number on the back, of course, the No. 10.
The name across the shoulders, which goes hand-in-hand these days with those two digits, Messi.
It was just a few days prior that Javier Morales took sons Santi and Matias to a hotel lobby in the Bay Area where Argentina's national team was staying in hopes of meeting some of the world's brightest stars in town for the 2016 Copa America Centenario. Eventually, the Morales clan met soccer's most recognizable star Lionel Messi as well as Argentine forward Angel Di Maria.
"They couldn't sleep that night," said Morales, RSL's 36-year-old Argentine playmaker, of his two kids. Morales couldn't speak for himself, but his widening grin told all.
The next day, Morales, fellow Argentine Burrito Martinez and right back Tony Beltran sat in the stands at Levi's Stadium watching Argentina's first match of the Copa America in Santa Clara, Calif. Argentina topped Chile 2-1 Monday evening. It was a definite highlight for several RSL players enjoying a few welcomed days off during Major League Soccer's short break.
"[There aren't] many opportunities to see your country play, especially in the Copa America," Morales said. "It's a big tournament."
Since moving to RSL in the summer of 2007, Morales hasn't had time to see any Argentine national team matches in person. It had been so long since he'd been to one in person, he couldn't remember the last time he saw his team play up close. He called the experience "unbelievable."
Monday was the second time Beltran saw Argentina up close. The other? When he faced the Argentina youth national team while with the U.S. U-20s about a decade ago. Beltran was able to take his future father-in-law to the match, too.
"What a game to be at," he said. "To have these games in the United States and to see the crowd like that at Levi's Stadium, it was a special evening."
Scouting Copa?
With the summer transfer window less than a month away from opening, RSL general manager Craig Waibel hasn't traveled to watch any Copa America matches around the country — yet.
"If we identify one or two guys here in the next week that we feel we need to get a better look at, then that'll be determined," he said.
Scouting on the international stage presents its own issues, Waibel said. If he's interested in zeroing in on a player, he's more apt to watch and study them perform in their domestic league rather than with their national team.
"Even on the national stage, even the biggest personality can bow to another big personality out of respect, out of all these different things," Waibel said. "From a domestic standpoint, we need to know who these players are to get it right."
Cassar takes in USMNT
RSL coach Jeff Cassar watched Kyle Beckerman and the U.S. men's national team dismantle Costa Rica 4-0 at Soldier Field in Chicago Tuesday night along with assistant Richie Williams and fellow MLS head coaches Peter Vermes (Sporting KC), Gregg Berhalter (Columbus Crew) and U.S. U-17 coach John Hackworth, according to The Washington Post. The contingent was in town for the U.S. coaching symposium, before Cassar and Williams returned to training Thursday.
RSL striker Joao Plata also returned Thursday after flying home to Ecuador during the break. Plata, who leads the team in goals (five) and assists (six) in 2016, was given an extra day off.
ckamrani@sltrib.com
Twitter: @chriskamrani
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible