‘Everyone has to follow with their lives’. Héber opens up about leaving New York City for the Seattle Sounders

Almost two months after leaving New York towards the Pacific Northwest, the now former New York City’s striker Héber opened up a bit about his decision to find a new home for himself in the MLS

During an interview to the “SoundersCast“, the Brazilian said that he thought his journey in New York was completed after three years with the 2021 MLS Cup champions and accepted a new challenge for his career joining one of the “most successful franchises in recent years” in his own words.

“It was one of the most successful franchises in recent years, it won the US Cup, the MLS Cup several times, the Champions League now, the players they have, it goes without saying, are experienced, renowned here in the league. The fans are absurd, it’s like we said in the Brazil, they are the twelfth player and whenever we came here to play against them we said “let’s go play against the guys, it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be complicated”, admitted the 31 years old striker.

With 88 games under his belt and 30 goals scored from 2019 to 2022, two Eastern Conference finals, one MLS Cup and a Campeones Cup on his resume, Héber got his ticket to Seattle in exchange of $200.000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) this year, another $200.000 in 2024 and an additional $150.000 depending on his performances. His contract also has a club option for 2024 and the Brazilian will not occupy an international roster slot.

“Look, to be quite honest, we, internally at New York City, I was one of the leaders, who left were practically the leaders of the team. We had been talking to each other and through the conversations we felt that our time there at the club was coming to an end because most of the players who left had, the one with less time at the club, the others had been there for 4, 5 years old and also because we achieved success with New York City. During our cycle there we managed to take the club to a conference final (2021), we won (2021 MLS Cup), a title that was the first in the history of the club. Then we won the Campeones Cup. So I think it was a natural way for us to leave because in every club that happens. Their (teammates) departure did not influence me coming here because everyone has to follow their lives. Now there are new players there and they will have to create their new philosophy”, explained a quite frankly Héber.

From a Brazilian farm to the Pacific Northwest

The negotiations between the Sounders and New York City didn’t took long and on December 29th the Emerald City club was able to announce the signing of their new forward. Héber was in Brazil enjoying his vacation when he decided the time was right to start writing his next professional chapter in the MLS.

“On the 23rd or 24th of December, I was in my region, there are many farms and I went to visit a niece at a farm. When I arrived, I had a message from my manager saying he needed to talk to me. I called and he said he had the offer from Seattle and asked me if I wanted to go. I said yes, I was ready. Then people from the both clubs called me and I gave my okay because I knew it was a winning club”,

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(Cover: Seattle Sounders)