CF Monterrey's Brandon Vazquez: I wouldn't celebrate a goal vs. FC Cincinnati
If there was an FC Cincinnati match of any consequence at TQL Stadium in recent years, Brandon Vazquez was a big part of the draw for local fans.
That's probably still true today, although Vazquez is back in Cincinnati as an opponent. He's staying in a Downtown hotel with his new club, CF Monterrey, and FCC's success in the CONCACAF Champions Cup will largely hinge on silencing Vazquez on Thursday at TQL Stadium.
Fans that once painted banners in Vazquez's honor now plan to boo him.
That's a major shift in perspective for the player, FC Cincinnati and its fans. It wasn't that long ago that Vazquez was still a model representative for the club. He last spoke publicly as an FC Cincinnati player Dec. 5. He was, and remains, FCC's all-time leading goal-scorer, and part of the foundation for the club's well-documented on-field renaissance.
The next time he spoke in the Greater Cincinnati market was Wednesday, but he was donning a navy blue training top bearing the crest of Monterrey CF, the giant of a Mexican club Vazquez transferred to in January for up to $8.5 million.
When Vazquez finished his Dec. 5 "exit interview" with local media after the club's MLS Cup playoff loss, many expected it could be the last time he'd be inside the Mercy Health Training Center as an FC Cincinnati player, and they were correct. But the transfer market saw Vazquez land on Mexican soil, and not in Europe as so many (including Vazquez) projected and hoped.
Don't feel bad for Vazquez with how things turned out. He certainly doesn't have any regrets.
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At Monterrey, which faces FC Cincinnati Thursday at TQL Stadium in the opening leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 series, Vazquez is enjoying one of the best runs of form in his career. He has six goals in just 10 games for the team.
Vazquez remains on the U.S. men's national team radar early in what will be a busy 2024 for the program. His young family is growing in Cincinnati, and he's becoming a bona fide fan favorite and star in Monterrey. Ultimately, he's still beloved in Cincinnati, too - by fans and former teammates alike.
For two matches over the next week, the affection will be toned down, though.
Life probably couldn't be moving faster for Vazquez but he sat down with The Enquirer Wednesday in his hotel lobby Downtown to take stock of how life has changed so drastically in the roughly three months since departing FC Cincinnati.
The Brandon Vazquez Q&A
The Enquirer: You transferred to Monterrey in January. Since then, your son was born, you’re having great success at your new club. From the outside, it seems like life is moving very fast for you. How are you experiencing all of this and is life moving as fast for you as it appears?
Brandon Vazquez: “It really is. The transfer to Monterrey was really exciting. You know, moving to such a big team and feeling very wanted by the team, in the city as well from the fans. Seeing everyone really excited for me to go there, it feels good. It feels good to be wanted. Then, to get there and start scoring goals, kind of earning people’s love, it’s been, like you said, happening really fast because I’ve only been there about three months. We’ve already played so many games and achieved a lot as a team, so it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been great. But my family is not over there yet, so I feel like that’s the only thing really missing. I come back here. The stars have aligned for me to come back (to Cincinnati) so early, which allows me to see my family a lot quicker than what I thought it was gonna be like but it feels like I’m living a double life right now. One life without my family in Mexico and one life here with them, so it’s – that part kind of sucks because it’s hard to be away from them. At the same time, my wife has been really supportive and happy for me. She’s been amazing and that’s made it easy for me.”
E: Is that the hardest part in all of this, having your attention and family divided between the two cities?
BV: “Yeah, 100%. On the soccer side of things, it’s a good group of guys and you immediately make friends, you know? So, that part’s easy. From like a routine standpoint, I have the same routine I had in Cincinnati. Get to training early, get treatments done, get my trainings in, my workouts in, recovery at home. But yeah, once I get home and my family’s not there, that’s the part that’s tough. So, yeah.”
E: You’re not from Cincinnati but you spent four really memorable seasons here. What’s it like being here with the visiting team? Staying in the hotel, being on a strict schedule and not really being able to interact with the people and places you know so well.
BV: "It feels a little weird because I wish I had more time here to kind of do the stuff that I would usually do when I was living here. It feels weird to be wearing another team’s logo but I’ve been in this situation before when I was with Cincinnati playing Atlanta, going back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium where I won an MLS Cup and have great memories, too. I have that same feeling of being back at a place where I was just at. It’s part of the job. It’s nice to think that I’m going to be seeing all these old friends – old for three months – tomorrow and catch up with them. Yeah, I guess it does feel weird to be back but at the same time, grateful to be back so quick."
E: Your transfer process ended with you joining Monterrey but when local media members left things off with you going into the offseason, no one really knew what would happen. Going to Mexico wasn’t what a lot of people expected. Did it go the way you expected?
BV: "Actually, no. No. Not at all. At first, there were a couple European teams that were interested and I thought that was the route I was going to go. It didn’t end up happening that way and I truly believe everything happens for a reason. At the end of everything, the Monterrey thing happened really fast. By the time they showed interest and everything was being negotiated, it was something that was quickly very interesting to me. I was clearly really wanted by them. You always want to be somewhere you’re wanted and obviously going to a team like Monterrey, such a big team, historic team, a top team in Mexico. They’re always winning, always fighting to win. It’s an exciting place to be and it’s a great city as well. Exciting fan base – it had everything that me and my family were looking for. So, at first I didn’t see it happening this way but I’m happy it did because I’m having the time of my life in Mexico and we’re winning. We’re top of the table in Liga MX and doing pretty well for ourselves so far in (Champions Cup). I’m happy and I have no doubt that it was the right move for me."
E: It’s still early in your time at Monterrey but now that you’re there and achieving everything you are, has it changed your perspective on whether Europe is somewhere you necessarily have to play in order to achieve your career goals?
BV: "Maybe a little bit. I think every person’s journey is the way life meant for it to happen. I’ve seen countless, countless players come back from Europe and be unhappy because it just wasn’t what they wanted. It’s not what they liked. It’s not how they imagined it to be. In Europe, if you’re in one of the top teams, it could be amazing. If you’re not, it could be a struggle. I’ve heard that from plenty of players I’ve played with, so it’s all about enjoying where you’re at. I think going to Mexico, for me, was something that I already knew and was mentally prepared for. I think it was the right step for me."
E: It seems like the last time you were scoring like you are right now was that breakout 2022 season at FC Cincinnati, but do you think your current form is the best of your career?
BV: "It’s early but I would hope so. I would like to think so. All the experiences that I had that way and all the experiences last year, bringing them to where I am today in that confidence that I have that I, maybe, didn’t have in 2022 or in the beginning of 2022, I think it’s all helping me where I am and developing me as a person and a player. Tactics-wise, I’ve developed a bit, so, yeah, I’d like to think I’m in a better place than I was two years ago."
E: When I look at the way you’ve been scoring goals for Monterrey, it seems like you’re on the receiving end of a different kind of service than you had at FC Cincinnati last year. And Cincinnati had Luciano Acosta, who can be ball-dominant at times and that obviously works for him and the club. But is Monterrey a better system for you individually?
BV: "I think for me, yeah, actually. My movement in the box, I would say, is one of my forte’s and so is scoring goals with my head, and last year I didn’t get any service. In 2022, I think I was one of the top three scorers with my head. Then going to last year and not having any of that was tough because I wasn’t using one of my strengths. This year, I feel like the team has been looking for me a lot in that aspect. I think it’s definitely something that’s been helping me on the personal side and the team as well. Yeah, I think it’s something that the team is using for a strength, I guess."
E: You playing as well as you are right now could end up being very good timing with all the different USMNT opportunities coming up (with Nations League and Copa America this year). How strong of a case do you think you’re making to Gregg Berhalter right now?
BV: "I’m not sure, to be honest. I don’t know him that well and he, on the personal side, has never called me up to a camp, so I don’t know. I don’t know where I stand with that. I have had a couple conversations with B.J. (Callaghan, Berhalter’s assistant coach) the last couple weeks. They are in contact with me. They are saying they’re happy with how I’m doing and they’re proud of me for making a jump out of my comfort zone but I don’t know where I stand with them. I guess that’s all there is to it."
E: During your transfer process, did you have a conversation with B.J. or anyone else in the national team about going to Monterrey? And what did they think of it?
BV: "My agent had a conversation with Gregg about the move before I came here. All my agent said was that he (Gregg) liked the move and he rated it high. And that’s it pretty much."
E: How would you describe the Monterrey CF community and how it has embraced you?
BV: "It’s wild. The community in Monterrey that supports ‘Rayados’ is unbelievable. Every time I step out of the house, even if it’s just to go to the gas station around the corner. Everybody watches our games. Everybody’s aware. The community is super supportive and super passionate. We’ve been winning a lot so fans have been pretty crazy about the team, which is amazing. You can see it at the home games and all the fans are filling up the stadium. A lot of kids are showing up with Superman capes and you’re seeing it all over social media so it’s pretty amazing to see. It gives me a sense of pride and happiness to see that I can have that kind of impact on the community with the kids and people that are really enjoying my celebration. Just people finding something in common – I guess they love superheroes."
E: If you score at TQL Stadium against FC Cincinnati, would you strike the “Superman” pose?
BV: “No, I can’t. I can’t. I got too much love for this city, this club and these fans. It’s all respect. Maybe some people might want to see the pose but I don’t want to disrespect anyone or anything, so I wouldn’t celebrate it.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Brandon Vazquez: I wouldn't celebrate a goal vs. FC Cincinnati
