Inter Miami CF's Sami Guediri Proves South Florida Is Hub For Local Soccer Talent
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - When David Beckham announced an MLS team was coming to South Florida, it opened up a new world of possibilities for soccer players in the area like inter Miami's own Sami Guediri.
"We want local talent, local children, football players that believe they can reach the top and play in the MLS," said Beckham.
Inter Miami CF's head coach Phil Neville saw Guediri training and said get him on the MLS side. Now, he is a signed member of Inter Miami.
"It is an awesome buzz going around South Florida because we never really had a big professional team or MLS team for kids or people to go watch games or kids playing in travel teams to maybe have a chance to go play in academy and one day play for the first team. It was just awesome for the community," said Guediri.
Just a teen at the time of the announcement, Sami left Boca Raton and traveled to Europe to get a little extra soccer seasoning.
"I spent some time in England, France, but the longest amount of time I spent was in Germany and definitely big, big culture shock when it comes to language, the people. It was a rough experience, but definitely helped me become who I am today," said Guediri.
On learning German, he said, "It is tough, but definitely for the first couple of months everything just sounded like one big word."
Now, Guediri is letting his play do all of the talking for him.
Recently, he was signed to an MLS deal.
Sami is proving that the area can produce professional soccer players, and as a local, he gets to help make sure this club is a success.
"I have always said that South Florida is the hub for talent, and now that we have a place to showcase it, I think it only bodes well for the future. So, me personally, I don't know if I feel the pressure."
"It is just excitement for what the future will hold."
You can watch Sami and the rest of the team take on D.C. United on our sister station My TV 33 Saturday at 8 p.m.
It will also mark the first time Inter Miami plays in front of a full capacity crowd in front of 18,000.
