Alecko Eskandarian: “I Will Always Be Part of the Game”

By: Talynn Kuyumjian
TalynnKuyumjian@yahoo.com

“I remember being four years old and saying that I’m going to be a professional soccer player. I just knew it. I wanted to be one so bad.” And now, that four year old is the starting forward for the Los Angeles Galaxy team.

Alecko Eskandarian was born in Hackensack, New Jersey on July 9, 1982, where he attended Hovnanian Armenian School for 10 years, from nursery until 8th grade. “I have many great memories from Hovnanian. This is where I met my close friends for the next decade or so,” Eskandarian asserted.

After graduating high school, the future soccer star attended the University of Virginia for two and a half years. From there, he got drafted no. 1 (by the MLS Superdraft) by the team D.C. United, where he played for four years. On November 14th, 2004, Eskandarian played his first ever MLS Cup game, where he helped D.C. United defeat the Kansas City Wizards by scoring two goals in the first half just four minutes apart -- the fastest pair of goals in MLS Cup history -- and thus, was voted Most Valuable Player of the match.

Eskandarian has played in 5 MLS teams altogether. After D.C. United, he was traded to Toronto FC, and then traded to Real Salt Lake, where he was teammates with Yura Movsisyan, who Eskandarian believes is one of the most talented Armenian soccer players out there. “He’s an extremely talented soccer player and I’m excited to see what the future holds for him,” Eskandarian stated.

After a year of playing in Real Salt Lake, he signed with Chivas USA in Los Angeles, and on July 1, 2009, he got traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he now plays alongside soccer stars David Beckham and Landon Donovan.

These transitions, however, were not easy for Eskandarian. “A lot of people don’t realize how difficult it is. I was in D.C. for 4 years; I loved my teammates, my coach, the city, and the fans. My team and I became a family. But when I got traded to Toronto, all of a sudden you have to move to a different city, meet new people, new teammates, not having a clue how it’s all going to end up,” Eskandarian explained.

But one aspect of Eskandarian’s life that has always remained constant and unwavering is his family’s unconditional love and support. “Everyone watches it and loves it, and I think it’s really enjoyable for them to get to watch one of their own playing on television,” Eskandarian remarked. “They’re very proud and they support me 100%. But I know that my mom gets really nervous with the thought of me possibly getting hurt,” he adds.

Soccer has comprised a big part of the Eskandarian family’s lives. When Eskandarian’s parents emigrated from Iran to New York in 1978, his father, Andranik Eskandarian, also a soccer player, signed with the New York Cosmos. “Ever since I was born, I’ve had the ball at my feet. With my dad and older brother being soccer players, it was just natural that I would someday become a soccer player as well,” he stated.

And now, soccer players Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi are his favorite players to watch. And his favorite team? “Hmm, definitely Arsenal from the English Premier League; they are just an amazing team,” he comments.

When asked if he would change anything about his career, he replied, “I could live without all the injuries that I’ve suffered [laughs].” Eskandarian has suffered numerous injuries, such as torn muscles, concussions, and groin injuries; but this does not scare him. “I’m never afraid to put my body out there for my teammates. You win some battles and you lose some and get hurt, but that’s just how it goes sometimes,” he stated.

The Armenian community plays a huge role in Eskandarian’s life, especially in his soccer career. “I really have a great sense of pride, being Armenian and a professional athlete. It’s inspiring for me to represent the Armenian kids out there that can look up to me and see that they can be a professional athlete as well,” he explains. Eskandarian feels blessed knowing that no matter which city he is in, there are always Armenian fans in the stands that come down and start speaking to him in Armenian, supporting him by wearing his jersey or bringing the Armenian flag. “It’s always an honor for me to represent the Armenian people,” he claims.

The question “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” took him by surprise. He replied, “Wow, in 10 years I will be 37, which is scary! Hopefully I will be settled down with a family and little kids running around playing soccer. I definitely would like soccer to be a part of my life in some aspect, whether it’s coaching or something along those lines. I know that no matter what, I will always be part of the game,” Eskandarian states.