A Conversation with New York City FC midfielder Richy Ledezma

Courtesy: NYCFC

I remember the first and only time I watched Richy Ledezma play before reporting to New York City FC on loan from PSV in Holland in March.

It was November 16, 2020, his first and only senior cap with the U.S. Men’s National Team. He was a substitute in the 68th minute – time enough to assist on two Sebastian Soto goals in a friendly versus Panaman.

I remember thinking, ‘this kid is good.’

A month later at the age of 20 he started for PSV in the Europa League versus Omonia Nicosia – the current home of former New York City players Mix Diskerud and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi.

The Phoenix, Arizona native, Ledezma, would tear his ACL – a massive set-back in his journey – which has now led him to NYCFC in full health and ready to contribute and play again on the international level.

He was named Man of the Match in his first start with the club in the 2-1 victory over Nashville SC.

I sat with Ledezma after training recently for this conversation which has been edited slightly for clarity.

 

Glenn Crooks: I’d like to go back to your Phoenix days and the development stage. Your

parents are of Mexican descent and I don’t want to just assume but I would think that’s played a

role in your love for the game.

Richy Ledezma: Oh yeah, for sure. Ever since the first day I touched the ball with my dad, I still

remember the day. I was six-years old, we went to a park right across the street and my dad

made me fall in love with the sport and ever since that it’s just part of my life now.

Glenn: So, you remember that day. You go across the street and you’ve got just one ball, he’s

got a bag of balls, what’s going on?

Richy: Just one ball, one ball and we just started passing the ball around, and ever since then I

just fell in love with the game.

Glenn: As you grew older and became more serious about it, who were your first influences

there?

Richy: I want to say my dad and my uncle, they helped me become the player I am today, and I

trained with them every day, and you know, even like clubs that I used to play with, they also

helped me, my coaches back then. And I feel like, a lot of credit to them for making me the

player I am today.

Glenn: I worked for a long time in a community, New Brunswick, New Jersey with a large

Mexican population. One thing I noted is there was just so much pickup going on. And on

Sunday mornings or afternoons, it was always like a festival. Is that what you remember

growing up?

Richy: Yeah, I started off playing Sunday league with smaller clubs like Mexican little teams you

know, playing on Sundays like you say in the morning or in the afternoon or tournaments even,

and that’s where I got recognized by small clubs in Arizona, and my career just took off from

there.

Glenn: Eventually, you went on to the RSL Academy which, here in the states because of some

of the people that have been produced, is a highly regarded academy. What are some of the

things that you started learning there about the game? You’ve got skill, you’ve played in these

different environments where maybe it wasn’t quite as organized as the RSL Academy.

Richy: When I went to Real Salt Lake Academy it was a different environment obviously, it was

a more professional environment I want to say, and for me it was something new that I had to

work on my physique, I had to do a lot of things to become a better player and they helped me a

lot physically and my game technically and me turning and driving at players. They helped me a

lot with that also and I feel like it’s just determination at the end of the day. I did that and I put

my head down and worked and you know, I made it.

Glenn: Turning and driving - I think that was what was evident in your starting debut for New

York City FC against Nashville. Before we get to New York City let’s talk about PSV. In March

you re-signed with them - congratulations, I know that’s a big deal for you and you were

involved in their youth program a little bit too. When I think Dutch I think 4-3-3, you’re a

midfielder so you’re either the 6, 8, or 10. Is that pretty much the way it was instructed?

Richy: The way you said it was perfect, I came from the Academy, I went to the Academy under

19s and I worked with Ruud van Nistelrooy which is the coach now at under 19s, and you know

I had him as a coach and he helped me with part of my game a lot also when I played like five

games under him, and after that I just went directly to second team of PSV and I wasn’t really a

starter in the beginning and after like six games I made my start, I began starting games with

the second team and you know that helped my confidence a lot. And yeah, within a year and a

half I went to the first team, and ever since that I mean I had a big injury with my ACL and my

knee, and you know injuries happen, but there’s always a step back to come back stronger the

next year.

Glenn: I want to get back to van Nistelrooy because he’s one of my favorite players to watch

over the years that I’ve observed the game. Can you describe some of the things that you took

away from him? He was a goal scorer, so I don’t know how much time you spent with him

finishing, but he was legit.

Richy: No yeah, he was legit. Even in training sometimes, he would just join and it was just

incredible to see, you know just watching him do that even at his age now, it’s not normal for me

at least - I’ve never seen anything like that. But yeah, he’s a great player and a great person

and a great coach for sure.

Glenn: Anything that you can remember that you took away from him that is still something that,

the light bulb goes off “that’s what Van Nistelrooy said.”

Richy: For me it’s his mentality he always had - even as a coach. I can imagine as a player also

but as a coach - just his winning mentality was just amazing, something that motivated me. So,

that’s what I try to do every day on the pitch, even on training or even in the game would be to

just have that winning mentality no matter what.

Glenn: And did you know who he was when you got there?

Richy: Of course.

Glenn: I figured. So, you’re a student of the game. Do you have a team that has inspired you

and a player?

Richy: Oh yeah, I think Barcelona when they had Iniesta was good, so I feel like that was the

best for me, at least.

Glenn: What, you’re like ten, eleven years old?

Richy: Yeah something like that and then obviously my father, my dad told me about the older

Real Madrid, like when they used to meet Barca you know like all those players and I looked

them up on YouTube one day and that’s how I know about Ruud Van Nisterooy and it was just

amazing. My favorite player is Iniesta despite everyone else. No one compares to him for sure.

Glenn: And, you have a similar role on the teams you play in, right? Do you kind of model

yourself after him?

Richy: I mean yeah. I wish I would play like him but yeah, I try to be similar to him like in his

decision-making and his calmness on the ball and the turning and all the passing he does, it’s

amazing to me for sure.

Glenn: Was New York City FC a destination that made sense to you because of the way they

play – similar to PSV?

Richy: When I heard about the rumors, when my agent told me about the rumors, I was excited

because I wanted to play and when I saw that you guys play similar to the way we played at

PSV, I was buzzing to come here as fast as I could, and for me it’s just the way you guys have

possession of the ball and try to keep it - just to create chances for your forwards and your

midfielders or your wingers. Anything like that and that’s what really made me come here. You

know, to have that same chemistry as I had over there at PSV, same formation and everything

like that, so for sure, that was one of the reasons I came here, because of the playing style.

Glenn: For many of us, the only time we’ve seen you play was that one appearance with the US

Men’s National Team, we’re going back to 2020 right? You played less than half an hour and

still managed to get a couple of assists. I remember thinking ‘wow’, and I know there’s been an

injury since, and trying to earn your minutes back, but what I remember is a dynamic player out

of the midfield. Is that what you like to really feature when you play?

Richy: Yeah, when I made my debut and I try to show myself obviously - everyone’s watching

so I try to show everyone what I can do and that’s me driving and crossing and passing the ball,

trying to move and for me that’s just like very important to me. The National Team is just so

important to me, you know? Because it’s meaningful, and it means something to my family, you

know it’s something that motivates me to keep going, you know?

Glenn: And your family is Mexican and you were born in the states. So, you’re a dual national

and there’s always discussions about dual nationals. And your name’s going to come back up

now once you start getting regular minutes most likely, so how is that all going? You know there

was a story in ESPN about a year ago saying that the rumor was you were committing to

Mexico and then you hear another thing about the US, so how does that work in your head?

Richy: Like I said before to everyone else, I still have the doors open for both sides. I haven’t

made a final decision and as you guys know I haven’t been with National Team [lately], so we’ll

see what comes in the next months I guess and I’ll make my decision there.

Glenn: I’m assuming you were watching USA-Mexico, the Wednesday night friendly, so there’s

got to be some emotions going on since you’ve got blood on both sides.

Richy: Yeah for sure. It was a good game and I watched it because my teammate James

Sands, you know of course I had to support him and he played well. I think he was one of the

best players on the pitch. It was a good game to watch. I mean, Mexico-USA you can never go

wrong by watching that game.

Glenn: It is quite a rivalry, and it’s interesting that you’re kind of on both sides of it, in a way.

Richy: Yeah, you’re right.

Glenn: Can you give an indication of how you will ultimately decide? Will it be something that

you feel in your heart? Obviously, maybe one national staff will desire you more than another,

that could be a factor. What are going to be the factors for you?

Richy: For me, it’s just about making my decision, what comes from my heart and obviously to

talk with my family about my decision. I know they’ll support me no matter who I choose or who I

play for, so at the end of the day it’s up to me to decide by my own.

Glenn: One other thing we learned about you watching training and the matches - you can

strike a ball on a set piece. You got your first assist for the club - your first goal contribution for

New York City on the (Maxime) Chanot full volley that turned out to be the game-winning goal.

Set that up for us because (Coach) Nick Cushing indicated that originally that Braian Cufre was

supposed to get on the end of that corner kick.

Richy: Yeah, it was supposed to be to Braian, and we worked on it in training and even if it

doesn’t get there it’ll fall there to anyone who’s there. Initially Braian was open, so maybe if he

would’ve let it go Braian would’ve had a chance, an opportunity for a goal. But like you said, I’m

glad it got to Chanot. He scored a great goal.

Glenn: You had a massive smile on your face, and I’m sure you were just happy for the goal but

it seemed like it even had another dimension to it or something. I read later that Chanot gives

you a hard time in training. So, you two are close?

Richy: For sure - I’m close to everyone on the team - I try to be at least and it’s just a funny

thing that a center back scores. For me at least I just think it’s really funny and especially

Chanot, like you said, he gives me a hard time in training. But I was smiling because I told

Braian that it was for him and that out of nowhere we just scored and he was like ‘don’t worry

about it’ and we were just laughing on the field. So, that’s why I was laughing and smiling so

much.

Glenn: Well, there were a lot of people shocked by the Chanot finish. I don’t know if he’s done it

in training, but certainly in a game he’s never come up with something like that.

You and Santi Rodriguez on the field at the same time has been interesting. I talked to Nick a

little bit about the false nine and how you two connect. Have you ever played in that sort of

shape or system before?

Richy: Me and Santi get along on the pitch, even outside the pitch, and I feel like we have good

chemistry so I feel like if the coach makes that decision to play with the false nine, I wouldn’t

mind at all to play with Santi. He’s a great player, amazing with his feet, technically he’s there.

And yeah, for me it’s an opportunity to get assists and goals from him. I have played a false nine

before myself so I’m pretty used to it and if he (Cushing) puts me there I don’t mind going there

either. So, at the end of the day if he can figure out how to put us together I mean it’s great for

both of us and for the team. We’ll see what happens.

Glenn: Whether it’s him or you there, it would seem like you‘re going to have opportunities to

get closer to the goal because if he moves himself out of there - whether he’s checking or

drifting - that gives you an avenue to run through.

Richy: Oh yeah for sure. That takes a factor in the game also because we have to understand

each other. if he’s going to go out, I have to stay on top so we have to be communicating a lot

and that’s what we do. The good thing is that I know Spanish and we speak like that, it’s the

way we speak. And not even just speaking - the rhythm of the game we just understand each

other good.

Glenn: I saw you chatting with Santi a little bit after the game, were you discussing how it was

all going, or just happy about the win?

Richy: I was just telling him that he played well and I told him that he should’ve scored the

chance he had in the game and it was a really good chance he created himself, so I was just

giving him a hard time just like he gives me a hard time.

Glenn: What’s a specific Chanot example of giving you a hard time?

Richy: Just like things in the locker room, saying that I need to get bigger in the gym because I

have a small body and I’m just like ‘I don’t need the gym, Chanot’. Just stuff like that, small little

comments he makes to me.

Glenn Crooks