BEAVERTON, Ore. – The paths Portland Timbers stars like Sebastián Blanco, Diego Chara and Diego Valeri have taken to build their English skills have unfolded in front of our eyes. But in the training grounds of Beaverton, Oregon, as well as in the team’s locker rooms, planes, and hotels, a number of players are walking that path’s other direction.
It’s seen in moments like Timbers 2’s team stretches, when Jeremy Ebobisse is engaging Renzo Zambrano in Spanish. It’s seen in the MLS team’s daily drills, when English-language speakers try to bridge the language gap with their Spanish-only teammates, in Spanish.