Alan Pulido has goals this season, both for Sporting KC and his standing with Mexico
The upcoming MLS season is going to be a big one for anyone involved in the sport — from the fans to the players to the owners.
After the topsy-turvy, stop-start year that was 2020, regular soccer is set to return on an even keel in 2021.
This season will hold an even bigger significance for Sporting Kansas City forward Alan Pulido as he looks to impress on the domestic and international fronts.
He’s aiming to improve upon his 2020 performance of seven goals and five assists for Sporting KC in a season that was heavily stunted by injury and international call-ups.
For his native Mexico, Pulido wants to break into the first-team rotation on a regular basis, help Mexico quality for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and then be selected for the World Cup squad.
“I hope to play as many games this season as possible and hopefully grow with my team and become number one,” Pulido said Thursday. “Qatar is also a very important goal of mine and I believe that there will be some opportunity for the national team if we remain strong.”
Pulido was on the matchday squad twice for Mexico in 2020, playing 17 minutes in a 2-2 tie with Algeria in October. He was also included on the bench but did not play in El Tri’s 1-0 win over the Netherlands earlier that month.
But Pulido has a chance to ascend later this month. Starting forward Raul Jiminez is still recovering from a fractured skull suffered in late November.
“It is sad what is happening to Raul and I hope for a healthy and good recovery. It is a bummer seeing a fellow patriot and friend go through that,” Pulido said. “However, I motivated to play against other players of this caliber and make it to Qatar, hopefully.”
Mexico plays Wales and Costa Rica on March 27 and 30, respectively.
At the club level, Pulido is ready to continue leading the front line as KC pushes to repeat its 2020 heroics of winning the Western Conference.
Pulido missed nine of KC’s 18 regular-season games as well as both playoff games last season due to international duty and his injury. But with a less-condensed schedule in 2021, Pulido can be expected to feature more often for his club.
“I was injured and I missed the playoffs and it was very hard to miss this,” he said. “But hopefully, in the upcoming season, I will be able to maintain my health and be able to play in the playoffs and continue to reach my goals for Sporting Kansas City.”
His presence along the front line for KC will be of even more importance in 2021 as the club heads into the season having let go of Erik Hurtado and Gerso Fernandes.
Outside of 2021 MLS Draft 77th-overall pick Jamil Roberts and the recent promotions of 21-year-old Wilson Harris and 16-year-old Ozzie Cisneros from the club’s youth ranks, KC is yet to replace either player.
That will put the onus on Pulido to remain fit and make up the lost production from Fernandes and Hurtado.
“They are great teammates and they will be missed very greatly,” Pulido said. “However, younger and talented players have also been recruited recently and I’m happy that they will have a chance to shine on the field and also make us better players.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Alan Pulido has goals this season, both for Sporting KC and his standing with Mexico."