Herald football writer Michael Burgess spent two days in camp with Auckland FC, on their first trip to Australia this season. Video / MIchael Burgess
South American star Neyder Moreno has been a revelation for Auckland FC but remains somewhat of a mystery to most fans, as he doesn’t speak English. In his first extended interview, Michael Burgess sat down with Moreno to talk about life in Colombia, his big move here, the strange aspects of Kiwi culture and chasing the ultimate A-League glory.
On his right arm, Neyder Moreno has tattoos of his two French bulldogs.
Along with his extended family, his friends and the tropical weather, the dogs are what he misses the most from life in his native Colombia. He wanted to bring the pets over to Auckland – he has three dogs in total, with one mixed-breed – but it was “very difficult, very complicated” – so they remain back in Medellin.
It’s been a challenging – though beautiful – time here for the 28-year-old midfielder, one of the stars of Auckland FC’s remarkable A-League campaign. Not just a new team, in a new league, on the other side of the world, but also a completely different way of life and culture, far from the colour and passion of South America. Before this season, Moreno had never lived or played outside Colombia.
When he and his wife landed in early October, they barely knew a word of English and had their 5-year-old daughter in tow. To add to the mission, Moreno was the last player to arrive – many of his teammates had been training for months – and he lacked match fitness, having hardly played in the preceding nine months.
But Moreno has thrived, even if it was a slow burn at first. From 22 appearances and just 10 starts, Moreno has accumulated eight goals (only exceeded by Guillermo May’s nine) and three assists, including some of the most important strikes of the season.
“It’s been a great adventure,” Moreno tells the Herald in his first extended interview. “Honestly, it was a big change coming here, very impactful – but positive. People had told us it’s a very developed country, very safe, with exceptional education for our daughter. So it was a nice change, and we settled in well. We knew that adapting at first would be difficult, but the club was very accommodating and assisted us with everything we needed.”
It has helped that fellow Latinos Felipe Gallegos (Chile) and Guillermo May (Uruguay) also live in Takapuna, and the trio have developed a strong bond. Adapting on the field was also a process, despite Moreno’s impressive CV, including some of the biggest teams in Colombia.
“[The A-League] is very competitive and intense, with highly demanding matches, back and forth, physically challenging,” says Moreno. “At first, it was tough. As we say in Colombia, you have to ‘apretar dientes y trabajar extra’[grit your teeth and work extra hard]. After practice sessions, I stayed behind to build up my physical condition.”
The recipe has worked. Considering all the adjustments, Moreno has had a profound impact, with big moments and big goals, including a brace against the Wellington Phoenix, a 96th-minute winner against Western Sydney Wanderers and an equaliser with the last kick of the match against Melbourne City.
“He’s done really well in the scheme of things – from where he came from to now,” Auckland FC coach Steve Corica tells the Herald. “He had to get used to the league and to what I expect from wingers. He has scored vital goals for us, he’s creative, and he works hard for the team. He has fitted in great.”
Neyder Moreno scores against Macarthur FC. Photo / Photosport
Moreno is a bona fide talent, with almost 200 matches in Colombia behind him – but his path in the sport wasn’t straightforward. Indeed, by the age of 20, he thought football might have passed him by.
Growing up in a working-class suburb in Medellin – the second-largest city in Colombia – Moreno had been obsessed with the game, like most of his compatriots. He kicked a ball as soon as he could run and by 7 years old had joined an academy at Envigado, in the Colombian top flight.
There were long train trips across the city to training and games (one hour each way) and numerous other hurdles. His grandparents helped financially, while Moreno also worked as a teenager to support his family. He had talent, but it took time to make the breakthrough in the football-mad country of 53 million people.
“Everyone there wants to play professional football, but there are few spots available – very few,” Moreno tells the Herald. “There’s so much talent, so you have to insist and persist a lot.”
Moreno steadily climbed the ladder at Envigado – through the junior and youth teams – but couldn’t take the final step. A meniscus injury – which sidelined him for a year – hampered progress, and doubts began to surface.
“If you haven’t made it by 20, there are people telling you, it’s too late, try something else – work, study,” explains Moreno. “Because over there, between the ages of 16 and 18, you are already playing in the first team. So, at 20, they already see you as someone who didn’t make it.”
But Moreno persevered and eventually made his professional debut in August 2017, five months shy of his 21st birthday. Two years later, Moreno landed a move to Atletico Nacional, the biggest and most successful club in Colombia, with 18 league titles and two Copa Libertadores crowns (1989 and 2016), eventually making 41 appearances for El Verde.
“Whichever stadium you play in [for Nacional], it’s always full, brimming with energy, songs and noise,” says Moreno. “And all the teams in Colombia want to play their best against Nacional, so the matches feel extra special.”
Moreno also had time at Independiente Santa Fe, with 74 appearances (nine goals) for the Bogota giants, turning out alongside many national team players.
“It was also a wonderful experience,” says Moreno. “I feel I did well and made some great friends. It’s a big club, and what stands out with those teams are the fans. [Atletico and Santa Fe] are teams that demand you to give your absolute best in every match because the fans only like it when you win. They require you to win every weekend. So you have to be mentally prepared and well-trained to compete, because these teams have high expectations.”
Following eight years in Colombia, Moreno sought a change of scenery after last season, when he barely played. There was plenty of interest – including clubs from Brazil and Argentina – before the Auckland FC deal was done and he packed up his life in Colombia. Once he arrived, only a few weeks before the season started, he had to work hard to achieve match fitness.
“He was well behind the others when he first got here,” says Corica.
But his quality was obvious in training and quickly became apparent in games. In his third match, he scored a spectacular late volley in the rain against Newcastle – breaking a 0-0 stalemate – with the strike recognised as Auckland’s goal of the season this week. A fortnight later, there was the audacious 96th-minute free kick against Melbourne City and Moreno was truly under way.
Corica puts big defensive demands on his wide men – which doesn’t completely suit Moreno – but his impact has been undeniable, with a catalogue of precious goals and important moments, in the most prolific season of his career.
Auckland FC winger Neyder Moreno (right) was interviewed by Herald football writer Michael Burgess. Photo / Auckland FC
Away from the pitch, Moreno is relaxed and friendly. He’s passionate about his country and tires of some of the Hollywood-driven stereotypes of the nation. He speaks with the distinct, melodic rhythm of Colombians – often considered the easiest Spanish to understand – and slows down further for the benefit of the Herald. He has thoroughly enjoyed his time here, even if there have been considerable adjustments, especially with the cultural differences.
“[Here] people close their businesses at 5pm,” says Moreno. “In Colombia, 5pm is just the start of the night, which lasts until 1 or 2am. Here, by 7pm, the streets are empty and everyone is at home relaxing and resting. Colombia is more lively; people are exuberant, with an atmosphere of partying and festivities. So it’s very different, calm and peaceful. But this is also good at times, and the kindness of the people has been incredible.”
“It was a bad match, but the fans still supported us, encouraged us,” says Moreno. “Then they came and asked for photos and autographs after the match. That was incredible for me because in Colombia, losing 4–0, especially at home, means the fans whistle at you, treat you poorly, and you need to leave quickly.”
He has missed simple things – like the vast array of tropical fruit – “you walk down the street and the trees have mangoes” – and the mostly tropical climate, compared with Auckland’s variable weather and distinct seasons.
The language barrier hasn’t been easy. Gallegos and May help with translations where needed at training, while Black Knights mental performance coach Hamish Barton is also fluent in Spanish. Moreno and his wife are taking language classes, while their young daughter has made good progress.
“She’s a bit shy with us, but when you see her with other kids, she starts talking,” laughs Moreno. “She makes herself understood.”
“I’m truly happy with what I’ve achieved so far,” says Moreno. “A lot of that comes from the support the club has given me, the quality of the training sessions and the confidence they instil in me on the field. These moments here have been very special. The least I can do [now] is give back to those who brought me here from Colombia and perform my best. I’m hoping we can finish this season the way it was envisioned when the team hired me – competing for the championship.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of The Big League podcast.
