Sebastian Lletget
Photography by Peter Bonilla.
We arrive at Sebastian’s quaint Boston suburb home in the afternoon. The cold New England temperature is nowhere to be found, and the beaming sun is more akin to the California weather that he’s used to. The classic red-brick townhouse towers above us as we wait for Sebastian to let us in, and he finally opens the door with a radiant smile and a fresh cut.
“Welcome guys, good to see you,” he says enthusiastically. “It’s been a crazy day, so I’m really sorry for the delay.”
News is he will be heading out to Dallas, so we might just be seeing his last few hours in Boston. After having played for the LA Galaxy for his entire MLS career, this would be his second move across the country in less than a year.
We walk up a flight of stairs and into his kitchen, which is fairly empty except for his special kit to make mate. Like any good Argentine, he’s got it all down to a science. “I got this gourd from Uruguay, and I recently just bought this special kettle that lets you warm up the water at a constant temperature. Seventy degrees celsius, and you got the perfect water for the mate.”
He finishes making the infusion, and we sit out on the deck while he sips his beverage. It’s been a good six months here in Boston, and you can tell he’s preparing to say goodbye to a place that’s not only challenged him on the field but also let him grow as a person. As we head out into the city for one last time, it feels like the right moment to look back at his career, his time in Boston, and what he expects from his latest move to Dallas.
“I remember coming back to the States after being away in England for seven years,” he says as we hop into the black van outside.
Sebastian had always dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, and chasing that dream had led him to West Ham at just 16. While adjusting to the lifestyle in England was a challenge during his early adult years, a fortuitous preseason scrimmage in Ireland against the Galaxy would open up the door for him to kickstart his career in MLS.
“I had the chance to train with the Galaxy in Dublin, and I remember it going very well. I immediately told my agent that we had to make the move happen. Even though San Francisco is my home, I still had family in LA, and I knew that playing for the Galaxy would be such a great way to kick off my career because of the history and everything that the club means. I didn’t care if the transfer was for free, but I just wanted to play for the Galaxy.”
At the time, the Galaxy were coached by none other than Bruce Arena, and this legendary coach would be the one to give Sebastian his first opportunity to play at the highest level.
“If I knew him as I know him now, I would’ve been a little bit more nervous,” confesses Sebastian with a laugh. “You have to really earn his loyalty and trust, and he doesn’t give you any favors. So my debut was against Columbus, and it happened because our striker at the time got injured during a rain delay. Bruce came up to me and just said, ‘you good? We’re gonna start you.’ That was it. I barely warmed up, and 20 minutes into my debut, I got my first goal. I was over the moon. It was a dream start, and I was relieved because it showed me I could actually perform at that level.”
From there, most of us know how the story goes. Sebastian would end up tallying 158 matches for the Galaxy, and during his time at the club, he also had the chance to earn 33 caps for the USMNT. It was a successful six years for Sebastian, and he ended up cementing himself as a prominent player in MLS. With so many good memories made in LA, it’s no wonder he remembers those years with a hint of nostalgia.
“I miss being with my family and having my dad in the stands. He’s always so loud that I could hear him during games. I miss celebrating a goal and pointing at my parents since I knew exactly where they would be sitting. Win or lose, we would always go somewhere to eat after the match. Those are certain things that you just never forget. Moving away makes you cherish those memories even more. And we always think it has to be the humongous accomplishments, but it’s the simple things that you always look back on most fondly.”
Still, Sebastian feels as if LA continues to be with him wherever he goes. “I feel like I’ve built my life in LA. I bought a home, and my girlfriend lives there, so I don’t feel like I’ve fully left LA. I still feel very connected, so my heart has never really left. As you grow older, you don’t feel as homesick. I’m more mature mentally, so it’s not like when I left for England when I was a kid. I understand that I’m not like in another galaxy – no pun intended.”
While the van continues to weave through the busy streets of downtown Boston — a future World Cup host city — we chat about Qatar 2022 and his time with the USMNT.
“I was lucky to play all the games at the Gold Cup and even captain the team a couple of times,” he says. “It was so cool to be part of the Nations League team, the Gold Cup team, and even play in the Qualifiers. I know the story’s not done, but I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do for my country so far. I feel like there’s a lot of character in that team, and it’s about taking it step by step. Of course, the team has to go in with the mentality of winning the World Cup, but if we fall short, the team will be prepared and battle-tested for the next one.”
In between conversation, Sebastian pauses multiple times to look out the window. The modern architecture and tall high-rises seem a bit out of place amidst the old colonial buildings and churches, but they still make for a striking view.
“I’m not gonna lie, moving here was a little random,” he says. “A lot of people were asking me why I was moving here, and for me, I think I was at the point in my career where I needed something different. I didn’t feel like I was progressing, and I felt like I needed to seek out other options to push myself. I think it’s a human thing to sometimes feel like you need a change of scenery. In terms of playing, I wasn’t being as aggressive or tactically sound, and I think coming to New England with Bruce Arena was just the perfect place for me at that time.”
As we continue our round through the city, we pass through Fenway Park and TD Garden – two spots that hold significant meaning to Sebastian during his time in Boston.
“My first apartment here was right above TD Garden. I think it’s funny that my team faced the Celtics in the final, right in the year I moved here. I loved seeing the buzz around the city, and I even got to go to a game here. It was good to see the Warriors win it, though, as much as I love Boston.”
Apart from catching an NBA Finals game, Sebastian also got to experience a Fenway Park crowd. In May, he had the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game, and it brought yet another cool anecdote from his time in New England.
“It’s probably in the top three most things I’ve ever been nervous about in my whole life. They asked me to do it, and I thought, ‘Sure, I know how to throw a ball.’ But then my teammates got word that I was doing it, and the guys just made me so nervous. Every day they would ask me, ‘have you practiced?’ And they’d constantly tell me, ‘whatever you do, don’t underthrow it.’ They’d remind me about it during practice, in the locker room, and even in the bathroom. Matt Turner had also thrown a first pitch the previous year, and he played baseball, so his pitch was perfect. I couldn’t fail at it, or I would’ve never heard the end of it.”
“The day finally came, and I didn’t understand how big the Red Sox are until I was there. The crowd plus the mascot and all the photographers just made me even more nervous. There’s no lonelier place than walking up to the mound for a first pitch. Thankfully, I threw it well enough, so I was happy. But that was definitely one of my most memorable moments here.”
While those are cool moments that will undoubtedly mark his time in Boston, Sebastian does offer deeper reasons for why his move to Boston will always stay with him. Besides getting to experience a New England winter or eating a lot more seafood than usual, moving all the way across the country finally gave him the chance to explore ventures outside of soccer.
“I think there are two sides to the coin when you live in a city with all your family and friends,” he says. “You’re never really alone, and you’re always spending your free time with them doing all these different activities. That can be great because you’re never lonely and you can spend that quality time with those you love. On the other hand, though, you don’t get to do some things that you need to do on your own. Here, I don’t have those distractions in a sense. I come to my apartment, and I have a lot of time on my own to work on things to improve as a person.”
Among those new things he’s trying out is an ambitious project that he hopes will last him well into his life after soccer.
“With all this free time, I’m reading and taking the time to learn about business. I want to set myself up for after soccer. I’ve recently started an investment fund, for example. I feel like that’s something I had always wanted to do, but coming to Boston gave me that time to really focus on those goals outside the pitch.”
So far, Sebastian has already laid the groundwork for his new investment fund – 1Seven Ventures – by involving capable partners to manage it. While he is uncertain of where this new journey will take him, he’s already started investing in sustainable start-up companies around the country. Beyond those first few steps, he hopes that his investment fund will soon involve other soccer players, allowing them to start using their savings to begin their business journeys.
“I’ve always seen athletes in other sports do this type of stuff. Take LeBron James, for example. I don’t think everything has to be done at that scale, but you can start small and see where it goes from there. I’ve really been interested in sustainability and wellness, so I’ve started investing in those types of companies, and I think that also gives me a good way to pitch to like-minded people to join my fund. One of the advantages of being in Boston has also been meeting people that I would have never met in LA, and they’ve helped me a lot with this new adventure.”
From meeting with lawyers to financial advisors, and even taking the time to cut down on his FIFA hours to study and read, being in Boston has helped Sebastian grow this new side of his life.
“I really don’t know where this is gonna take me just yet, but I feel like I’m taking the right steps,” he concludes.
Right on cue, as he lists a few of the different books he’s been reading, we arrive at the Boston Public Library.
While we chat on the street, a couple of teenagers from San Francisco recognize Sebastian and stop to pose for photos with him.
“It’s still crazy when that happens,” he says with a laugh.
We thread our way through the building and admire the beautiful marble architecture and open courtyards.
“I’ve never been here before,” Sebastian remarks. “But that’s one of the best things about having moved to a new city,” he adds.
“Whenever my girlfriend visited, I loved discovering food spots with her or showing her around the new places that I’d been able to visit. That was one of the great things about having this change of scenery.”
After making our way through the library, we exit through the back entrance and arrive at Copley Square. We walk down the steps and continue on foot in the general direction of the Prudential Center. As we walk the crowded streets, we chat about Sebastian’s asado skills, the Golden State Warriors, the new Venezia kits, and the differences between San Francisco and New England clam chowder. We finally arrive at the Christian Science Plaza, and we sit by the square’s quiet reflecting pool for a bit.
The sun is now waning, and it seems it’s starting to dawn on Sebastian that he will soon be closing this chapter of his life. While we rest by the edge of the water, he opens up about the circumstances surrounding his trade.
“My agent had told me there were some teams that were interested, and I wanted to explore options. I know I had just moved here, and this place was so great to me in so many ways – from the team itself to the lifestyle. But I don’t know. I just feel like I might be a better fit for Dallas, if I’m being honest. It was just a gut feeling, and I decided to go for it.”
“I’d worked with Nico Estevez in the past for a long time, and we always bonded about how we see the game being played. I always thought he was super detailed, and he made me think about the game in ways I never really had before. I also want to progress and master the attacking midfielder role in that system and have that consistency. For New England, I know the move made sense for them too. They are getting something in return, and they might also get somebody that’s more suited for what they’re trying to do. I think the trade made sense for New England and for me, so I’m happy that I get to part on good terms with everybody.”
With the negotiations and the trade happening in a span of about an hour, it’s certainly been one of the most hectic moments of Sebastian’s career. Overall, though, the excitement to join Dallas is palpable in his words.
“I’m excited to try the barbecue and the food in general,” he says with a laugh. “I think the beauty of this league is that every city you go to is like getting transported to another world. I expect it to be super hot and super different from New England, and I think it’s cool that I get to see yet another part of the country after having moved away from LA. I’m also looking forward to being closer to that Latin culture, which has always been special to me. But beyond all of that, it seems like FC Dallas has a great group and a great project going on, and I want to play my role in that. I’m a competitive guy, and I can’t wait to see what this new challenge will bring. It just feels right.”
As we wrap up our time at the plaza, Sebastian starts packing the gear he brought along.
“I had a good time here in Boston,” he says. “I’ve never been this far East, and I got to witness my Warriors win in Boston. But really, I grew relationships that I would’ve never imagined, and now there are more good people that I can be thankful for in my life. I’ll miss my neighborhood and a lot of the spots that I got to see around the city, but it’ll always go back to the people.”
“I’ll miss the banter with the guys, and I'll always be grateful for how the team and the fans welcomed me with open arms. There was never any negativity, and it was always a positive atmosphere. I’m honestly very grateful for the opportunity to have played for New England – a club with so much history. I think the team has so much potential for growth, and they’re gonna do big things.”
As we start to part ways, he leaves with a few final thoughts looking to the future.
“I know I’m gonna miss this city for everything it gave me – even in just six months – and now I look forward to what Dallas will bring.”
“I have a feeling I’m still gonna be really happy over there.”
Photography by Peter Bonilla.
