Last season, Greg Garza was a key member of the Atlanta United side that swept their way to the MLS Cup in only their second season. Now, the defender is at another expansion side, FC Cincinnati. So what did Garza learn in Atlanta that will help him make a similar success of the Orange-and-Blue?

FloFC spoke to the 27-year-old ahead of FC Cincinnati’s home match against Sporting KC this weekend. Garza touched on his time in Atlanta, his hopes for his new team, his disappointment at not being able to wear a long sleeve shirt in MLS anymore, and why he has an image of a gypsy woman tattooed on his arm.

FloFC: How tough was it to leave Atlanta United after last season?

Greg Garza: It was a big decision for myself and for my family. We wanted to take on a new project. At times in your career you go through times of feeling very comfortable with a certain city and a certain place and we found that comfort in Atlanta. But at the end of the day there’s also a business side of things and we have to understand that as players. We were very happy with the move we made and I’m now focussing on this new project with FC Cincinnati.

I think the way they built the team is what made Atlanta work. They assembled something of a dream team from the very beginning. We knew that every player was there to bring home a championship, and to be honest I’m not sure any other place could have done it as perfectly as they did. It was one of those once in a lifetime things and we cherished that moment.

What was it like to work under Tata Martino?

I always tell people that the name says it all: “tata” in Spanish means “grandpa.” We definitely looked at him as someone that we respected. We couldn’t have respected him more than we did. Having him somewhat as our grandfather was something very important to all of us.

Do you think your experiences of succeeding at Atlanta United as an expansion team will help you at FC Cincinnati, another expansion team?

Yeah, of course. I think that’s one of the main reasons I took on this new project. It’s an up-and-coming process, starting from zero, and for me to see something built from zero to be something successful is extremely gratifying. For me doing that was something that happened in Atlanta United, and I hope it happens in Cincinnati as well.

Is it unrealistic for FC Cincinnati to replicate what Atlanta United managed to do in their first two years in MLS?

I would say we can do it, yes. The talent is definitely here. It’s now about putting all the pieces together. This is a very rollercoaster season, it’s a very up and down season and you never know within this league what can happen. So I think the talent is definitely here, it’s just about putting all the pieces together and hoping for the best.

What lessons can FC Cincinnati learn from Atlanta United?

From the very beginning, I think it was very family-oriented where the most important thing is everyone’s family and getting everyone acclimated as quickly as possible. That is definitely one of the objectives that all new expansion teams want, and I felt that from the very first day in Cincinnati as well, which is very comforting. 

FC Cincinnati are the third expansion team you have joined after Club Tijuana and Atlanta United. Do you have a thing for expansion teams?

I guess so. I won a championship in Tijuana and in Atlanta, too, so hopefully I can be that lucky charm for FC Cincinnati as well. You never know. 

Did you expect to get such a reception when you returned to Mercedes Benz Stadium last month for the first time as a FC Cincinnati player?

No, not at all. To receive such a standing ovation from about 72,000 people… That’s something I’ll have to remember for the rest of my life. I have the fans in Atlanta to thank for that. You find places during your career where you leave a bit of your heart and for me Atlanta is definitely one of those places where everything seemed to fall into place. Sometimes it’s difficult to turn the page, but that’s our lives, right? We’re gypsies of the sport and have to know how to adapt wherever we go and find a new home.

What was that first MLS game at home against Portland like?

It was unbelievable. I have been lucky enough to play in soccer cities over my career. At Tijuana, we filled up every stadium, every home game, and it was like that at Atlanta as well, and I now I have come into another soccer city in Cincinnati. That is so gratifying as an American, having dreams as a 10-, 11-, 12-year-old of playing in front of thousands of people and not expecting it to be within the United States. Now, my generation is able to travel between cities and stadiums across the country and see how soccer has grown. People have really grasped what soccer really is. I wouldn’t say it’s becoming a religion like in other countries I’ve played in, but it is growing immensely, and Cincinnati is another sign of that.

It’s always difficult for expansion teams, but how competitive will FC Cincinnati be this season? What are the aims?

Every year, every club wants to make the playoffs. Once you get to the playoffs it’s a whole new league and a whole new season within itself. So for us that’s definitely one thing we have to strive for and we will work hard to push ourselves to get into that place.

You describe yourself as a “Globetrotting Gypsy” on your Twitter page. Are you hopeful that you’ll now settle at FC Cincinnati for a while?

I’ve been fortunate enough to live in many different places around the world. I can speak three different languages and I really base my character and personality from all the cultures I have learned from. Without them I wouldn’t be who I am today. I have learned about how different cultures go through adversity and poverty and have been in third world countries, which make you very fortunate to have what you have today. Taking on new projects is something I have always been used to throughout my career, not because it’s what I want, but because I guess that’s how the cards fall sometimes. We do feel very comfortable in Cincinnati right now and if we could find some years to stay here then we would love to.

You always seemed to be a fan of a long sleeve jersey. How gutted are you that adidas no longer makes them in MLS? How you coping with the short sleeve jersey this season?

It was very unfortunate to find out that the league was not going to provide long sleeves this year. I now wear the long sleeve Under Armour underneath, although it’s not quite the same because when I play I actually grab the part of the long sleeve jersey with my fingers. It’s a different feeling, but something I’ll need to get accustomed to. It was a bit unfortunate to find out [long sleeves were being discontinued] because of sales and not necessarily the want of the players. At the end of the day, we are the most important pieces of this whole system we have within this league and sometimes those specific details are things we want for our own liking. We don’t control everything, so I’ll just need to cope.

There’s a lot of traveling involved in MLS. What’s your usual plane routine?

I’ll watch a movie or download some series before getting on the plane. And I also listen to some good music, too. I’ll watch anything to be honest. I’ll usually try and find a new movie because I have two kids at home and we don’t get much time to watch any action or drama movies. 

You’ve got two tattoo sleeves. Are there any tattoos in there that are particularly important to you personally?

Yeah, every one tells its own story. I do have a gypsy woman tattooed on me, so I guess you can throw that in there. That’s related to how I see myself as a soccer player.

Graham Ruthven is a soccer writer based in the U.K. He has written for the New York Times, Guardian, Eurosport, Bleacher Report, and others.