Rio Rancho soccer player playing in prestigious tournament in Spain

RIO RANCHO — Everett Baca, a 12-year-old soccer player from Rio Rancho, was chosen along with 13 others to represent the United States at the Mediterranean International Cup Tournament, which is held in Spain.

“For the most part, I think I did my job, but I still think there is room for improvement,” said Baca, who is a midfielder and winger.

Baca has played soccer since he was 4 years old and is currently a sixth grader at Mountain View Middle School.

“I had three assists,” Baca said. “I think the experience has been great. There is not really one that you can compare it to.”

Currently, Baca plays for the New Mexico Soccer Academy (NMSA) under head coach Joshua Groves.

However, he wasn’t the only soccer player from New Mexico. Joining Baca from the Land of Enchantment was Santa Fe soccer player Isaiah Romero.

“I had two goals and three assists,” Romero said.

Romero, a seventh grader who attends The Academy for Technology & Classics in Santa Fe, plays on the same club team as Baca.

“What I like about the tournament is that you see new players and see new competition,” Romero said.

The MIC is the largest youth international tournament in the world and has featured plenty of future stars, including Lionel Messi, Neymar, Eden Hazard and Erling Haaland, to name a few.

Baca and Romero’s squad lost a tough match to France’s P.P. Football Academy in a penalty kick shootout April 18.

“I like the challenges that we had, even the losses, and that’s what motivates me,” Romero said.

Despite the loss, the experience proved to be an unforgettable one for both boys.

“If I had the chance to do it again, I definitely would,” Baca said.