There's no way to truly know what motivates international players who decide to come to play in the United States. If you look back at some of the players that have failed to pan out (with D.C. United and across the League), it is probably fair to say that some of them were more concerned with collecting their paycheck than leaving their mark on the field. That is not the case with Pablo Hernndez. He wants to succeed, he wants to show how good he is, he wants to score goals.

"I'm coming here and planning to work hard, give everything i have for the team and, hopefully, get myself into the team, just sacrifice for the club, and I'm thankful for the opportunity," Hernandez told reporters via an interpreter.

Tuesday at training, D.C. United introduced their newest player from South America. Throughout the history of the franchise, even from Day One with Marco Etcheverry, D.C. has always had very strong South American representation. For United, there have been some successes and some failures from below the equator, but, if you look closely at Hernandez, it seems like he is very likely to make a big impact in the Nation's Capital.

Hernandez is an Argentinean player who began his pro career in his home country. At age 19, he helped his second division club earn promotion. He soon moved to the Uruguayan first division, where he was a rising star - so much so that he seemed to be on the verge of signing a contract in Mexico or Spain. Unfortunately, before making the leap to the big time, Hernandez broke his foot, and his progress suffered a set back.

Before his injury, Hernndez was very close to having his life as a professional player change forever. Like many players, he aspires to play in one of the top leagues in the world. He wants to get back to the level where he was prior to his broken foot. He is hungry, focused, and serious. Those characteristics are rarely all found in one player. They are very important and even more promising.