Tonight, Jaime Moreno made his final appearance in the green kit of his home country, Bolivia. Earlier this week, the League's all-time leading goal-scorer announced he would b
e retiring from international play
following this evening's game against El Salvador. Though his team lost 2-0, Jaime Moreno entered the game in the 72nd minute and
nearly scored in the 88th
, but had his header cleared off the line by a Salvadoran defender.
Señor Moreno finishes his international career with 74 caps and 11 goals.
We have a number of photos from Jaime's final international game here and below are a few post game quotes from #9.
Bolivia National Team forward Jaime Moreno
On playing his final game with the Bolivia National Team
It would have been better if we’d gotten a better result but El Salvador is hard to play [against] and they had two great goals - you can’t do anything about it. It’s definitely a sad moment but I made a decision and I think maybe some people say it wasn’t the right decision but that’s how I felt.
On why he’s retiring now
It’s very hard to go to La Paz and play in that altitude with only three or four days [to get used to it]. It’s not easy when you get older anyway, so I thought it was a good time to say bye to the National Team right here, right in my house. But like I said, it would have been better if it was a different result.
On how emotional it was to play his last game at RFK
It was very emotional; maybe I didn’t show anything but I’ve had a lot of thoughts in my head when I was there, walking off the field and I was thinking ‘this is it, this is my last game, this is the last time I wear my green jersey’. I don’t think you realize it until you get off [the field] and go into the locker room and realize it’s all over.
On whether this really was his final game with the National Team
Yes, I announced it and I wouldn’t like to say something like that and come back to the team next year. It would be very hard, for many reasons I’ve already mentioned. Now I have to focus on D.C. United.
On what he would say to the people of Bolivia
I would thank them for all their support and tell them to keep supporting the National Team for many reasons. With the situation the country is living right now, we have to stay together now more than ever.
(Thanks to Cristina Cruz for compiling! Photo above by Jose Argueta)
