Q&A: Benjamin Gael Zuniga, UNITED 956 Midfielder 

By RAUL GARCIA JR | Edinburg Daily Review

EDINBURG — We had caught up with Benjamin Gael Zuniga who recently helped area soccer team United 956 to the US Soccer Club’s 2024 National Championship. Here is what he had to say about his recent success on the field.

Q: Full Name

A: Benjamin Gael Zuniga

Q: Jersey Number

A: 13

Position

A: midfielder 

Q: When did you know you wanted to play soccer, and how hard did work you to get to the level you are at now?

A: At the age of four when my cousins first introduced me to the game. I’ve been working hard everyday since that day, and I knew this is what I wanted to do.

Q: What is your most memorable moment as a player this season?

A: My most memorable moment this season was when the refferee blew the final whistle in the national championship.

Q: What  was it like for you traveling the country and winning it all?

A: It’s a great feeling because on our way that way we all had on goal in mind, and thats’ to come back on that plane with a trophy, so to make it happen its a dream come true.

Q: What was your biggest challenge on the way to the championship?

A: Are biggest challenge on the way to the championship was the last group stage game because we played the same team we played in the finals but we had lost in the group stage. We had a bad game but we’re glad we still made it through and caught them again in the finals.

Q: Tell us what you were feeling and thinking about heading into the championship game?

A: After the game we lost to this team I told my teammates it’s all good we will see them again in the finals and going into the game we were all excited to play the biggest game, and we knew how they played so there was nothing to be nervous about, but just go out and have fun and play our game.

Q: How much fun was it winning it all, and what is your best moment of the championship game?

A: It was so fun like the relieve you get after the whistle everything goes away and you just start celebrating. I feel like my best moment was when we scored the first goal. I made an extra run to press and the guy didn’t see me, and I got the ball back for my team and we scored off of that.

Q: What is your favorite part of being a  member of the team?

A: The trips. Every trip we had like our team we just had the best bond.

Q: What set your team apart from all the other teams across the country you competed against?

A: What set our team apart from every other team. It was definitely a connection as a team.

Q: Who is your favorite soccer player?

A: Messi

Q: Who is the greatest soccer player of all time?

A: Messi

Q: Favorite Movie?

A: Grownups 2

Q: Favorite Restaurant?

A: Chipotle

Q: Who would play you in your Hollywood movie?

A: Adam Sandler 

Q: What School do you attend

A: Harlingen High School 

Q: Grade

A: 11th