Four years ago, Luis Robles didn’t know if he’d ever play again.
After five-and-a-half years in Germany, Robles decided to return home in January 2012. He’d had moderate success on the field, but seven different head coaches and three different sporting directors in his final 18 months in the 2. Bundesliga had taken their toll. Robles was yo-yoing in and out of the lineup, and some difficult personal circumstances – he and his wife, Cara, had endured a miscarriage and Cara’s father had been diagnosed with cancer – meant it was time to come back to the US.
The only problem? Robles couldn’t find a club.
The Arizona native hoped to sign with an MLS team, but his agent wasn’t landing any offers. So, prodded by Cara, Robles took matters into his own hands. He called up the MLS offices, and let Ali Curtis – then a league exec, now the New York Red Bulls sporting director – know that he wanted to sign with the league.
Eight months later, after a lot of waiting and wondering, Robles joined the Red Bulls. He made his first start on Sept. 29 and, despite getting off to a very inauspicious start, hasn’t looked back.
Robles has started the Red Bulls’ last 123 regular games, helping the club to two Supporters’ Shields, winning the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2015 and setting the league record for consecutive starts earlier this year.
