Queretaro's Ronaldinho did not exactly cover himself in glory in the Liga MX Clausura semifinal against Pachuca. The Brazilian exited the stadium with the first leg still going on, after being substituted out before halftime, and didn't get on the field in the return leg. But after the final whistle was over and Queretaro had made the final, he did have some kind words and actions for his teammate Jonathan Bornstein that the American will never forget.
The 30-year-old Torrance, Calif. native had just netted the goal to send Los Gallos Blancos to the final against Santos Laguna. The second half strike from just inside the penalty area to make it 2-0 to Queretaro was possibly the most important goal in the club's history. It also sealed a remarkable personal turnaround for Bornstein, who lost his father last fall, had picked up multiple injuries in recent years and even hinted on Monday that retiring from the game had crossed his mind. Now, he's now the toast of Queretaro and garnering attention from the Mexican press.
"(Ronaldinho) came up to me after the game and said, in Spanish: 'You deserve all of this because of what happened to your dad, the injuries, the road you've been on when I've been with you,'" related Bornstein in an interview with ESPNFC. "He gave me a big hug and told me: 'good job.' It was pretty special hearing that from him."
The first leg of the final against Santos Laguna is Thursday, May 28. It just happens to be his father's birthday -- "It'll be a special day for me" -- and with his girlfriend due to give birth in less than a month, the game and moment Bornstein is living through obviously means a lot.
"(Ronaldinho) was rubbing her belly (after the Pachuca game) saying that's where all the good luck comes from," added Bornstein.
There's a Mexican phrase that babies traen la torta bajo el brazo -- basically meaning that they bring a wave of positivism and luck -- and the left back laughs as he reflects on how his return to form has coincided with him about to become a father.
To put it all in perspective, Bornstein had started only five Liga MX games since moving to Tigres from Chivas USA at the end of 2010. He's now started ten matches since the beginning of April and Victor Manuel Vucetich's team has won seven of them. Suddenly, Bornstein is an important figure in Los Gallos Blancos' quest for the institution's first-ever first division title.
Bornstein says Vucetich -- known in Mexico as "King Midas" due to his knack of winning finals -- has played an important role, making him feel comfortable in the left back spot and giving him the freedom to play his own game.
In the final, the World Cup 2010 veteran thinks the first leg against Santos Laguna on Thursday will be a tight game, with the opposition likely to attack and take advantage of the home support. However, Bornstein believes that if Queretaro can get a draw or narrow victory, it will be a positive result, with the return game in the Estadio Corregidora on Sunday.
"I think they'll want it to be open so that they can counterattack, play that style, get forward and find opportunities," said Bornstein. "For us, I think it'll be picking and choosing the opportunities to attack and go with it all when we do have those chances."
Ronaldinho's slightly erratic behavior of late won't affect the team, says Bornstein, with the former Barcelona star ditching his teammates in the semifinal first leg no longer an issue.
"It all blew over," he stated. "He came in the next day and apologized to us. It's part of soccer; it's part of life. People make decisions and sometimes in the heat of the moment things happen."
Bornstein will be hoping to play an important role in clinching the title for Queretaro on Sunday. And if he can continue getting minutes and hitting his recent form, he isn't writing himself out of a U.S. national team return.
"I've been getting asked about it a lot recently (down here)," said Bornstein. "Hopefully with continued success I'll get that call-up, but right now I'm focused on the week ahead."
Stranger things have happened. After all, Bornstein is already probably pinching himself in disbelief that he's a sure-fire starter for both legs of the Liga MX final, while his buddy Ronaldinho will struggle to get playing time.