‘We Are King’ forward Carlos Lainez: Torn between head and heart

Young New York City-based football prospect Carlos Lainez Jr. was faced with a big decision at the start of the 2022 season.

Having starred for Martin Luther King Jr. High School the previous season, the Honduran-based striker spent the summer training in Spain. He impressed the academy of Valencia club Levante enough to earn a contract offer. But a potential move to Europe saw him torn between his head and his heart.

“It was a really tough decision to be honest,” he told Olympic Channel in the original ‘We Are King’ series. “I don’t know if I will go back to Spain because I want to play in college here too… going back means leaving my family behind.

“But those are the kind of sacrifices you have to make as a player; [and] playing college here would make it harder for for me to make it pro.”

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After plenty of agonising and soul-searching, he and his father opted to return to New York with Carlos Lainez Sr. keen to give his son the chance to study and work for the future he deserves.

“We come from Honduras and there are gangs everywhere, so that’s why I decided to bring Carlos back here,” he said. “I knew he was going to grow up and they could recruit him, so we decided to return to New York again.”

The teenager was lucky to be surrounded by a strong core support system, willing him on with every decision.

MLK coach Martin Jacobson, commonly known as Coach Jake, was among Lainez’s biggest believers and saw the benefits of his time in Spain.

“He is a superstar,” he said. “He came back from his summer camp in Spain dedicated to being a leader and playing really hard.

“His attitude is going to lead this team to greatness.”

And that claim was realised as Lainez helped the team to a 20th title in 2022, becoming a part of their rich history.

Now he is forging his own path in the soccer world, looking to fulfil his dreams and make it a professional.