The news of Pedro Arce's arrival at America came through social media, the team was already in their early days of work in Playa del Carmen, when the institution announced that a player from European football was landing in Coapa, he was a 25-year-old guy who left the country at 18 in search of a career as a professional footballer, a kind of migrant, who, not seeing a clear future in his country, threw himself into the adventure with a suitcase full of hope.
At 18 he arrived in Spain and there he began to work hard, his ascent was not easy, until Veria from Greece appeared in his path, a team with which he made his debut in the Super League of that country and where he began to show his abilities.
His good performances attracted the attention of other teams, he had offers to stay there, but a little over a month ago a call came that he was not expecting. One of the most rooted teams in Mexico was interested in him. America knocked on his door and when the time came to decide, Pedro didn't think twice.
It was time to return to his country and continue with the dream, none other than with the Eagles.
Pedro doesn't hide that in Mexico he was not a fan of any team, rather he followed the local media, but his eyes - from a fan's point of view - were focused on a European and world monster like Barcelona from Spain.
His arrival took everyone by surprise, fans and press, because in Mexico there are few references to him, but as soon as he landed in Mexico he got down to work, because there is no time for downtime, he knows that America demands the best at every moment.
How has his integration been? Good, he takes it easy, he doesn't stress or fear the challenge ahead, after all, his career - as he himself says - has been built on sacrifice and taking steps forward, sometimes against the current. He is not afraid of the demands, because he left with nothing and returned to Mexico seasoned. Only he and his close people know what he had to go through to now be in the biggest club in Mexican football.
Why did he leave Mexico? "Things in life, in my home in Saltillo, there is no professional team, at 13 years old I had the opportunity when Tigres invited me to be part of their youth academy, but I wasn't ready to leave my home and my family or to travel an hour and a half every day to go train. I continued studying, I finished my studies at 18, but I continued playing soccer at school, at that age I felt the urge to become a professional player and I started pre-season with Puebla; before signing, the opportunity came for me to go to Spain, and the illusion won me over and I left, I was there for a year and a half and then I went to Greece and that's where my professional career began," he says.
After that step, what does it mean for Pedro Arce to arrive at America. "I have taken it with great tranquility, for me it has been a great motivation, it is a step forward in my career and I take it with tranquility and great motivation, knowing what the club represents. I have adapted quickly and I am getting myself physically fit to be on par with my teammates. I think it will be a quick adaptation. As you say, I never had love for a club in Mexico, now I have it for America; I followed Mexican soccer and always saw it as the biggest club in Mexico, and coming here is a great joy, I know what it represents and I'm going to give my all for this institution."
And what will he bring to the Eagles, because players who arrive as reinforcements are expected to give an extra boost to the team. "I can bring change of pace and imbalance, I am a player who feels comfortable with the ball and can distribute it, bring a little more speed to the game, but that will depend on the coach where he wants to use me, I have experience playing as a defensive midfielder, if one with ball distribution is needed I can do it, and also defensive sacrifice. I am a player who feels comfortable with the ball, who likes to try different things and always seeks the benefit of the team. I have a lot of confidence in my soccer, I am a guy who had nothing, I was nobody in soccer and what I have achieved has been because of my game, every year I have taken steps forward and I am sure it will continue to be like that," concludes Pedro, who is also patiently waiting for another dream within reach of a few: to debut in Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.
ADMIRATION AND NOT COMPARISON
Publications came out about Pedro Arce in which he was labeled as the Mexican Iniesta, something he clarifies. "Some words are misinterpreted, whenever I have been asked about a role model I have always said (Andres) Iniesta, because I love his style of play, how he is off the field, I always say that I see him as a role model and not that I resemble him, there have to be differences, we are talking about one of the best midfielders in history," he commented.