Veteran grateful for camp
36-year-old gets chance to connect with teammates
If there’s anyone with Inter Miami CF who could benefit from preseason teaming camp, it’s Federico Higuaín.
It’s not because he lacks experience. Higuaín, an attacking midfielder, started his senior career in 2003 with River Plate in Argentina and has played in Major League Soccer since 2012.
But as Inter Miami’s last addition to their 2020 roster — being traded to the team on Oct. 10, 2020, 30 days before the end of the regular season and 42 before their season-ending loss in the playoffs to Nashville SC on Nov. 20 — Higuaín missed out on months of chances to connect with his Inter Miami teammates.
“For me, it’s great,” Higuaín told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “To have the opportunity at my age, I’m 36 years old, to start the season next to my teammates, be more involved with this group [and] having the opportunity to know each other much better than when I came. Every single day I come here is happiness.”
Even though he had only been with Inter Miami for 1 ½ months before the season ended, the Argentine midfielder knew they were the team he wanted to play for in 2021, re-signing with the club in January.
Despite a disappointing inaugural season last year, Higuaín believes in the infrastructure of what’s being built in South Florida — and playing with his younger brother, Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuaín, doesn’t hurt.
“I know I’m playing for an important club. With [coach] Phil [Neville] and [chief soccer officer and sporting director] Chris [Henderson], we know we’re creating something good,” said the elder Higuaín. “When I’m talking about my brother, I’m talking about him as a fútbol player. Off the field, I know who he is. For me, it’s nice to play next to him, Blaise Matuidi, and other players of this group because we know there’s quality.”
Higuaín finds it difficult to compare Neville with Inter Miami’s former coach, Diego Alonso, since his time with the team last year was limited.
But Higuaín, who’s also played for D.C. United and the Columbus Crew during his 10-year MLS career before joining Inter Miami, said Neville is adjusting well to MLS, which can at first be difficult for foreign players and coaches — something Neville acknowledged himself.
“This is a league where you feel comfy for the very first time — or at least that happened to me when I came in 2012,” said Higuaín, who signed with the Columbus Crew from Club Atlético Colón in Argentina in 2012. “He’s happy to be here and be coaching us.
“Every time you have a new coach, it’s different. Phil is here to help us. He wants to possess the ball. He wants to attack. He wants to be aggressive when we lose it. He doesn’t want to concede goals. That’s something we have to understand as soon as possible to represent his ideas about this game.”
Higuaín insists he wasn’t frustrated with his time on the field in 2020, recording 20 minutes of playing time across four games with Inter Miami across six regular-season games.
Combined with his time with D.C. United, Higuaín played 175 minutes across 14 games (zero starts) in 2020 after playing 1,133 minutes in 14 games (13 starts) in 2019 with the Columbus Crew.
“I respect the decisions,” he said. “I got to respect what the coach wants to see [and] play. Now, it’s a new year and new opportunity for everyone here.”
As hotel experts, we’ve stayed in thousands of luxury hotels around the globe, allowing us to see all the big and little ways hotels make their spaces luxe and opulent. While you probably can’t live in a five-star hotel, you can make some upgrades and changes to give your home the feeling of some of our favorite luxury properties.
Upgrade your mattress:
The centerpiece and most important furnishing in any hotel room is the bed, and the foundation of that is the mattress. If you don’t have a comfortable mattress that finds the perfect balance between firmness and softness, chances are you won’t be getting a restful night’s sleep. Given that mattresses last for several years, they’re worth the investment. Although Westin has their signature Heavenly Beds and Hilton uses Serta mattresses, we’re hard-pressed to find a mattress better than the TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt by Tempur-Pedic. This model has multiple layers with comfort and cooling ability in mind, plus a memoryfoam mattress that adapts to your body shape. It comes in firm or soft, and like all Tempur-Pedic mattresses, it has a free 90-day trial.
Switch out your bedding:
Hotel sheets are renowned for being soft, crisp and durable. Luxury linen brands such as Frette and Sferra are popular choices for many hotel brands, but their high price point puts them out of reach for many buyers. Looking for a good dupe? Since Brooklinen was founded in 2014, it’s been a major supplier of luxury hotel-quality sheets at a fraction of the price of competitors. The chic-looking 100-percent linens keep sleepers warm on cold nights and cool on warm nights. Multiple colors are available, but we love the clean and crisp classic hotel white.
Play music on a portable speaker:
Walk into any luxury hotel room these days, and you’ll undoubtedly see (and likely hear) some type of music player by the bed. Whether to listen to upbeat music while getting ready for a night out on the town, or calming white noise while soaking in the bathtub, portable speakers have become the preferred swap for the previously ubiquitous radio alarm clocks. Undoubtedly, the most common are Bose speakers — as seen at the Dorado Beach A Ritz-Carlton Reserve — as they offer stellar sound and easy connectivity in a small, portable, affordable package. For your house, we recommend the Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker, which can be easily carried from room to room, and even synced up with other speakers for parties.
Get cozy with a new throw blanket:
We love things that can serve multiple functions, and a cozy, luxurious throw blanket can do just that. It acts as a cozy wrap when it’s chilly and as an elegant decoration when draped across a chair or edge of the bed. Whether you’re using it while curling up with a book or yourpartner, or displaying it as a statement piece, the Connecticut Home Company’s Luxury Faux Fur with Reversible Sherpa Throw Blanket is the perfect home edition. It’s under $40, large, and has 4.7 stars and more than 2,000 ratings on Amazon, plus there are a dozen colors to choose from. Go full white or faux fur for a glam luxury hotel look at home.
Sleep in a pitch-black room:
Even if you choose to sleep with an eye mask, nothing can create a dark, sleep-inducing environment better than blackout curtains. Most luxury hotels, like the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, know the importance of pitchblack sleeping conditions, and ensure not even a crack of light makes it into your hotel room once shades are pulled. If you want to do the same in your home without spending a fortune, the NICETOWN Thermal Insulated Grommet Blackout Curtains for Bedrooms are the way to go. With 15,000 reviews on Amazon, it’s clear these curtains are winners, especially as they are noise-reducing and insulating against summer and winter temperatures.
Light a signature scent:
If you’ve stayed at hotels such as The Miami Beach EDITION or The St. Regis New York, you’ve likely noticed a distinct smell wafting through the common areas. These properties, like many, have developed their own recognizable signature scent that creates a specific mood and atmosphere — not to mention it’s just pleasant for the guests.
While you don’t need to head to a fragrance-maker to create your own signature scent, you can buy candles that emit a pleasant scent that feels true to your home’s ambience. Plus, candles are an excellent decor item, especially Anthropologie’s Capri Blue Colossal Mercury
Glass Candle, which has a striking iridescent jar and 250-hour burn time.
Drink from fancy glasses:
The minibars in mid-range hotels likely have a couple cans of soda, domestic beer and plastic bottled water. Yawn. Minibars in luxury hotels pull out all the stops with full-size wine and liquor bottles, locally made granola and candy, and kits for a romantic night, plus gorgeous crystal glasses for a sophisticated touch, like at the stunning Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York.
Follow their lead. No matter if you’re sipping a whiskey old-fashioned or hydrating with tap water, using a crystal glass will have you feeling like you’re drinking in a swish hotel bar. Available on Amazon,
the Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old-Fashioned Glasses is a chance to own famed Waterford crystal at a value price.
Fill your home with fresh flowers:
Enter any luxury hotel, and you’ll see a large centerpiece of professionally arranged flowers, or at least a lovely bouquet on the front desk. While seemingly a simple touch, having fresh flowers displayed in your home creates a touch of splendor, in addition to adding a lovely scent and visual focus. You could head every week or so to the nearest florist or grocery store, but we like to make things as simple as possible, so we’re endorsing BloomsyBox, a flower subscription service. The service includes handpicked
flower bouquets delivered from sustainable farms around the globe, with weekly and monthly plans available across a few different cost categories.
Lounge in a comfy robe:
One of our favorite things about luxury hotel rooms is the cozy bathrobe for post-bath, lounging in bed, or just walking around without cumbersome clothes. Making coffee, reading a newspaper, or even doing work can all feel more relaxed and luxe while donning a soft robe. The Marlow Double-Face Fleece Robe by UGG is a favorite for its length, long sleeves and double-face fleece that makes it especially comfy. It has pockets and ties at the waist. Plus, it’s pretty. Upgrade your robe game.