Bustos buoyant from U20 experience
WHITECAPS: Canadian midfielder, who scored ‘huge’ goal versus England, ready to contribute at MLS level
Marco Bustos was back with the Whitecaps on Wednesday, still buzzing from his winning goal against England in an under-20 friendly over the weekend in Doncaster.
“It was a huge goal — for myself, for the under-20s and for Canada,” said Bustos, a 19-year-old attacking midfielder from Winnipeg.
“We showed what kind of country we are. We’re not just a country to make up the numbers. I needed to celebrate. It was good for my confidence.”
Bustos drove at the England defence and curled a left-footed shot inside the far post from the top of the box.
It was the 2-0 goal in a 2-1 win and he ran to the sideline and slid on his knees, arms outstretched in joy, just like he plays.
Marco Carducci, his Caps’ and Canada U20 teammate, was giving Bustos the gears after practice at the University of B.C., saying he would have saved it easily.
But it was a great finish from an immensely talented young player and the fact it came against the likes of Marcus Rashford — the all-the-rage Manchester United striker — and in front of a bunch of Premier League scouts made it all the more special.
“It’s good to play against those guys and see where we are — and we’re not far off,” said Bustos, who was impressed by Harry Winks, the 20-year-old Tottenham midfielder. “It’s good to get that exposure.” In Vancouver, Bustos is still chasing that exposure to a wider Whitecaps audience, although anyone who has seen him play for Whitecaps FC2 or at the young levels for club and country, knows he’s a special player in the making.
Carl Robinson gave Bustos his MLS debut last October. He came on for 30 minutes as a substitute in a 2-0 loss at Dallas and looked bright.
He has not seen the field yet this season and knows he’ll have to be patient, especially with Pedro Morales and Nicolas Mezquida on the roster as No. 10s.
Bustos, though, is determined to make Robinson’s game-day roster decisions as agonizing as possible and that work started in the off-season.
“I think I really took a big step in trying to become a better person and better player on and off the field,” said Bustos. “Overall, trying to become a better professional. Making changes in my lifestyle, starting from nutrition to sleep to having this set mentality that I want to be the best I can be — not only being a good player, I want to be a great player.
“Carl Robinson and Perty (assistant coach Martyn Pert) both came up to me the day before I left (after last season) and said to come back the fittest I’ve ever been. I got that in my head. I didn’t want any excuses (for not playing in the first team).”
Bustos, who has Canadian and Italian citizenship and was also called into a Chilean U20 camp in 2014 (his dad was born in Chile), said this most-recent Canada camp was a good experience, not just for the game, but also for the opportunity to share some thoughts with the younger players in the group.
Bustos was part of a well-hyped squad that failed to qualify for the most recent FIFA U20 World Cup, losing to El Salvador and then Cuba at the CONCACAF championship.
“It was good to give that experience — not to take things for granted,” he said.
Alphonso Davies, the Caps’ 15-year-old forward from Edmonton, was part of Canada’s starting lineup against England. So was Caps fullback Kadin Chung of Port Coquitlam, who scored the opening goal. “I think in the near future Canada will be much better than they are now,” said Bustos, who watched Canada’s senior team fall 2-0 to Mexico Tuesday at Azteca Stadium, picturing himself playing in those kind of games.