This article first appeared in the March issue of We are Orange Magazine.
When you meet Houston Dynamo defender Raúl Rodríguez, you quickly realize how much he values life off the field. The Barcelona native is proficient in English without a formal education in the language. He flashes a wide smile when requested for most appearances and media opportunities and treats club employees as equals. His personal email address includes the name of one of Shakespeare’s famous works. Once last season, on a cross-country flight the morning after playing 90 minutes in a league game, he declined an offer for an aisle seat from a staff member, insisting his middle seat was fine.