Parlez-vous football? Habla usted futbol? Call it what you will – football, soccer, fuutball -- it’s not just the world’s sport, it’s an international language capable of igniting passions, enthralling millions, and even initiating the occasional truce.

In this country, soccer is often overshadowed by sports like baseball and basketball and that other football that ironically involves little use of the feet. But more Americans are becoming fluent in the language as increasing numbers of young people play the sport, and the MLS, established in 1996, continues to grow, adding new teams and venues dedicated exclusively to the sport.

For the New York Red Bulls, the 2010 season was a momentous one, seeing the team (originally established as the NY/NJ Metro-Stars) move to their spectacular new arena in Harrison, the arrival of international superstars Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez, and the team’s historic transformation from last place in 2009 to the top of the Eastern Conference in 2010.

With a steady base of soccer supporters and easy access to Red Bull Arena via the PATH, it’s no wonder that Hoboken is a natural match for the Red Bulls. Recently, the team announced a partnership with the city to offer the TOPSoccer program to local youth players, and an increasing number of Red Bull players and staff are choosing to call Hoboken home. hMAG was privileged to sit down with players Carl Robinson, Tim Ream, Austin da Luz, and Head Coach Hans Backe, all of whom joined the team in 2010 and have returned for a second season – with Red Bull New York and as residents of the Mile Square.

CARL ROBINSON

Carl Robinson, #33, is a 34-year-old veteran midfielder and former Welsh international originally from Llandrindod, Wales.He began playing football at the age of four, but swam for Wales as well. It was only once he got to twelve years of age, he explains, that it became a straight choice between the two due to the time needed to train. His mother, he notes, wanted him to swim while his father (perhaps not surprisingly) preferred football. But once the decision was made, he adds, “They were very supportive and put in a lot of time driving me to and from football practices.”

As for being part of the New York Red Bulls, he says, “It’s fantastic. It’s a great organization, and the man-management handling of players is absolutely spot-on. That’s so important when you’re trying to build a team.”

Having played most recently for Toronto FC, Robinson adds, “The set up is different. New York have proper football people in charge, and by that I mean the structure is set up to be successful.”

And the goals for this season? “Obviously, to win the Supporters’ Shield as well as the MLS Cup,” he says. “Not just one, either/or, but both.”

As for the highlights of his career so far, he smiles, “Playing 52 times for Wales, obviously, and winning promotion to the Premiership with both Sunderland and Portsmouth – and just being able to do something that I love.”

Playing for your country, says Robinson, is probably the greatest honor there is. “Growing up in England, to be a professional footballer is your dream, but playing for your country is the greatest honor a sportsman can achieve!”

And his hopes for the future of the sport here? “I hope the progression continues like it has done in the last five years with the attraction of more top players and it continues to build momentum.” But he notes as well, “If you go too quick, then you’re asking for a fall. It’s a long-term project – it won’t just happen overnight.” And for himself, the long-term goal is to get into the coaching and management side of the sport. “Over the last three years,” he says, “I’ve done my UEFA licenses to make the transition a little bit easier from being a player to becoming a coach.”

He advises young players: “Work hard, keep listening, and, most importantly, believe in yourself. Because if you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect other people to believe in you?”

As to why he and his family came to Hoboken, he says, “I like the feel of the place, the vibe of the community. Obviously, the people are very warm and friendly, and you’re in middle of it without being in the middle of it….”

“I like to stay uptown,” he adds. “It’s a little quieter with an older feel than downtown.”

Robinson and his wife Laura enjoy City Bistro and were fans of Lua. “Lua was a good spot, as well. We’re looking forward to it re-opening.” And with their nine-year-old daughter Lowri Isabella and three-year-old son Milo Carter, they like walking by the river, cycling, running, and scootering in the waterfront parks.

Balancing family life and the travel required of his profession is hard, he concedes, but adds “the important thing for me is if my family is happy, then that takes a lot of pressure off of myself, and I’ve been very lucky to have a good woman behind me. If you have a good woman behind you, then the rest seems very easy in my job.”

His daughter does gymnastics, and his young son does want to play football, but Robinson notes, “I think he might go into baseball, though, because he’s forever throwing things about the house! But there’ll be no pressure from me in regards to what they do.”

In the off-season, the family returns to their home in the UK right on the border of Wales and England -- so close to the border, in fact, that their house is in England while the bottom of the garden is in Wales! Robinson is also involved with a lot of charities, and, having lost his father to cancer last September, Robinson is looking to run the NYC Marathon to raise money for cancer research.

And what does he want his neighbors here to know? “I want to thank everyone in the area for making me and my family feel so welcome. It’s why we decided to return – because we feel like part of the community.”

TIM REAM

# 5 is Tim Ream. The 23-year-old defender, originally from St. Louis, MO, began playing soccer around the age of five, he notes, but also played basketball, baseball and hockey; however, they all took a back seat once his commitment to soccer became serious. With so many skills, though, why soccer? “It was the sport I was best at,” he says. “It kind of ran in my Dad’s family, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

His family was very supportive of that decision. “They’ve been by my side travelling to tournaments since I was 6 or seven years old. There was a lot of running around, and they were absolutely supportive.”

Ream joined the Red Bulls after four seasons at Saint Louis University, where he earned the 2009 Atlantic 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award. As for being a part of the Red Bulls, he adds, “It’s great. It’s obviously my first professional club, so I don’t know any different, but being in New York, the guys on the team – it’s hard to say anything bad about the situation.”

Was the move from his previous home in St. Louis a real change? “Phewww,” he sighs, “go ahead… Obviously, I’m still in a city setting, but this is ten times bigger and there’s 10 million more things going on than in Saint Louis!”

This season, Ream hopes to improve upon what he achieved last year – no small feat! In 2010, he played every minute of the regular season, was a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award and the team’s Defender of the Year, and made his international debut for the U.S. National Team. He keeps it in perspective: “There’s always something to improve, and that’s what I’m working on right now.”

Ream points to the highlights of his career – so far – as playing every minute of every match last season: “That’s definitely something that I’m proud of, and obviously, getting a call up [to the national team.] It’s every kid’s dream, and to get that after one year playing professionally is special.”

So what is it like to play for the United States national team? “I have goose bumps right now just thinking about it,” he says. “It’s something nobody can take away from you – to put on the colors and the crest and hear the national anthem… It’s just special all-around – there’s not much else to say!”

But how does he manage to play all those minutes? Is that a question of mental fortitude or physical stamina? “It’s a bit of both,” he says. But to keep that level of physical fitness, he adds, “You just take care of your body, eat right and get treatment when you need it.”

For the sport, going forward, he hopes “in this country for it to continue to grow.” And for himself? “Just to continue to get called up and to continue to contribute to the Red Bulls, and whatever happens after that, happens.”

His advice to young players? “Plain and simple – have fun!” It’s something his Dad has told him since he was little that’s always stuck with him.

Ream wound up living here in Hoboken because of his fiancée, Kristen Sapienza. “To be completely honest, that was determined by Kristen’s work situation.” She works for Enterprise Rent-a-Car and although now in Jersey City was initially here in Hoboken.

They have many favorite places here in town: “We love, bar-wise, Hoboken Bar & Grill, and we go there quite often – so many food options and beverage options.” Their favorite restaurants include 340 Grill and Tenth & Willow.

Again, because of his fiancée’s work, Ream is a resident here year-round; during the off-season, he likes hanging out with his dogs (both rescues) and at some point when he has time would like to get involved with animal charities like the Humane Society.

Balancing the demands of his professional team and national duties with having a personal life and a relationship he acknowledges is very hard. “This year alone, up to this point, I couldn’t even tell you how many days I’ve been away.”

But Hoboken will always have a special part of the lives of this couple. On March 25, 2010, Ream proposed on the 14th Street Pier. He chose the location because “I like the view of the city and being able to look over at Manhattan.” And, after some crying – especially on her part, he notes – the answer was, of course, a yes.

AUSTIN DA LUZ

The Red Bulls’ #13, Austin da Luz, is a 23-year-old midfielder originally from San Diego, CA who grew up with soccer, quite literally. The son of Wake Forest University women’s soccer coach Tony da Luz, Austin has been on the field as long as he can remember. Although an avid fan of all other sports, he has never played anything else, even though he notes that he was always welcome to try other things. “Once my parents realized this was what I wanted to do, they were 100% behind it!”

As for playing professionally – and for the Red Bulls? “It’s a dream come true, to be honest,” he says. “Growing up, that was the goal. Being able to do that anyplace is a privilege, but it being in New York is definitely a bonus!”

For this season, da Luz’s personal goal is simply to play, something he hasn’t been able to do much of recently partly due to a broken foot. “Pretty important,” he points out.

But he is thrilled to be here: “Just putting on the jersey and stepping on the field for the Red Bulls – I consider that a pretty big achievement for myself!”

And what’s it like to find himself playing alongside stars like Henry and Marquez? “It’s surreal,” he says, “very surreal. To not only play with them but also to get to know them as people after having grown up watching them on television is definitely surreal.”

And he has nothing but praise for the team’s new stadium, which has been nominated for Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal, the biggest sports journal in the U.S. “It’s a class above anything else in North America, that’s for sure!”

For the sport that has been such a part of his entire life, he hopes that “it continues to grow in America and become as popular – if not more popular – than sports like baseball and football. And for the U.S. to win a World Cup!” For himself, he says, “I just hope to make as long a career out of this as I can,” adding that he could definitely see himself following in his dad’s footsteps as a coach. “I don’t plan on leaving the game anytime soon.”

But what does the son of a coach tell younger players: “Just spend as much time with the ball as you possibly can!”

Da Luz wound up living in Hoboken partly by chance, he explains, after asking around once he’d joined the Red Bulls and two of the guys he asked happened to live here. “I’m glad this is where I wound up, for sure!”

His current local favorite is The Taco Truck: “I’m glad they got a permanent location -- now I eat there around 4 times a week.” His choice – the fish tacos! But going forward, he would like to explore more of this city: “I would like to have a chance to see more than just Washington Street,” he laughs. And while last year he returned to North Carolina for the off-season, this year he can see himself spending much more time here, enjoying activities like going to the movies and skateboarding, just long boarding and cruising around.

“I love it here,” da Luz adds. “I’ve lived in quite a few great cities throughout my life, and I’m happy to call Hoboken one of my homes.”

HANS BACKE

Originally from Sweden, Head Coach Hans Backe began playing fuutball at the age of seven, he says, but also played ice hockey and “bandy,” another sport played on ice with a stick, as well as some tennis and golf as a youngster. Backe still tries to play golf when he has the chance.

His coaching career has taken him around the world, including positions in Sweden, Greece, Denmark and England – where he worked as an assistant manager at Manchester City of the English Premier League and most recently coached English League Two side, Notts County. His present club, he notes, “It’s a much bigger club – otherwise, it’s not a big difference. Soccer is the same!”

After his arrival in January 2010, Backe brought the team from the bottom of the table to top of the Eastern conference last season; “It’s phenomenal when you start with a new team. It is a lot of work. But we were lucky and the first five or six games were key for the rest of the year. It was phenomenal to win the Eastern Conference; it was a good year but not a great year because we didn’t win, but it was a good transition.”

Being part of the Red Bulls organization, says Backe, “It’s phenomenal. I must say that in the beginning, I had no idea it was such a big company, but it’s huge!”

But he adds, “The owner really wants to build a top team for the U.S., and it’s so easy for me and the G.M. [Eric Soler] to do the decisions to build this team because there’s no board to report to – dealing directly with the owner is just so effective.”

His goals for the season: “We should be strong enough to compete – the target is the Supporters’ Shield!”

Backe points to the highlights of his career so far as “Just to be so privileged as to be involved at Manchester City in the English Premier League – and winning the four championships in Denmark.”

Backe’s hope for the United States, though, is “that the teams in the U.S. can build their own soccer stadiums – that’s a key factor, and also that they have their own training grounds and that every MLS club can have their own academy –then I’m absolutely sure that the U.S. can develop as a soccer nation.”

The goal he says is not to compete but to take major steps closer to the big sports like football and baseball, “because the US are number one in the world to produce athletes, so if soccer can get some of these athletes into soccer, and if soccer gets more money into the sport, then the U.S. could be unbeatable.”

And the new, dedicated arena is part of the team’s vision for the future, “You can say that size-wise with the best in Europe, it’s even better.” He adds, “The supporters are there: it’s up to almost 20,000 at every home game – it’s phenomenal!”

For himself, says Backe, “I hope that I can stay in the game for five or six more years, but this is a very exciting challenge to be building the Red Bulls. At the end of the day, though, it’s all about results, but I’m very confident about the way the team has been developing.”

“If we do it the right way, this team has the possibility to be a team that can compete every year for the championship,” he says.

As for how the management team is able to balance a team of high-profile stars and hot prospect talents, they do have a strategy: “We have our strategy to get the high-profile players in the central positions and then put the younger players out wide in outside positions that will help them develop.” And he adds, “We’ve been lucky with the two DP players [Henry and Marquez] because they’re humble guys.”

In addition to keeping players fit and healthy, one extra challenge facing the team this season is that they have such a great roster that many may be called away for international duty. “That will be a problem when the Gold Cup is on and we could be without players for as many as six weeks, and that’s tough for the fans, too,” Backe adds. “But we just have to live with it and do the best we can.”

And the coach’s advice to young players? He hesitates. “That’s difficult,” he smiles and apologizes if it sounds like something that’s been said many times before. “You need to have the passion to train by yourself because it’s not enough just to be involved in the team practice. You have to spend more time to practice by yourself.” That dedication, he explains, is essential: “It’s the only way. You just have to work hard on every detail. Every pass is crucial,” he adds, “that is, it’s all about the details.”

How does he balance all the different cultures and languages on the team into a seamless unit – or is it the one international language of football? Backe smiles again, noting that at Manchester City he was dealing with 11 or 12 different nationalities so this is nothing new for him and agreeing that it is as we said, an international language but, he notes, “It is important that everyone speaks English. It’s key – it’s the details again.”

His choice to live in Hoboken comes via his G.M. Eric Soler, who knew Backe would love it here. Adds Backe, “It has the waterfront walkways, it feels very clean, and there’s a lot of bars and restaurants and young people living here. And, of course, such an easy way to Manhattan by ferry…. Hoboken is a town you can breathe and walk in, no stress.”

LUA was one of Backe’s favorite places, but he also says that Dino & Harry’s is fantastic, as well as Augustino’s, Amanda’s or the Sushi Lounge. “You have all the different types of food here.”

And he likes going to the gym and jogging along the waterfront while enjoying views of the Manhattan skyline. “But if anyone can find me find a local badminton pitch, I would be very glad of that!”

He adds, “I really like the town! It has everything I need, and all my friends visiting say the same, which is probably why I’m not going into Manhattan that often.”

And Backe asks everyone who hasn’t already visited the stadium to give it a try, get a real experience of the crowd and the energy and the music and noise, and then decide if soccer is for them. “I hope they will be happy,” he says, then notes significantly, “It’s a different sport to see it live!”

Get in the game

Access to home matches at Red Bull Arena could not be easier for local residents. If you need further evidence, realize that French international superstar Thierry Henry notably arrived for his debut match at the arena not in a limo but on the PATH!

Amidst the bustle of Media Day 2011, Henry alternates seamlessly between comments in English, French and Spanish as reporters from around the world seek his thoughts on the team and the sport. It’s all a bit overwhelming, but we’re lucky enough to catch a moment of his time - or perhaps it is our shared surname, which elicits a very Gallic “WOW”, that makes him pause long enough to graciously share his thoughts on that experience. So what did he think of the PATH? “Well, I arrived there, so that’s good,” he laughs, noting that he has taken it three more times to matches. “It’s great access to the games,” he adds, “especially given the traffic getting out of the city and around the tunnel. It does make sense!”

And it does. Check it out for yourself, in person, at this amazing venue that’s still so convenient and close to home, and you may just understand why this truly is the beautiful game. And, just maybe, if you become fluent in this language, you’ll enjoy your travels even more – no matter where they take you.

Go to newyorkredbulls.com and, as they say, join the stampede. Or for more information on the TOPSoccer program, visit redbullsacademy.com.