Sebastian Lletget: LA Galaxy’s Budding Superstar

“Options were running low. It was tough mentally: What’s going to happen? What’s the next step? … But it’s amazing. Life: You stick with it, you believe in yourself and things just happen.”

Driving east on the 210 Freeway through Azusa, CA, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Sebastian Lletget is a bit-part player in the LA Galaxy squad. Overlooking the often in-traffic vehicles as they drive away from LA is an enormous billboard with Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Giovani Dos Santos, Gyasi Zardes and Omar Gonzalez- LA’s 5 star players- displayed in a manner that is almost boastful.

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It’s not just an advertisement that’s meant to appeal to Southern California’s large Mexican population, though Dos Santos’ central positioning in the advert does make him the focal point; it’s also a statement. It’s a statement of the LA Galaxy’s intent to be the best club in the MLS, and eventually to be among the best in the world. However, it’s a statement that doesn’t tell the whole story.

When the Galaxy acquired Sebastian Lletget on May 8, 2015, few fans knew what they were getting with his signature; let alone how to pronounce his name (leh-jet). Replacing fan-favorite, winger/work-horse Stefan Ishizaki who had left the club just a month earlier would always be an incredibly big task, but for this Bay-area born, West Ham United-bread winger, there was a point to prove.

August 6, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget (17) controls the ball against Central FC during the second half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Lletget signed for English Premiere League club West Ham in 2010, making only ONE first-team appearance during his entire time at the club. While still gaining precious knowledge and experience at West Ham’s famed academy, which has produced the likes of Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermaine Defoe, Michael Carrick, and even long-ago English World Cup Winner Bobby Moore, Sebastian Lletget was desperate to show the world what he was capable of. Not everyone was fully convinced though, of the immediate impact he’d make.

“Sebastian is a young, talented attacking player who we think can find success in our team,” said Head Coach Bruce Arena of Lletget when he first signed for the club.

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“Think.”

Speaking more in depth to Galaxy TV, Arena said, “I think he’s a player that will obviously help our depth into midfield and hopefully he can develop into a good player in our league. We’ll obviously need to see him in our environment for a while before we can determine exactly where he’ll fit in but we think he’s a player with good potential.”

Fast-forward almost four months, and Lletget is one of the first names on the team-sheet, along side LA’s 5 golden boys. With 8 goals in 18 games so far for the Galaxy (making him LA’s second leading goal scorer behind the King of MLS, Robbie Keane), Lletget is devouring every opportunity he’s being given.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated last week, Lletget said of his chance at redemption in LA, “You have to tap into a part of yourself that just says, ‘Forget everything. If this doesn’t work out, I tried it.’ It’s all or nothing… Now, I’m just on autopilot, letting it ride.”

“It’s all or nothing. Now, I’m just on autopilot, letting it ride.”

And letting it ride he is. Already a fan-favorite, LA’s number 17 is garnering universal praise from almost everyone in the club, and many outside.

Speaking recently to lagalaxy.com following the Galaxy’s 5-1 thrashing of NYCFC, LA’s no. 8, Steven Gerrard said of Lletget, “He’s a good player. He’s certainly come here with a point to prove and week in and week out he is growing and learning the game. I thought it was a very unselfish performance from him today. He combined very well with Robbie Rogers on the left side. He got his goal and he put in a really good shift for the team.”

Even Galaxy captain Robbie Keane has been surprised by the magnitude of an impact Lletget has brought to the team, ”

“He’s not your typical left winger. He comes inside a lot, he comes off the line and makes it hard for defenders because you don’t know if he’s coming inside or outside. He’s good on the ball, very clever, and he scores goals. The hardest thing to do in football is score goals, and he’s doing it with a lot of confidence. He’s doing well for the team.” If anyone knows goals and confidence, it’s Robbie Keane.

Jul 4, 2015; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget (17) celebrates after forward Robbie Keane (7) scored his third goal of the game in the second half against Toronto FC at StubHub Center. Galaxy won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

So now, the question on everyone’s mind: When will Jurgen Klinsmann take notice of this 22-year old budding superstar? With friendlies against Peru and Brazil on September 4 and 8 respectively and the squad announcements on Sunday, surely another big chance at redemption is on the horizon for Lletget, who has so far even out-performed USMNT mainstay and LA teammate Gyasi Zardes (at least in goal tally). His main competition in the USMNT squad, as a left-winger, would be Fabian Johnson (a defender that Klinsmann has recently played at left-mid), Alejandro Bedoya, Alfredo Morales, and in some cases Mix Diskerud- all of whom Lletget would surely relish the opportunity to compete with for a starting birth.

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Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Lletget acknowledged that the possibility is on the horizon: “I always wondered, ‘How am I going to get there?’… I used to watch the national team on TV, now it’s becoming a little more real to me that next time, I might actually be there. I might win a championship. I can see that happening, and being part of it.”

For now though, LA’s no. 17 is just happy to “let it ride,” and Galaxy fans everywhere are thrilled just to tag along.