Jaime Villarreal stands five-foot-eight, but he commands the midfield and carries himself like he’s ten feet tall.
Ever since his arrival in 2018, the gritty player has rolled his sleeves up and done a lot of the dirty work to help his side win matches. He routinely puts in a tireless performance, and he lets his outfield play do all the talking.
Jaime played over 2,000 first team minutes across all competitions in his debut season in Sacramento. He was becoming one of the club’s most counted and called upon outfield players and by the end of the 2019 season – a season where the midfielder was voted by his teammates as the team MVP – Jaime had led the entire squad in minutes played (2,820), appearances (36), and starts (31) during league and cup play.
Jaime Villarreal stands five-foot-eight, but he commands the midfield and carries himself like he’s ten feet tall.
Ever since his arrival in 2018, the gritty player has rolled his sleeves up and done a lot of the dirty work to help his side win matches. He routinely puts in a tireless performance, and he lets his outfield play do all the talking.
Jaime played over 2,000 first team minutes across all competitions in his debut season in Sacramento. He was becoming one of the club’s most counted and called upon outfield players and by the end of the 2019 season – a season where the midfielder was voted by his teammates as the team MVP – Jaime had led the entire squad in minutes played (2,820), appearances (36), and starts (31) during league and cup play.
He didn’t let a shortened season in 2020 slow him down from shining in Sacramento’s starting lineup, as Villarreal managed to lead the team with nine blocked shots and lead the entire midfield unit in tackles (26), tackles won (17) and interceptions (17). It was the second consecutive campaign that Jaime led all midfielders on the team in interceptions.
He didn’t let a shortened season in 2020 slow him down from shining in Sacramento’s starting lineup, as Villarreal managed to lead the team with nine blocked shots and lead the entire midfield unit in tackles (26), tackles won (17) and interceptions (17). It was the second consecutive campaign that Jaime led all midfielders on the team in interceptions.
Villarreal’s selfless contributions between the boxes are respected by the entire team. Because of that, he doesn’t need to be vocal to be a leader in the locker room, his actions on the pitch speak far louder than his words need to be.
Jaime said: “I'm not really like a vocal leader, I kind of just like to lead by example, lead by your work ethic, lead by how you put in all the effort in training.”
Beyond his role as a veteran leader, he knows there’s still elements of his game he can improve upon and make himself and even more versatile asset in the midfield ranks.
“I think the goal for this year is to get more goals, more assists,” Villarreal said. “Get in the box score. And I think just this preseason and the way we're playing right now – I think I'll put myself in good spots for that.”
Villarreal’s selfless contributions between the boxes are respected by the entire team. Because of that, he doesn’t need to be vocal to be a leader in the locker room, his actions on the pitch speak far louder than his words need to be.
Jaime said: “I’m not really like a vocal leader, I kind of just like to lead by example, lead by your work ethic, lead by how you put in all the effort in training.”
Beyond his role as a veteran leader, he knows there’s still elements of his game he can improve upon and make himself and even more versatile asset in the midfield ranks.
“I think the goal for this year is to get more goals, more assists,” Villarreal said. “Get in the box score. And I think just this preseason and the way we’re playing right now – I think I’ll put myself in good spots for that.”
When Jaime has etched his name on the score sheet, whether it had been a goal or assist, its often times been an important one. He’s netted multiple game-winners for Sacramento, and he set up a sensational strike that sealed a come-from-behind victory in 2020 despite his side being down a man.
When Jaime has etched his name on the score sheet, whether it had been a goal or assist, its often times been an important one. He’s netted multiple game-winners for Sacramento, and he set up a sensational strike that sealed a come-from-behind victory in 2020 despite his side being down a man.
In 2020’s shortened season, he made a huge impact on the club’s playoff chase. Villarreal assisted Villyan Bijev’s 87th minute winner as a 10-man Republic FC team stormed back from a one goal deficit and claimed all three points with a 2-1 triumph over Orange County SC.
It was a fixture Jaime remembers fondly.
“I remember Mark [Briggs] telling me ‘just come in with energy and try to change the game and know when to go up, because we only had one midfielder so by me going in [in the 69thminute], it was going to be just two of us [midfielders] with one up the top,” Villarreal explained. “But I remember just when I went in, I was just playing like a free man and I was able to just do me and express myself.”
“And when I went in, the guys were like ‘change the game, just be a difference maker’, so I remember the first goal came and we tied it and I knew right away I thought we have a good chance of winning this game.”
In 2020’s shortened season, he made a huge impact on the club’s playoff chase. Villarreal assisted Villyan Bijev’s 87th minute winner as a 10-man Republic FC team stormed back from a one goal deficit and claimed all three points with a 2-1 triumph over Orange County SC.
It was a fixture Jaime remembers fondly.
“I remember Mark [Briggs] telling me ‘just come in with energy and try to change the game and know when to go up, because we only had one midfielder so by me going in [in the 69thminute], it was going to be just two of us [midfielders] with one up the top,” Villarreal explained. “But I remember just when I went in, I was just playing like a free man and I was able to just do me and express myself.”
“And when I went in, the guys were like ‘change the game, just be a difference maker’, so I remember the first goal came and we tied it and I knew right away I thought we have a good chance of winning this game.”
“And when that second goal came, I was like oh, we've done it! That was probably our favorite game of last year, for sure, just because Orange County is a really good team and just to show that heart and determination at the end of last 15 minutes of that game was amazing.”
“And when that second goal came, I was like oh, we’ve done it! That was probably our favorite game of last year, for sure, just because Orange County is a really good team and just to show that heart and determination at the end of last 15 minutes of that game was amazing.”
The comeback win over Orange County was a hard game to forget, but Jaime isn’t focused on the past. He’s fully fixated on this season and the potential success he feels is definitely in-store.
And he, along with the entire Indomitable Club, won’t be satisfied unless they hoist silverware at the end of the 2021 campaign.
“I think with this group, we could definitely get there,” Jaime said. “That’s our goal, the Championship, there’s nothing less than that.”
The comeback win over Orange County was a hard game to forget, but Jaime isn’t focused on the past. He’s fully fixated on this season and the potential success he feels is definitely in-store.
And he, along with the entire Indomitable Club, won’t be satisfied unless they hoist silverware at the end of the 2021 campaign.
“I think with this group, we could definitely get there,” Jaime said. “That’s our goal, the Championship, there’s nothing less than that.”
