KANSAS CITY, Kan. — It's been awhile for Roger Espinoza, and even longer for Peter Vermes, but they both reflected on their World Cup experience as players on Wednesday.
"The environment is one of community," Vermes said. "It's a global event where everybody actually gets along and you're getting to see the best soccer in the world. And it only happens once every four years."
Vermes played for the United States in the 1990 World Cup held in Italy. He also played for the U.S. in the Olympics and says there's a big difference.
"The Olympics is an all-sports community-type thing," Vermes said. "This is the epitome of soccer."
A Honduran native, Espinoza has played in two World Cups — in 2010 in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil.
"All the people came together," Espinoza said. "The city we were playing in, the country, everyone was together."
It's an event that's transformed areas of the world and Espinoza knows what it would do for Kansas City.
"It would mean a lot to kids here and to soccer in the city," he said.
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