When Elías Báez joined Atlanta United last winter, he was signing up for something serious. The 21-year-old would leave all he’d ever known in Buenos Aires to forge a new path in his career.
Just 10 months later, Báez is a mainstay in head coach Tata Martino’s starting XI and improving by the match. He’s still missing Argentina but is settling into Atlanta, finding his spots around town and finding his footing out on the pitch.
We sat down with Atlanta United’s fullback to ask him 17 questions on food, his propensity for headers and more:
What was your first football trial like?
I remember the first time I went to San Lorenzo. I think it was a trial with a lot of kids. I remember that there were a bunch of kids and I went to try out, and at first, I felt like I wasn't going to make it. Then, I think the coach who brought me told me I had passed. When they gave me the club clothes, I was already happy.
If you could bring one thing from Argentina to Atlanta, what would it be and why?
The food. I'd bring all the food from there, but I have to adapt to the food here too. But when I go there, what I miss the most is the food. The empanadas, the Milanese.
Asados have become a regular occurrence for this team. Who do you trust the most as grill master?
Among the staff, we'd say Manu [Alfaro] and Dami [Silvero], they're the best.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
For karaoke, I really like something by Bad Bunny or Paulo Londra. With Bad Bunny, there’s a ton. I like most of them, but I’d go with “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS”.
Do you have any funny nicknames from your childhood or in the team today?
Well, when I was little, I was bald. I mean, my hair was completely shaved. And they used to call me Pelado [Baldie] back then, but later as I moved up, I didn't really have a nickname. Now the guys, we invent nicknames in English and they call me Elly.
If you weren’t a professional footballer, what would you be and why?
I would study. It would be some kind of studies or another sport.
What’s your favorite neighborhood here in Atlanta?
I really like the area where the stadium is, and let's say Marietta, Truist Park, it’s lovely.
Have you found any favorite restaurants?
I like one a lot, actually two. I really like one called Mambo [Italian Street Food] and another Yeppa.
What’s your favorite TV show?
I'd say, well, I really liked the series Peaky Blinders. I liked it a lot, that was the absolute best for me.
As you continue forming your identity as a footballer, how does a change of scenery from Argentina to the United States impact your development?
It’s about adapting to the country, the club, how things are here. I think gradually adapting [to a new country] will help you grow personally as a player.
You joined the squad last winter around the same time as two other Argentinians in Tomás Jacob and Lucas Hoyos. How crucial has their presence been for you personally and as a player?
I think Lucas and Tomás are the two people who have supported me the most since I got here. It’s really helpful to have them. We try to do a lot of things together. When we had three days off, we went on vacation with Lucas and his family. We go out to eat and sometimes go to a basketball game together. Those two have been there for me since I arrived.
Having now worked with Tata Martino for the better part of a season, what do you think is his best trait?
No, I think his characteristic is to always play, to not let us get disorganized, to maintain order and to always try to keep the ball and be incisive when we have to.
You and your family featured in a Delta Travel Stories video on Atlanta United’s YouTube. How much did they sacrifice for you to get to where you are today?
The first thing I think about is my family, just the great responsibility that they took on when I was younger to let me travel alone or with my teammates to get to training and to be able to get where I'm at today. I just try to enjoy it as much as I can. I'm very grateful for everything that's happened.
You scored your first goal for the club back in July with a rocket header. What was going through your head as you made that moment?
Honestly, we were losing, you can shout a lot [for the ball], but in the play Tomi put in the cross and I grabbed it and went after it. I told him don't put that [low cross], play it clipped back because I'll get there. He listened to me, we talk a lot about that, about when one arrives the other should arrive on the other side. He crossed it to me, and when I saw it hitting my head, I said it's a goal.
Were you a little surprised that you buried it?
No, no, when I got there, I knew it was a goal. I wasn't going to miss. But [there was] happiness for my first goal here. I'm really very happy to be able to help the team.
If someone told you that you can either only shoot with your weak foot or by headers, which would you pick?
With my head. I think it's my strong suit, heading.
What would you say to the 17s down the stretch of the season?
We’re going to fight to make the playoffs. We want all the people to come for these matches, that it’s going to be a great help for us to have a crowd at home that make us stronger.
Read more of our 17 Questions series:
