After a disappointing first season in MLS mired in injuries, Minnesota United midfielder Miguel Ibarra took a hard look in the mirror and asked himself what needed to change for him to regain the workhorse form he knew he was capable of.
He changed how he ate and how he trained in an effort to find his legs again and rebuild his cracking confidence. Those adjustments paid off in a big way in 2018 as Ibarra ranked second on the team with seven goals and eight assists and solidified himself as one of the Loons’ most indispensible players.
“For me, it was my offseason work and all of the confidence I got from the players and the coaching staff,” Ibarra said. “They gave me that confidence once Molino and Ethan went down and I think I took full advantage and I was ready for it. I still think I need to keep it up and come next year even fitter and be ready.”
Ibarra started the season on the bench, but quickly got the chance to prove himself in the wake of season-ending injuries to midfielders Kevin Molino and Ethan Finlay. He soon showed he was up to the challenge. He notched assists in his first two appearances of 2018 and his first goal of the year was the game-winner in a 1-0, 10-man win over Vancouver Whitecaps on May 5.
Being at his best at critical junctures became a recurring theme for Ibarra this season. He had a hand in five game-winning moments for MNUFC, which was more than any other player. He tied for the team lead with two game-winning goals and paced the Loons with three game-winning assists.
Ibarra’s game got a boost when midfielder Darwin Quintero arrived as the two found quick chemistry. Ibarra often recounts the first time he and Quintero met, which came on March 31 after MNUFC squared off with Atlanta United. Quintero spent the game in the stands and was impressed with Ibarra’s effort. Afterwards, Quintero told Ibarra that he had more to give and he was going to help him maximize his potential. The two went on to combine for five goals, with Ibarra setting up Quintero twice and Quintero assisting Ibarra three times.
One thing Ibarra’s offseason renaissance cured was the lack of dependability that plagued him in his first MLS season. This season, the same Ibarra showed up game in and game out and, after seeing his effort pay off, he is looking ahead to 2019 and is determined to prove that his 2018 was not a one-hit wonder.
“For me, it is consistency,” Ibarra said. “Consistency is big for me. Making sure that even in practice I am the same exact player as if it was a game. For me it is a big thing to be consistent at all times.”
