Back in the States and jet-lagged from spending the past month and a half in Dubai and Australia with the Iraq National Team, Crew SC's Justin Meram joined MLSsoccer.com's ExtraTime Radio to chat about his experiences at the AFC Asian Cup in January.
Experiencing the love and adoration of the Iraqi fans in Australia left a lasting impression on Meram.
"It wasn’t playing just for me or the team," he told the ExtraTime Radio crew. "This was their lives. This was a chance to bring happiness to millions of kids and fans in Iraq watching us play. It was more than football. It’s a way of life for them. The support that they give us, I’m thinking today, next week, this whole year, how am I going to give back? How am I going to help out the country? How can I donate to bring 2,000 pairs of cleats for kids that are going to be the next players on the National Team?"
Listen to the entire interview on MLSsoccer.com.