Havana, September 8 (RHC) – The Cuban soccer player Luis Javier Paradela looked extremely happy after making his debut with USL club Reno 1868. Padarela became the first Cuban resident athlete to compete in any professional league in United States without breaking political bonds with Cuba.

“It was a really nice experience. I felt great during the minutes I was on the pitch”, said Padarela to Radio Habana Cuba.

The 22-year old Forward was signed on August 29 by Reno 1868, a team that plays in the Second Division  of the Major League Soccer (MLS), in a deal with the Guatemalan team Universidad de San Carlos, three days after arriving to American soil on a P-1A visa (also applicable to athletes), that allows him to play temporally in the United States without abandoning Cuba.