The Man Behind the Moment

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USL Rhode Island FC

The Man Behind the Moment

June 20, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


Celebrating the highs, finding motivation in the lows, and staying level-headed in-between: Maxi Rodriguez's path to Centreville Bank Stadium history

"I did it."

As the lights flashed and the crowd exploded at Centreville Bank Stadium, everything went dark for Maxi Rodriguez. He had just scored the game-winning penalty in a historic 2-1 win over North Carolina FC, earning Rhode Island FC its first-ever win at Centreville Bank Stadium, but his world was empty. He closed his eyes, and those three words coursed through his mind.

For a moment, an exuberant pile of teammates waiting to lift up the game's hero was distant noise to Rodriguez. In a single deep breath, he felt the weight of the world lift off of his shoulders. From the decision to move from a Detroit City FC team that revived a career he thought was dead, to deciding to take a leap of faith to move to the Ocean State - in an instant, it all became worth it. After a turbulent start to the season full of doubt, disappointing moments and a mission to find himself, the first-ever game-winning goal in downtown Pawtucket meant so much more than a mark on the scoresheet.

"I've enjoyed a lot of special moments in my career," said Rodriguez. "It took a while for us to get the first win in our stadium. To be able to have that pressure was a privilege, and to be able to score the goal and hear that final whistle right after, it was one of the best moments in my career."

While Rodriguez adjusted to his new team, Rhode Island FC struggled to find results, starting the season with only one league win in seven tries. On April 19, the midfielder's difficulties culminated into what he described as one of the lowest moments of his career. In a 2-0 loss at Detroit City FC in his first visit to his former club, he left the field early to a loud chorus of 'boos' from a fanbase who had adored him for four years.

Although the beginning of the season continued to test his resolve, Rodriguez always knew his moment was coming. He knew he would get there. It was only a matter of when.

"Those games in particular really put a fire under me that I needed," said Rodriguez. "The biggest weakness when it comes to players is complacency. You have to earn everything, every year. You're only as good as your last game."

After breaking into the USL with his hometown San Antonio FC to start his professional career in 2017, Rodriguez's career as a professional was never set in stone. Following two seasons in San Antonio and one with Virginia's Richmond Kickers, Rodriguez was left without a club in 2020. When no clubs came calling as the season approached, he continued training, and even went back on trial with San Antonio during the 2020 preseason. However, San Antonio ultimately decided not to re-sign Rodriguez, and when the COVID-19 Pandemic hit just two months later, his options were truly dwindling. Delivering DoorDash orders and working as a UPS delivery driver all while training on the side, Rodriguez began to doubt whether or not he would ever return to the professional world.

"At the end of my trial, San Antonio's coach told me, 'we don't see you having the legs to fit our profile,'" Rodriguez said. "I wasn't fit enough and I didn't have the legs to be one of their midfielders. During COVID, I took that seriously. I got the most fit I've ever been, and my goal was to make sure no coach ever said that again."

With the 2021 season around the corner, Detroit City FC took notice. Playing in the Division III National Independent Soccer Association at the time, the club gave Rodriguez the second chance that he had been dreaming of.

After helping Detroit win the Fall 2021 NISA Championship in his first season back, Rodriguez followed the club as it moved to the USL Championship in 2022. In his return to the USL Championship, Rodriguez blossomed, leading Le Rouge in scoring in two of its first three seasons in the league and ending the 2024 season with a career-high 10 goals and nine assists. Helping the club to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference in a career year, Rodriguez was also named a 2024 USL Championship All-League first team selection.

The decision to move from a city that gave him everything was difficult, but Rodriguez felt it was time for a new challenge. Enticed by a state-of-the-art stadium project and RIFC's unprecedented run to the USL Championship Final in its inaugural season, Rodriguez officially put pen to paper on Dec. 3, 2024, signing with RIFC for the 2025 season.

Although Rodriguez's first return to Detroit as an opponent wasn't what he had hoped, it was a low moment that marked a major inflection point in his season. Throughout his career, Rodriguez emphasized staying level-headed: remaining focused through low points and staying grounded in the highs. The consistent mentality is one he has gained through more than 140 professional appearances.

"The moment in Detroit where I felt really down, I've gone through that before," said Rodriguez. "I've gone through a year without a club. Even if I wasn't happy in those moments, at least I had a team. There were years in my career where I didn't have a team. I've been through these moments in different times of my career that allow me to jump back."

For Rodriguez, it's all about perspective. He uses moments of pain and weakness to create fear, and for him, fear is a tool. The fear of failure pushes him to succeed - it was the thought of disappointing a fanbase that fueled the power behind his penalty against North Carolina.

"In my career there's been a lot of success based on the fear of being unsuccessful," said Rodriguez. "There is a sense of, 'this guy was a top player in this league, and now he's not doing that anymore.' That fear drives me to continue to try to be one of the best players in the league. Fear can bring people down, but it helps me live up to how I'm supposed to play."

In that way, Rodriguez is truly built for the biggest moments. From the moment the referee pointed to the spot to the moment the back of the net rippled, Rodriguez 'blacked out.' Tuning out the cheers, the arguments and the noise, he was focused on one thing - the back of the net.

It wasn't until Rodriguez got to the corner flag that he opened his eyes and took it all in. The pure joy plastered on the faces of his teammates was a full-circle moment for the midfielder. The stadium that enticed him to take a leap of faith months ago was now chanting his name, and the version of himself that he felt was missing showed up in full force. Rodriguez had done it - his name was officially engrained in Centreville Bank Stadium history.

"I play my best football when I have a chip on my shoulder," said Rodriguez. "I try to prove people wrong. If you feel pressure, it means you care and I don't want to let people down, so I try to live up to the moment rather than fold."

"Those are core memories that I'm going to be able to tell my kids one day," said Rodriguez. "I was the first RIFC player to score in that stadium. I was able to score the game winner in the first win. When you're in the process of playing games or trying to do well in the season, you don't really think about that. Then you reflect and realize they're pretty significant core memories that I'll have for the rest of my life."

Rodriguez and the rest of the team will be back in action on Saturday, June 21 when RIFC gets set to host Sacramento Republic FC at Centreville Bank Stadium for School's Out Night. Tickets to the next home game are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.

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