The beast inside: Sacramento Republic’s Maalique Foster leads with speed, attitude

You’ve probably seen the viral clip by now. With Sacramento Republic down 4-3 on penalties to Sporting Kansas City, the next kick was an absolute must-make. A trip to the U.S. Open Cup final was on the line.

Up stepped Maalique Foster, who was perhaps the smallest person on the field. Most casual viewers who tuned into the game probably didn’t know who he was, but what he proceeded to do was. impressive.

He ran to the ball as if he were about to strike it hard and low — like most penalties are — and instead chipped it softly down the middle, fooling the goalkeeper who dove to his right. The act alone oozed with confidence. But then, he made an even bolder statement.

With the game still in the balance, Foster celebrated with moves worthy of a gymnast and made the famous Steph Curry “night-night” gesture toward the Kansas City players.

“When (Sporting KC forward William Agada) scored his penalty and did his back flip, it really pissed me off,” Foster said. “That’s when I knew I wanted to respond and show him that I can do that too, but better.”

Despite taking most of the spotlight that night, he hardly projects any of that bravado outside of the field.

For an interview, Foster sat high up in the stands of the Cosumnes River College soccer field on a mid-August afternoon, where Republic practices. He hid from the blazing sun overhead but also from his media obligations, which he often does with a demeanor that could be misconstrued as reluctant for those that talk to him for the first time.

When he spoke, his voice was soft and his answers guarded.

“Maalique is one of those guys who is slow to open up, but when he does, he is an amazing person,” club captain Rodrigo Lopez told Fútbol Américas after Republic’s win over Sporting KC.

Career start

Seven years ago, Foster’s professional soccer career started in his hometown of Portmore, a large urban city in Jamaica neighboring the popular tourist destination, Kingston. He played for his local club Portmore United, and back then, according to his mentor and national team teammate Andre Lewis, he wasn’t so quiet.

“He was definitely the troublemaker of the team,” Lewis recalled with a laugh. He does not know Maalique as shy. Because Lewis had experience playing professionally overseas in MLS, the manager asked him to take Foster under his wing.

“People think that because he’s always joking around that he doesn’t take the game seriously,” Lewis said. “But I got to understand that’s just who he is. If you want the best Maalique, you just have to let him be and he will give you all of his quality.”

That quality unfortunately didn’t come all at once. After leaving Jamaica in 2018, Foster bounced between leagues in Costa Rica, Israel and the United States where he struggled to find consistency.

To make matters worse, what should have been a crowning achievement in getting called up to the Jamaican national team for the 2019 Gold Cup ended up being another sore point — he was the only player on the squad not to play a single minute.

“I know that was tough for him,” Lewis said. “Most guys don’t come back from that.”

His opportunity

But in sports as it is in life, sometimes it just takes one opportunity. At the Nations League in the following year, Foster was featured on a Jamaican team that won its group.

“He scored a golazo and played two wonderful games,” Lewis recalled. “That’s when I started to look at him differently, like, whoa, he’s actually better than I thought.”

Most people who see Foster for the first time notice his speed. It’s hard not to, he is very fast.

In a game against Oakland Roots in July, a ball was cleared just outside of Republic’s own penalty box. Foster, who was well behind two defenders on the play, burst into the space, leaving them in the dust.

He single-handedly created a scoring opportunity.

But Foster’s game is multifaceted. To think of him only as a straight-line athlete would undersell the many other things he does well. Just because he doesn’t look the part, doesn’t mean that he isn’t capable of playing bigger.

“My hold-up play is underrated since everyone always looks at my size,” Foster said. “What they miss is the beast is inside.”

Sacramento Republic head coach Mark Briggs seems to understand this. After using Foster primarily as a spark plug off the bench to start the season, he has recently switched to starting him up top as the team’s leading striker after seeing the Jamaican’s subtle skills in training and games.

The panenka against Sporting KC confirmed his decision.

“That’s Maalique, you need characters on your team and he is a character,” Briggs said.

Foster obviously agrees. After spending his entire career playing on the wings, he is enjoying his new life in the middle. He grew up idolizing Lionel Messi, who was also small in stature but a genius in the space between the opposing midfield and back line.

“I’m starting to love the role I have in this system,” Foster said, flashing a shy smile. “I pretty much consider myself an out and out striker now. If you want me to go in behind, I can go in behind. If you need skill, I can give you skill. I like to be in the mix.”

After a recent victory over Colorado Springs which he dubbed the team’s most complete performance of the season, Foster was asked if he was finally enjoying the best run of soccer in his career.

One would think that the answer was obvious. Before he arrived in Sacramento, there really wasn’t much of a track record to point to.

His answer was a flat-out no. The quiet Jamaican who usually kept to himself was defiant.

“The best is still to come.”

This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 12:00 AM.