Revs select Milford's Videira

SPORTS

The New England Revolution are calling, but Milford's Michael Videira has his heart set on kicking off his professional soccer career overseas.

The Revs selected the 6-foot-1, 170-pound midfielder, a two-time All-American at Duke, with the 18th pick in yesterday's MLS SuperDraft held in Baltimore. But the 22-year-old Videira has other plans.

"I didn't project that I'd go that early, because I had told MLS that I was leaning toward Europe," said Videira, who has a Portugese passport.

"It's a tough decision. I've known [Revolution coaches] Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner for a while now. I played for Paul with the Boston Bolts and Steve with the Boston Bulldogs. And when I came back from school, they let me train with them. But I think that the best thing for me right now is Europe.

"But if I were to come back, there'd be no better place to play than New England. And my family is pretty excited about that." The Revolution will retain his rights.

Videira prepped at Noble & Greenough in Dedham before heading off to Duke, where he was a two-time finalist for the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the national player of the year. He is currently on the mend from a quad injury he suffered Oct. 31 against Davidson. He expects to be 100 percent healthy in a month or so.

The next transfer window to play overseas is in June.
Videira earned a degree in sociology from Duke last month.

-- Craig Larson

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