It is something Orozco could not say for himself. The native of Orange, Orozco moved to Mexico as a 17-year-old in order to get the training and experience he needed to realize his full potential as a defender. It led Orozco to the 2008 Olympics and a spot on the roster for the U.S. Men’s National Team, where he earned 29 caps and arguably one of the most famous goals in U.S. Soccer history.

Orozco paid a high price for his journey, separated from his family and friends for 15 years. But it has all come full-circle now. Orozco is back in his hometown, signing to play for his hometown team back in June. His three daughters are reunited with their grandparents, and life for the Orozcos could not be much better.

“It was a rough, hard road, but the hard work paid off,” Orozco said. “Just being in Orange County, it’s been a big change, because we were so used to a different culture, a different lifestyle and we’re still adjusting. We felt like outsiders when we first got here four months ago. But now it’s turning back again. This is our hometown. This is where we belong.”

Orozco is active in the local youth soccer community in Orange County, notably the Worldwide Elite Development Academy. He is also playing a significant role in his OCSC teammate Jacobs’ development.

“There’s a kid, a 14-year-old, named Francis, who can start developing here, and by the time he’s 18, hopefully he’s at the top of his soccer, and then he can go elsewhere,” Orozco said. “But within those years, we can teach him and lead him to the right direction. For me, I had to go somewhere else. I missed about 15-16 years of their lives, leaving everybody behind.”

For those past 15 years, Orozco, the son of Mexican parents, made a name for himself in Liga MX, a player so talented that he was wooed by both the U.S. and Mexico to play for their national teams. Orozco, who represented the United States at the 2008 Olympics, chose the U.S. National team, and that’s what led him to the great Estadio Azteca for a match between the U.S. and Mexico on Aug. 15, 2012.

If the most famous goal ever scored in that stadium was by Argentina’s Maradona – “The Hand of God” – in the 1986 World Cup, then perhaps it was fitting that Orozco, born in 1986, would score what might be called “The Foot of God” – the lone goal in the first-ever U.S. victory over Mexico, ending 75 years of frustration.