Brazilian-born midfielder Marcelo Sarvas has had a fantastical journey within “the Beautiful Game,” beginning in his hometown of Sao Paulo, playing for the legendary Corinthians. From there, stops on teams in Sweden, Poland, and Costa Rica eventually led him to the United States, where he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in David Beckham’s final year with the team.

In his first of four seasons playing with the Galaxy, Sarvas won the MLS Cup and got a close-up understanding of what it takes to play at the most elite levels through his conversations with Beckham.

In this episode of “The Bear & the Ball,” Sarvas, who just signed a two-year contract to play indoor soccer with the Empyre Strikers of the MASL, takes us through his journey from playing to coaching, with some truly invaluable insights along the way.