We talked to Omar Gonzalez about Micheladas

United States men’s national team defender Omar Gonzalez is not playing in the World Cup because the United States men’s national team did not qualify for the World Cup. But Gonzalez is doing a marketing partnership with Clamato to promote Michelada drinks.

So I asked Omar Gonzalez about Micheladas, and only Micheladas.

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

What should I pair with a Michelada?

What food? My goodness. I’m usually doing it a barbecue so I have a steak I’m grilling. You have guacamole, you have your typical sides, and just finger foods, things like that so you don’t have to be sitting down. You can just walk around chatting enjoying your Micheladas, talking with people and definitely enjoying the game.

Who’s whipping up the Micheladas?

I think anyone can whip ‘em up. It’s pretty simple. You have your Clamato, you have your beer, and you have your other stuff you want to throw into it. I usually do Worcestershire sauce, some cracked pepper. Some salt, some lime juice, something to give it a little bit of extra flavor. If you like spicy, you can add hot sauce and you know, whether you’re attending a party whether you’re hosting it, I think you always have to have some on hand. To be honest, anyone can whip ‘em up.

What’s the secret to a good Michelada?

I think the secret to the perfect Michelada has to be the Clamato. There’s no other way you can go. You have to have the authentic Michelada, and that’s going with Clamato. You have to have the right choice.

Why did you partner up with Clamato [to sell Micheladas]?

To be honest, this is a new thing. This is very new. We just teamed up, but personally I’ve been enjoying them for a while. Moving down to Mexico and playing for Club Pachuca, we would have barbecues and things like that. That was always a drink that was available to the guys and one of my teammates turned me onto it. I’ve been enjoying it for a while. They actually approached me and it turned out to be a great partnership because I enjoy it and they found something in me. [Gonzalez now plays club soccer for Atlas Fútbol Club in Liga MX].

Have Micheladas become your go-to drink?

Definitely when it’s hot out. This is definitely my go-to drink.

What’s the watch party setup for the World Cup? [Presumably with Micheladas.]

The way I like to watch games is having a bunch of people around. It’s fun when people are cheering for different teams, you get to have some banter and just poke fun at people, but definitely have a lot of people there. A lot of good food and definitely have the Micheladas flowing. Just having a good time. That’s the key part. Just having a good time with good people and enjoying the beautiful game.