Hangin’ Out With … Revs’ center back Jalil Anibaba

David Silverman/New England Revolution

When the Brad Friedel era began in November 2017, one of the manager's first orders of business was sorting out a defense that struggled mightily towards the tail end of Jay Heaps' tenure in Foxboro, Mass.

To help accomplish that, Friedel and general manger Michael Burns, somewhat under the radar, brought in Jalil Anibaba, an eight-year veteran of Major League Soccer. Since starting the Revs' 2-1 home-opening win on March 10 vs. the Colorado Rapids, the 29-year-old has held down a place in the XI, starting 21 consecutive games.

Now, as a playoff push comes into focus, New England Soccer Journal caught up with Anibaba. The Davis, Calif., native talked everything from life in Boston to recently wrapping up his college degree.