LOS ANGELES – Former Red Bulls striker and Colombian international Juan Pablo Angel has returned to Major League Soccer.

Sorry, not as a player, but as a technical consultant with the Los Angeles Football Club.

While based in Medellin, Angel’s primary job is to help ensure that LAFC is establishing the most efficient infrastructure in South America.

“This is a massive and important addition to our Soccer Operations staff,” LAFC general manager and executive vice president of soccer operations John Thorrington said in a statement. “Juan Pablo brings the perfect combination of expertise, knowledge and background in the region to our club, and he will make sure we are laying the right foundation to place us in pole position for top talent in South America whom are the right fit for LAFC.”

The 42-year-old Angel most recently served as a member of the technical staff at Atletico Nacional in Colombia, helping the club to one of the most successful eras in its history and a Copa Libertadores title in 2016.

“I am excited to be a part of the process of building LAFC,” Angel said in a press release. “The vision and investment of this club to find players in South America is impressive and shows that LAFC is committed to doing things differently in order to be successful.”

During his four years with the Red Bulls, Angel scored 58 goals in 102 MLS matches.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.