“Francia 98”, the rock group where a former River and national footballer who changed profession at the age of 27 sings

Juan Ignacio “Iñaki” Antonio He had an excellent career as a professional footballer. He played for River, in the youth team and brought his talent to Italian football too, defending the colors of Brescia and Sampdoria.

“El Flaco”, as they call him, was a striker and was a teammate of Aguero, Iccardi, Chiquito Romero, Gallardo, Ortega, replaced Roberto Baggio and he shared training with a certain Lionel Andrés Messi.

When he was only 27 years old, he felt that this life was no longer for him and he decided to dedicate himself to music: together with his brother Danilo (who left his profession as a lawyer) they formed the band: Francia 98.

A new phase

To understand the decisions of a person who seems to have an ideal life that he gives up to start from scratch, we must observe that there are as many paradises as souls, as many destinations as paths, as many routines as sunrises and as many dreams because there are people who make us fall asleep .

Today, to yours 35 yearsEl Flaco can attest that what was once a dream can become a routine so difficult to achieve that it forces you to “jump into the abyss” in search of new desires.

“I believe that each stage has its expiration date. Life goes by so quickly, it seems to me that sometimes, if we don’t make decisions at the moment, you can find yourself at the wrong time”, says the current singer and yesterday on air, in a chat with Clarion while he puts together a new partner.

Your group France 98 He’s been around for four years and is about to release his second album Good decisions (the first was called song factory), which sees the production and participation of Walter “Willy “ Piancioli of Los Tipitos and the mixing of Tomas Vigo.

They try a block from the Obelisk. The completely dark room/dressing room intersperses instruments with neighborhood football trophies. To the side there is an image of the band as if it were the cover of Graphic from twenty years ago, which depicts two universes that coexist and meet in their differences: football and rock.

“After a long process with football, which had very good moments and very bad moments, I decided to return to a dream I had left behindwhich was about making music and having my own band,” he recalls.

family passion

Born in Chubut, the Antonio brothers (Danilo is the bassist), have always had a relationship of confidants, so it was no surprise when Juan recognized that something was wrong in the supposed “dream life”.

In that speech, Juan tells him that he had a thorn in his side without being able to dribble: swing together.

Danilo says that at the beginning he asked him if he “didn’t want to play a little more”. And he remembers: “I got up on Saturday mornings to see my brother play in Europe and it was a huge source of pride”, although he immediately added: “I told him that if this didn’t make him happy he had to make him leave and that I was with him .” he”

To which the singer adds: “We grow up in a system in which we have to carry out a profession and if you are also good with the ball, a whole apparatus appears that feeds and forms a character like an Avatar, and one “You end up identifying with what others say you are.”

They both explain it Transforming yourself is never easy. “Leaving my parents’ profession wasn’t easy for Danilo either,” adds Iñaki.

In the house of his lawyer parents, music has always been a constant. Charly García, Sui Generis and Serú Girán appeared when they were not on the clay pitch that “El Flaco” abandoned at 17 to come and play for River, the previous stage of the Under 17 national team.

Find more goals than refrains

“I was in the Primera team and in the youth team. Then I arrived in Italy where I was lucky enough to score goals and fulfill a dream I have always seen football as a more secure job opportunity“, he clarifies, as if we were talking about an English course, but refers to the fact of being a striker in European football.

He shared youth teams with Agüero and Sergio Romero. But he was also a sparring partner for Pekerman’s team that played at the 2006 World Cup, where he played against Messi. “You already realized that he was different from the others, what he did was not normal,” he says.

Despite living the life that almost the entire country dreams of, “Iñaki” or “Flaco” recognizes that at a certain point he was no longer happy and felt that he was “training to fulfill himself”.

“A journey of personal transformation began which was not easy at all, because it was unique french fries to take a course. Many told me I was making a mistake and it was a discussion of what people will say. If I hadn’t had the support of my loved ones and my family, I don’t know if I would have made it.”

The shaman who was a song

In those moments, a character appears who was fundamental for the two brothers in this story: a shaman. A character who, according to Juan, “helped see life from another perspective”. They even dedicate a song to him, a first album that reads “Man of the mountain, with decisive steps and wise words. Still and stripped of the clothes of the past.” “If the dark night comes and you lose your sanity, talk to the shaman.”

The transition from one job to another was not easy. “Suddenly the phones stopped ringing and I had to go out and knock on doors, which was new to me,” says the man who shared a team with world champions such as Papu Gomez and Fideo Di Maria.

“Even biologically,” he comments, “we are made not to transform. It costs us. It wasn’t easy to change your life, leave football, stay away from training, airports and hotels. Even when it wasn’t right. Feelings of guilt, habits, fears appear. But There is a moment when the desire to win battles begins and you can’t go back there.”

France 98 and the rescue of the treasures of the past

The band’s name is not only a reference to football, but also nostalgia for the members’ childhood and adolescence.

“Even musically there is something about recovering sounds and emblems from the past. Our references are the most classic national rock: Fito Páez, Charly García and Calamaro. Recalling the memories of France ’98 means bringing back to life a world that seems to no longer exist but which still has a lot to tell,” he says.

In this musical research the incidence of Willy Piancioli of Los Tipitos on the album’s ten songs as producer. The hitmaker likes it Bells in the night helped strengthen that sound that mixes the early 2000s with the present. “For us it is an emblem. We grew up listening to his songs and for him being here is a dream come true,” he explains.

Regarding what the band’s France 98 would be, that is, what would be the place to reach given that a World Cup was taking place in those afternoons in Chubut, the former footballer says that in his opinion “destiny is no longer in the destination but in the path. ” .

“Life has taught me that what matters is not where you arrive but the path you will build. Obviously being a few blocks from Luna Park or the Gran Rex excites you, but in my opinion the goal is to continue enjoying music and friends”, closes Juan with his gaze forward, ready to start his second half. .