The Lad Valderrama He doesn’t give up on his look, even if his gray hair gives him a different touch. At 61 he plays the “Integration Game” that is repeated in every World Cup. He starts with Ricardo Giusti, Mauricio Serna and Jorge Burruchaga, plus Mauro Silva in the background. A lust. In between they seem to have always played together, a touch apart. “I enjoy it, I enjoy it -says Carlos Alberto Valderrama- and I get even a little angry”. He doesn’t like his team to lose the ball. The Lad play both periods, to then risk your prediction on the quarter-finals.
“Argentina passes, Brazil passes, Portugal passes… The other is angry: France or England”, he assures. He looks back on three World Cups (1990, 1994 and 1998), 10 games played and one goal, against the United Arab Emirates, in Italy 90. he He says that the surprise was Spain’s elimination and that Morocco is the revelation. He regrets the absence in Qatar 2022 of his Colombia and other South American teams, because “the most beautiful thing in football is getting to the World Cup”.
Immediately, hand in hand with clarion.
-How do you see Argentina?
-Good. Argentina is fine, it has improved, the scare has served it well. The first match, against Arabia, he didn’t play like he had played and he lost the match. But then the team got better.
-And Messi?
-It’s very good, it’s very good.
-Why are you so sure it will happen against Holland?
-Because Messi is fine – the Child laughs heartily-. And when Messi is good, Argentina passes.
-Which player have you liked the most so far at the World Cup?
– Messi.
-More than Mbappé?
-Yup.
-And the team that you liked the most?
-There are several, because there is Brazil, there is France, there is Argentina… Portugal played very well the other day (in the defeat against Switzerland).
-What happens when you run into Argentinian fans?
-Ah, as always, they treat me with affection, since I played the Copa América there in 1987. They have treated me with a lot of affection, just grateful.
-After the 5-0 at the Monumental, is there no hard feelings?
-Nerd. There was recognition after the game and it continued like that.
-What do you think, what does it say about the Argentine fan?
-We have always been close, because the first coach who made me debut as a professional was the Argentinian, Perfecto Rodríguez. His son also played with me. I have had good friendships with many Argentines.
– I was asking you why it seems to me that respect was given, despite the 5-0, perhaps for the taste for beautiful football that Colombia played…
-They’ve always recognized us. Once we went to the 1987 Copa América, the first we had, and we brought a new team and they played very well and always recognized our style of play.
-If you have to support a national team at the World Cup, who are you rooting for?
-No, no, I came and said that the champion was Argentina, from Colombia. If Colombia isn’t there, Argentina and Brazil are in this World Cup, I wanted them in the final, but they’re in the semifinals.
-And are you going to support Argentina?
-Until the end. They gave me a chance, I was scared in the first game -the boy laughs heartily again-. We are making progress.
-Why are you rooting for Argentina? Because of Messi, why do you like Argentine football?
-I like Argentine football. I have good friends and I also like good football. And there is Messi, who deserves to be champion.
Doha, Qatar. Special delivery.
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.