Andrés D’Alessandro: “I would have liked to know how it feels to play in a World Cup”

Andrew D’Alessandro It shows up. “Former player”, he underlines and shakes hands with the CEO of a watch brand who invited him to present an exclusive design resulting from an agreement with the Argentine national team and the AFA The meeting took place a few days before Qatar 2022. What followed television as an extra fan. And here is the peculiarity: D’Alessandro, strangely given his great career, has never played in a World Cup.

It was close, yes. he was summoned by Nestor Pekerman Y Diego Maradona, but they didn’t take him to the World Cup in Germany or South Africa. With the youth team yes: Under 20 world champion in Argentina 2001 and gold medal in Athens 2004.

He underlines it. “Former player,” he comments, and the hum of the X deflates the “player,” dry. D’Alessandro needs to clarify that he is no longer who he was. Having recently retired from professional activity, he will continue to live in Brazil: his children “have everything” in Porto Alegre, school, friends. Almost all of his life. El Cabezón passed through Buenos Aires and took the opportunity to visit his parents and a large number of his friends.

The presentation was in Puerto Madero. There was also Martín Palermo with whom he held a close embrace. There was Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Federation, who curiously had never had anything to do with D’Alessandro in his role as leader. They are contemporary, but never interbred. when chiki He began to make the national team a bulwark of his management, it had been a long time since he had worn the blue-and-whites. It’s more, When El Cabezón was close to a World Cup, he always ended up experiencing it from the outside. The list for Germany 2006 given by José Pekerman did not see him on the payroll. Also by Diego Maradona, four years later. The two wounds persist

-After a long time, do you see the fact of being excluded differently?

-No, I had the same thought then. That hasn’t changed. I made decisions based on my parents’ upbringing and values. I’ve always tried to adapt to everything, the countries and clubs I’ve played for, I’ve tried to defend them to the death. It’s been a 22-year career with my personality and character, which I wouldn’t change for anything.

-And how does a former player live?

– Occupy the time. It’s the main thing. In our career we haven’t had much time to do anything other than football. I’m not saying this to complain, but it’s a reality: little time at home, a lot of concentration, travel. Now that we are leaving football, we have time for other things.

-Like what?

-Tennis, I’ve always watched it. Now I practice it. I’ve always been very professional, football has been my life for me, everything I have, or what I have to give to my children, I have thanks to football. Today I play a little tennis, paddle tennis, I go running, I train.

-If you don’t occupy the time, what happens?

-And… the transition is difficult. There are many years doing what you like. The footballer is privileged, he does what he likes, earns what he likes and is generally well paid. You sleep and play football. It’s hard to stop playing overnight… you don’t know what to do. You have to occupy the time, leave the house, train…

-You cried?

I cried, yes.

-And he relieved you?

-Nothing lifts the fact that I have left football. We are still footballers, the player does not die. At some point we think like a player, we do something like a player. I cried a lot. And much more, first. In preparation. When the time comes, you cry too. All the memories come to mind, which are many in my 22-year career. You don’t want the time to come and it comes. The family is far away, my old man and my old woman here and us with my wife and children there.

-Have you ever said that you didn’t need a psychologist, not even in retirement?

-I’ve always said I’m my best psychologist. Yes, I’ve always assumed my things, I’ve put them in and I’ve always tried to find a way out, to make decisions based on what my parents taught me, the values ​​and education they gave me . I leaned on family and friends.

-And do you have something left inside, something to take away?

-No. Well, having played a World Cup. It is a player’s maximum point. I was lucky enough to represent the country. At some point being part of the process, but playing a World Cup… I would have liked to know what that feels like. Don’t play, huh. Go, be… Feel it.