- How did you end up in the Antipodes?
- Well, it's a story that began eight years ago. I wanted to learn English, I wanted to take some time off, stop for a while and travel. At the time, my intention was to go to England, like my sister had done before. I'd finished my bachelor's and master's degrees, so I thought it was a good time to start working. And I had a team-mate who, while we were playing in the league, I think it was in February, decided to take a gap year and go to New Zealand. A few months after he left, I sent him a message to find out how everything was going, he replied and I think in five minutes I was convinced that it was better to go to New Zealand, and experience going to the other side of the world, than to go to England. After all, you can get on a plane for a weekend, but you can't go to the other side of the world every day. So I decided to embark on this adventure.
- What do you miss most about your country?
- In the end, by far the thing I miss most is my family and friends. That's what we miss the most. We're far away, we can't go and see them or spend a weekend away to see them because the flights are expensive, the journey is long, etc... So apart from life, the routine, the way you live at home, it's the fact that you're so far away from the people you love and your loved ones.
- Talking a bit more about the competition and the team, what does it mean for a team like Auckland City to play in this Club World Cup?
- For us, it's a reward for all the hard work we've put in over the last four years. At the end of the day, it's not just about playing football, it's about working, training, trying to be in the best possible condition, trying to be the best team in New Zealand and Oceania to represent the team on this occasion.
Then we prepared ourselves in the best possible way to get to the Club World Cup in the best possible circumstances. And all this while working from Monday to Friday, even at weekends, so that we could pay our rent and our living expenses and, in the end, arrive in the best possible shape.
It's been a tough road, but I think it's a reward for us to be here and try to compete against these world beasts and these giant clubs and do the best we can.
- As you said, you have jobs outside of football, what kind of adjustments, holidays, conditions did you have to make in your job to try to be in the United States with your team?
- There are many types. I'm lucky enough to work for the club first, so the club has no problem with holidays, with help for the tournaments we play, there's no problem. But, of course, there are players who, in their jobs, in this month when we're away, because we're away for four weeks, have had to take the four weeks' holiday they have during the year. So when it comes to holidays in the summer, when they want to enjoy them with their partners, those players won't have holidays.
"Five players couldn't go to the Oceania Champions because they didn't have holidays"
To the point that there were five players who, in April, we were playing the Oceania Champions, which is played in a unique location, as if it were this Club World Cup... We went for three weeks and five of the players couldn't make it because they had no holidays left. So we played one of the most important competitions of the year for us without five important players, because they had already taken their holidays to come to this Club World Cup.
So I'm telling you, it's not easy. There are players who no longer have holidays and who have taken them as unpaid days. Well, they're trying to juggle paying the rent and being here as best they can, but I'll tell you, I think it's a worthwhile endeavour, because at the end of the day we're enjoying a unique experience that we would never have imagined being able to live. So we have to make the most of it and enjoy the experience we're having.
- There was even a case in the media of a team-mate who took a sort of unpaid leave from his job to be with the team in the United States for a whole month.
- Yes, of course. In the end, some of them came, played the Champions League with us and, during those three weeks, they took their holidays for the year and then, if they don't have any more weeks, there are jobs where they let us go, but we don't get paid for those weeks. So, as they say in some interviews, they're going to struggle a bit to pay the rent in the following months, but I'm telling you that this experience is perhaps unique and for them it's been worth it, so they've made the decision to come and enjoy it all.
- You've already told me what it means for the club, but what does it mean for you personally to be at this tournament, to experience it first-hand, which is the dream of millions and millions of children and adults?
- The same thing. It's a dream that I'd even say wasn't a dream because it was unimaginable. In the end, when you play football and start playing amateur football or finish your training, you stop dreaming of success because you realise it's unattainable.
You see where you are and maybe the only thing you dream of is trying to play, if you have a bit of ambition, a few divisions higher, but you never imagine playing in a Club World Cup, in this case a FIFA competition. In the end, as life is, there are different paths to reach a destination and I was given the opportunity to take a different destination, without wanting to, and that's how it happened.
It was a dream when I was a child, but when I grew up, it was impossible to think that I would be part of this and it happened, so I made the most of every moment. Every minute trying to absorb everything I'm experiencing, because I know that in a week this will be over and we'll be back to our reality. And I'm very happy to be back in my reality, but I always want to try and remember these days because they're going to be unforgettable.
"Our aim is to be as competitive as possible"
- How did the club approach the competition, were there any competitive goals for this tournament or did you just think: "Let's give it our all and see where we get to or what happens"?
- In the end, our goal was to try to be as competitive as possible. We knew how difficult our group would be, because we've got Bayern Munich, who are a world power and, on top of that, the first game, which is always difficult to play against such a big team. And they're a team that in the Champions League scored nine goals against Dinamo, in the league they score six, seven goals against many teams and in the cup they score many more. So you know the level they're at and that they're a team that respects their opponents, going on the attack to score goals and we knew that.
Then there's Benfica with the season they've had, I had the chance to see them in the Champions League, in the games against Barça, and I thought they were a great team, and as the third team in Pot 3 we have Boca Juniors who, well, they're a historic team in South American football and a great team, so I think it's a very difficult group.
We're a team that usually goes to the annual Club World Cups, or the Intercontinental Cup as it's now called, and we compete, or try to compete, to give our best. But I think this year, in this Club World Cup, with the teams we've been drawn against, it was going to be much more difficult.
But we'll try, we've got two games left and we'll try to be as competitive as we've been before and turn the page on the first game against Bayern Munich, which was a pretty painful defeat.
"Playing Bayern is a unique experience"
- Speaking of this group, undoubtedly one of those that would be called the group of death, as I was saying, when the draw was made and you saw the group, what did you think? What bad luck or, by the way, that we have opponents like that and we're going to take advantage?
- At that moment there was joy because, as you say, when you're part of this tournament you want to play against idols, as in this case it was against Bayern Munich, which is a unique experience and we enjoyed it to the full. Being on the pitch with Kimmich, with Müller, with Harry Kane....
It was a unique moment. So, being part of a tournament of this magnitude, at that moment we were very happy with the group we were in and we felt very fortunate.
When we arrived to prepare for the tournament, we flew to the United States and we were preparing for the tournament, it changes your outlook because you're already playing the tournament and you see how difficult the opponents are. We always respect all the clubs, because perhaps we would have preferred a team from Africa or Asia that isn't in a good moment, as we've played in previous Club World Cups.
Maybe we would have preferred an opponent of that calibre so that we could be more competitive and even try to get a positive result if we play three games. But I can tell you that it was a mixture of different emotions, joy when we played them at the start, but when we prepared for the game, perhaps we would have preferred a lower quality opponent so that we could compete better.
"We're aware of our reality"
- The next question has already crossed your mind and I think it goes without saying, but what is the feeling and mentality after a game like Bayern and how do you try to say: "Let's switch off and move on to the next one"?
- First of all, we're aware of our reality. Perhaps many people around the world were surprised that one team beat another 10-0 in a FIFA competition, but we know our reality; we're an amateur team, Bayern Munich are one of the biggest teams in Europe, if not the biggest.
So we know there's a big difference, that a result like this can happen. And even if we did our best, we knew it could happen, but before the game, when we go to play, we have the illusion or we're convinced that we're going to make things difficult for them, that we might even get a positive result. Because I think that's the mentality we have to have in every game, even if we're inferior and we know the difference between the two clubs, we always think that it could be the day, that they could have a bad day, that we can do anything, etc?
But when we went out on the pitch, we tried to do better, but they were far superior. I think the result was fair, we finished the game and went home upset, because nobody likes to lose 10-0, whether it's Bayern, Real Madrid, whoever, you never want to lose by that many goals, so you go home upset.
The next day you wake up and see everything in a different light, a unique experience. I think this is the reality for both clubs, we tried to do the best we could, it didn't work, so we have to keep going because we have two incredible games coming up.
We still have Benfica and Boca and I can tell you that it's another dream to play against these clubs and we'll only get that chance at this Club World Cup. So we're going to see the next game as a unique opportunity, we're going to start 0-0 and trust, as we did on Bayern day, that it can be a special day. Because if we have a day when everything goes our way and they have a bad day, it could be a historic day for us, for the club, for all amateur teams.
In the end, we represent 99.5 per cent of all clubs and we're a small team trying to bring joy to the people who follow us.
- Do you think there won't be any problems recovering the team's morale for the second and third games and going back in with confidence, believing that things can go well?
- Yes, I think the team will go out onto the pitch with a great attitude and it's game by game, we know that this can happen, just as if we played Bayern and we played a game and they didn't play at all and we finished the game and only lost 2-0 and thought we were good, but in the next game they could kick our arses. We know our reality, we know what we are, we know that every game is an opportunity in which anything can happen, so we don't wipe the slate clean, because we have to learn from the mistakes we made against Bayern.
Because there were several situations in which we weren't good and these teams take advantage of that when we're not good. And there were others where we did well, but they have such a superior quality and level that even if we do a lot of things well, they still mark us or break our lines.
So we have to correct those mistakes and do better in the next game, because that's our aim, to enjoy it. But I think that, in football or sport, we enjoy it when we compete and that's what we want to do. It's going to be tricky, because I think the draw between Boca and Benfica will mean that the team that scores more goals, or the difference in goals, will perhaps determine who finishes second in the group.
So we know it's going to be difficult, that they'll try to score as many goals as possible, but I can say that we're convinced that we can compete with them and that we can surprise them, not either of them, but both of them.
"We're looking forward to playing Boca in this atmosphere"
- The atmosphere of the Boca Juniors fans became famous after the first game. Are you looking forward to playing in that atmosphere? How do you think that will affect the game?
- Yes, of course. We're looking forward to playing a team with that atmosphere. After all, we're not used to it and experiencing this Club World Cup also gives us a unique footballing atmosphere. The fans, in this case of Boca Juniors, will be cheering on their team from the first minute to the last and being part of that game is something unique.
And I think that, in this case, it's going to affect us positively, because we want to experience that atmosphere, be part of it, even if they're trying to help the opposing team.
I don't think we're used to being in that atmosphere and it's going to be great to be part of it. We're going to have to enjoy it because it's going to be unique, it's probably never going to happen to us again. So it's going to be really good and we're looking forward to that game and those moments with our team-mates.
- You spoke about the Intercontinental Cups, considering them to be different from the World Cup in which you took part. Apart from the duration and the number of teams involved, in organisational terms, have you seen many differences? Which of the two would you say you like best?
- For us, I think taking part in this Club World Cup is something incredible, because when we went to the Intercontinental Cups or the old Club World Cup we always played the first round.
Then we got there and often the European team didn't even get through. It's a unique experience, because we often play against the home team. So imagine a pitch with 65,000 people when we played against Benzema, Kanté, Fabinho, against Al-Ittihad. So it was a unique experience, but you prepare for a game, you play it and if you don't win, you go home.
Here we have the opportunity to prepare for more games, to live a unique experience in which the country is involved or, in this case, we know that there are more clubs, we get to the hotel after training, we switch on the television and we can watch the game of our group or another group. So it's a very pleasant experience to be part of such a big tournament, which is one that I would certainly be watching at home.
But in this case, we're watching to see our next rival or rivals from other groups. It's something unique, very enjoyable, and I think it's an unrepeatable experience and different from the Intercontinental Cups, which are a very enjoyable tournament for us because of the preparation and everything that surrounds it.
- I don't know if you've had time to form an opinion because of your time in the USA, but do you think the country is ready for next year's World Cup? It should be the big event of the next football season.
- Well, I don't really know, I couldn't say, because we're in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That's where we have our training camps. It's not a city like most clubs, which are perhaps in Miami, Orlando, Washington or Philadelphia, cities that are more prepared and, in this case, where they'll be hosting World Cup matches next year.
Being in a small town, I think we're very far away from everything, it's very quiet and I can't say, to tell you the truth, I don't have an answer for that. Because what we experienced was very local.
On the day of the game in Cincinnati against Bayern we saw all the security and everything that the Club World Cup entails, but I can't give an opinion on that so far.
"Football is the third biggest sport in New Zealand"
- How important is football in New Zealand?
A: In New Zealand, the number one sport is rugby, then comes cricket and then maybe football, talking about what's on TV, in the news, etc.
But football has been the most popular sport in New Zealand for four or five years. The growth it's having is very, very big, but of course it's perhaps not growing at the same rate as it is worldwide. And it's not investing the same amount of money as other countries. It's a shame that football isn't a professional sport at the moment.
The New Zealand league isn't professional. So if rugby, cricket, basketball and netball were to become professional sports, it would help to raise the level, to have more of a following among the next generation, because at the end of the day, what you follow most is what you see on television, what you see on the news, etc. Football isn't doing that yet.
In New Zealand, there are two teams, two clubs, the Wellington Phoenix and Auckland FC, who play and compete in the Australian League. It's a professional league, especially Auckland FC, which was recently created this year, with an average of 20,000 people in the stadium, with lots of jerseys and lots of kids on the street wearing Auckland jerseys.
It's been a great growth and I think it's been very good for the country to have a team that won the regular league in Australia, which has helped grow the game and arouse more interest.
I think if there was a professional league in the country it would also increase the level and interest, but it's something that's being considered. I think next year they want to introduce a professional league in Oceania and I think that will help the next Club World Cup. If a team comes from Oceania, it must be a professional team and perhaps more prepared than we are at the moment.
"We're breaking down a barrier in Oceania"
- Do you realise that it might be difficult because of the results, but that you're setting a precedent and, in a way, pioneering Oceania football for future Club World Cups?
- Yes, we see ourselves as that group of players who are breaking down that barrier, which we know is going to be difficult. As I said, nobody likes losing 10-0, but we know that the media exposure that the game has, that this Club World Cup has, can generate a lot of negative comments.
But also positive ones, and that will help the club to grow, to have visibility in football, in sport, in this case, in New Zealand. And maybe investors and people who want to help grow football in New Zealand will come along, because at the end of the day, investing in football could lead to us competing in the next Club World Cup.
That's it, it's the first year, I think the club is growing, I think on Instagram it doubled or tripled its followers in a week or five days. Basically, it's about breaking down barriers, showing that we also play football there, that we want to grow and we have a lot of people supporting us, we have children, whether from the academy or schools, who send us messages, who encourage us, who in this case idolise us a little and who want to be like us.
What we're looking for as a club is for interest to grow, for football to grow and for us to show that on the other side of the world there's football too and that there's potential to return to a Club World Cup in the future and compete in the best possible way.
- Are the All Blacks as important in New Zealand as they seem from the outside?
- Well, yes, at the end of the day it's a bit of an image of New Zealand, when you talk about the All Blacks everyone knows where to put it on the map. It's not just an important team in terms of sport, but also in terms of tourism and what it represents for the country, it's a cultural thing, so in this case it's very important.
Perhaps in recent years the All Blacks are having more problems or less important victories than in previous years. There will be many factors for this and I don't know if it could be influenced by the growth of other sports in the country. But the team is still very important, not only as a sporting team, but also as a cultural element, because it also represents Maori culture, the ancestors, everything that is New Zealand, its culture and its past.
- You left to learn English eight years ago and, as far as I know, you've already mastered the language.
- Yes, fortunately there are no problems with the language. I think it was a good decision to be able to travel all over the world, to arrive in the United States, and not have any problems understanding, travelling, anything. So I highly recommend it, travelling a bit and learning languages is very important and I'm very happy with what I did.
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