Title: Interview with Luis Suarez, the Uruguayan football star
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnjkeIhCUDQ&feature=youtu.be
1. Host introduces the topic of the day: Luis Suarez
2. Luis Suarez's career briefly summarized. This includes his days with Nacional, with Groningen, as Captain of Ajax, with Liverpool and the Uruguayan National Team.
Interview begins:
INTERVIEWER: Well Luis, thank you for joining us at RT. Could you tell me about your family?
LUIS: The pleasure is mine to speak with you. My family is composed of 6 brothers, my father and my mother. It also includes 9 nephews, grandparents, uncles, cousins...everything.
INTERVIEWER: So a big family.
LUIS: Yes, very numerous.
INTERVIEWER: How was your childhood?
Good. At first I was raised in Salto. Salto is north of Uruguay. When I was 7 years old, I moved to Montevideo, the capital, with my entire family. That was basically where my life started. It's where I started to learn about everything, to go to school, to learn how to play football better. They taught you good football much more in Montevideo than in Salto. So this is where my path really started.
INTERVIEWER: Did your family belong to a higher class? A lower class?
LUIS: Lower class. It was normal. People of this class tend to face problems. I never had the possibility to choose my own running shoes, mostly because of how big my family was. My parents did everything they could but they couldn't buy us the things that we wanted, only what they could provide. We always valued the effort they gave for us.
INTERVIEWER: Your first childhood football memory?
LUIS: When I was 4 years old, playing indoor football in Salto are beautiful memories that I remember. After that, I learned a lot of positive things playing in certain clubs and even in the streets. In Uruguay, players tend to play in the streets. I really value these memories.
INTERVIEWER: During your youth level playing days (***It's implied when he played in Nacional's youth team***), what were the moments that shaped you into the player you are today?
LUIS: There are 2 main things. First the mentality they instilled in me. I actually knew that I was very bad (technically) with the ball. However, I had the character to get past this. I never gave up on any ball or play. Technically, I wasn't very good but as time passed, I figured what I needed to get better and focussed on that every day. Second was my girlfriend at the time (wife now) who gave me a lot of confidence and helped me believe in myself. Also, when I first started with Nacional's youth team they were about to let me go had it not been for Wilson Pirez and Jose Luis Esposito...2 people who worked with Nacional... who supported me and told the board to support me. Thanks to them, the wife and family who supported me, I am here.
INTERVIEWER: Today, in Uruguay you're a hero, especially for one moment in particular that I will bring up later. How do you react to being seen by kids as a hero, as a role model?
LUIS: Well, I remember being a kid and being fanatical about football and the players. I remember well the feeling of being close to them, screaming at the famous players to get an autograph. I always remember how happy it made me and my friends to get a simple autograph so I always try to put myself in the shoes of any child who approaches me. It really is an incredible feeling.
INTERVIEWER: What advice would you give to children who are starting out?
LUIS: Even if you think you're not good enough , to always believe in oneself. With character, with the right mentality, to value how much you suffered during the growing pains and implement it on the pitch where it's most valued.
INTERVIEWER: What are the things that a coach/manager should transmit to their players?
LUIS: Key things to transmit are: confidence and the ability to be intelligent on the field. These are things that are told to me. To be intelligent and not be rash on the pitch.
INTERVIEWER: Is your reality as a football player what you imagined it would be as a child?
LUIS: When I was 8,9, 10 years old I always dreamed of playing for Nacional as the #9 and becoming Uruguayan champion...which I accomplished. To also play for the national team and become a favourite for fans across the country. It's incredible to have accomplished this but I always feel hungry to see what else I could accomplish.
INTERVIEWER: In the World Cup, in South Africa, you saved that goal that should have went in. The Ghanaian manager said that you were a cheater, but, football is like this. These are things you have to take advantage of.
LUIS: *Laughs* Football has its moments of passion and craftiness/sharpness. I've said this many times and I'll keep saying it: It's much worse to see a player about to score and see a defender tackle him from behind, injure him and actually harm your rivals. In that occasion, I did something lawful. I tried to stop a goal. Whether it was with my hand or whatever. The ref did the right thing, which was to call for penalty, give me a red card and have Uruguay have one less player. I wasn't the one who shot the penalty. It was a player from Ghana and the responsibility was on his shoulders.
INTERVIEWER: That's how football is. How do you live with the fame?
LUIS: No, obviously as a kid I always dreamed of having the possibility to one day buy the shoes that I wanted. At the same time there are vices that you have to get used to. I sometimes wonder about the way things were, when I could just walk the streets as a regular person. I wonder about going to a park and playing with my daughter. I do really love meeting people and giving an autograph but sometimes you want the necessary privacy to enjoy your time with your family and friends. Once I remember my friends talking about how they went to the beach and played football. I remember thinking about how I couldn't really do this because it's not the same. It's one of those things you have to adapt to and get used to.
INTERVIEWER: Ok. Now I have a question I'm obligated to ask you. It's about Evra. We'll take a short break and you can answer it afterwards.
INTERVIEWER: We're back...(etc). I wanted to ask you: What was the incident that you had with Patrice Evra? Was the issue talked about too much? Was it over measured? What is your vision of what happened?
LUIS: These are things that happen on the pitch. During my career and the career of every footballer there are a million incidents that happen that aren't ever reported on. Well, this time an issue occurred that received a lot of attention. I remember after the game, they came to tell me that I was going to be charged on the word of the Manchester player. Well, I was really calm about the situation. My conscience was more than clear. After that, the case started to get bigger and bigger. I was trying not to think about it. I was trying not to read anything on the internet and just enjoy time with my family and concentrate on the football. After that, the suspension came and one has to ask: How strange? Without any proof, they suspended me. I accepted it and kept quiet because I knew that this would drag on and on for me and for the club. My conscience, my family's conscience and the club's conscience stayed more than clear on this issue. Especially because I had not said anything resembling what I was being accused of. This is why I stayed very satisfied and happy about everything.
INTERVIEWER: Have you ever suffered any racism in football?
LUIS: No, never. In Uruguay, throughout my youth, everyone knows that there are a lot of people of the other race, who are black. I never had any problems. I had many friends, colleagues on the National Team, in Liverpool. I remember telling you that I had played in Holland where the majority there were from Suriname of a black race. I never had any problems with any player. In fact, Holland is one of the countries that has the most black players and they never had a problem or complained about anything (***there is a possible implication to him referring to his colleagues as "Negrito" "Negro" here. You need to be Spanish to understand why. It's in the way he accentuates certain words.***). Well, these are the things about football. It seems to me that they had to get rid of a Liverpool player by any means necessary and, well, they definitely were gratified by all of this.
INTERVIEWER: What do you think about the football media around the world?
LUIS: Everyone has the right to work in whatever way they want. To ask me any question. To do their jobs. However, at times it seems that they are more interested in selling papers than actually telling the truth. These are things that happen. The English press has no interest to me because it's not a press that I care about. I'm only interested in what the press in my country says about me and what the people in Liverpool think of me because I have always felt their support.
INTERVIEWER: How do you imagine the end of your career? How do you want to be remembered?
LUIS: I want to be remembered for scoring goals, for helping my team, for helping them obtain titles and important things in every team I have ever played for. Obviously in Uruguay, they'll always remember me for the famous hand ball vs. Ghana *laughs*. But I'd them to remember me for my goals and not just for my hand ball.
INTERVIEWER: How do you get along with the fans when you play? How do you deal with all of this?
LUIS: Well, like I've said before, because of the suspension it was as if the accusations of racism were "confirmed". Everyone would tell me : "Oh, they're going to boo you, and insult you in every stadium". To be honest, it hasn't affected me in the least. I was already used to being booed in every stadium I ever played in before the "racism" case or after. This is why I tried to pay as little attention as possible and to just do what I love.
INTERVIEWER: Do you have any humorous stories to share? I know there are a lot of humorous stories between players when you're in a hotel or moving to another team? The funniest ones you could share? I'm sure there are a few that you can't share.
LUIS: *laughs* One that I really remember is one with El Loco (Sebastian) Abreu during the South Africa World Cup. During the first or second day after arriving, we were about to shower. He kept coming to us (wearing a towel) and asked: "Why isn't the hot water working?" We kept telling him: "It's fine for us". It turned out that he had it backwards. He thought "H" (for Hot) meant "Helada" (freezing in Spanish), and "C" (for Cold) meant "Caliente" (which is Hot in spanish). We all really laughed a lot.
INTERVIEWER: What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy?
LUIS: What I enjoy the most is being with my daughter. As a hobby, I love playing Playstation. *laughs*.
INTERVIEWER: I can imagine you still have dreams. What else is left for you?
LUIS: I've stated that I already have accomplished so many dreams and would like to still accomplish a few more. For example, to have the Uruguayan national stay on this track like it's been doing. We have other objectives to accomplish. To try to demonstrate what type of a player I am.
INTERVIEWER: What is your opinion of Russian football?
LUIS: Oh yea, Russian football on a club and national team level has been growing a lot recently. Russia has a lot of pull and a lot of high quality players are coming. Also their national team players are playing all over the world. It's a national team that had an amazing Euro (last time). They were in the semi final and are candidates at this year's tournament. It's going to be a great game.
INTERVIEWER: What do you feel about the current Uruguayan president?
LUIS: Uruguay's changed a lot recently. A lot of people are coming back and moving to the country because they see that Uruguay's growing and improving. They see that this president hasn't betrayed their trust.
INTERVIEWER: Last question. How did you fall in love with your wife? When did you realize she was the one for you?
LUIS: I was 15, and she was 13. We were going out. I remember her moving to Europe and we tried to continue the relationship. When I moved to Europe it became easier to be with her. She's always there for me and supporting me. In particular, during the "Manchester case", she suffered a lot. I'll always be grateful to her because she's the one who suffered this the most.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you Luis. ***Signs off***
From RAWK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnjkeIhCUDQ&feature=youtu.be
1. Host introduces the topic of the day: Luis Suarez
2. Luis Suarez's career briefly summarized. This includes his days with Nacional, with Groningen, as Captain of Ajax, with Liverpool and the Uruguayan National Team.
Interview begins:
INTERVIEWER: Well Luis, thank you for joining us at RT. Could you tell me about your family?
LUIS: The pleasure is mine to speak with you. My family is composed of 6 brothers, my father and my mother. It also includes 9 nephews, grandparents, uncles, cousins...everything.
INTERVIEWER: So a big family.
LUIS: Yes, very numerous.
INTERVIEWER: How was your childhood?
Good. At first I was raised in Salto. Salto is north of Uruguay. When I was 7 years old, I moved to Montevideo, the capital, with my entire family. That was basically where my life started. It's where I started to learn about everything, to go to school, to learn how to play football better. They taught you good football much more in Montevideo than in Salto. So this is where my path really started.
INTERVIEWER: Did your family belong to a higher class? A lower class?
LUIS: Lower class. It was normal. People of this class tend to face problems. I never had the possibility to choose my own running shoes, mostly because of how big my family was. My parents did everything they could but they couldn't buy us the things that we wanted, only what they could provide. We always valued the effort they gave for us.
INTERVIEWER: Your first childhood football memory?
LUIS: When I was 4 years old, playing indoor football in Salto are beautiful memories that I remember. After that, I learned a lot of positive things playing in certain clubs and even in the streets. In Uruguay, players tend to play in the streets. I really value these memories.
INTERVIEWER: During your youth level playing days (***It's implied when he played in Nacional's youth team***), what were the moments that shaped you into the player you are today?
LUIS: There are 2 main things. First the mentality they instilled in me. I actually knew that I was very bad (technically) with the ball. However, I had the character to get past this. I never gave up on any ball or play. Technically, I wasn't very good but as time passed, I figured what I needed to get better and focussed on that every day. Second was my girlfriend at the time (wife now) who gave me a lot of confidence and helped me believe in myself. Also, when I first started with Nacional's youth team they were about to let me go had it not been for Wilson Pirez and Jose Luis Esposito...2 people who worked with Nacional... who supported me and told the board to support me. Thanks to them, the wife and family who supported me, I am here.
INTERVIEWER: Today, in Uruguay you're a hero, especially for one moment in particular that I will bring up later. How do you react to being seen by kids as a hero, as a role model?
LUIS: Well, I remember being a kid and being fanatical about football and the players. I remember well the feeling of being close to them, screaming at the famous players to get an autograph. I always remember how happy it made me and my friends to get a simple autograph so I always try to put myself in the shoes of any child who approaches me. It really is an incredible feeling.
INTERVIEWER: What advice would you give to children who are starting out?
LUIS: Even if you think you're not good enough , to always believe in oneself. With character, with the right mentality, to value how much you suffered during the growing pains and implement it on the pitch where it's most valued.
INTERVIEWER: What are the things that a coach/manager should transmit to their players?
LUIS: Key things to transmit are: confidence and the ability to be intelligent on the field. These are things that are told to me. To be intelligent and not be rash on the pitch.
INTERVIEWER: Is your reality as a football player what you imagined it would be as a child?
LUIS: When I was 8,9, 10 years old I always dreamed of playing for Nacional as the #9 and becoming Uruguayan champion...which I accomplished. To also play for the national team and become a favourite for fans across the country. It's incredible to have accomplished this but I always feel hungry to see what else I could accomplish.
INTERVIEWER: In the World Cup, in South Africa, you saved that goal that should have went in. The Ghanaian manager said that you were a cheater, but, football is like this. These are things you have to take advantage of.
LUIS: *Laughs* Football has its moments of passion and craftiness/sharpness. I've said this many times and I'll keep saying it: It's much worse to see a player about to score and see a defender tackle him from behind, injure him and actually harm your rivals. In that occasion, I did something lawful. I tried to stop a goal. Whether it was with my hand or whatever. The ref did the right thing, which was to call for penalty, give me a red card and have Uruguay have one less player. I wasn't the one who shot the penalty. It was a player from Ghana and the responsibility was on his shoulders.
INTERVIEWER: That's how football is. How do you live with the fame?
LUIS: No, obviously as a kid I always dreamed of having the possibility to one day buy the shoes that I wanted. At the same time there are vices that you have to get used to. I sometimes wonder about the way things were, when I could just walk the streets as a regular person. I wonder about going to a park and playing with my daughter. I do really love meeting people and giving an autograph but sometimes you want the necessary privacy to enjoy your time with your family and friends. Once I remember my friends talking about how they went to the beach and played football. I remember thinking about how I couldn't really do this because it's not the same. It's one of those things you have to adapt to and get used to.
INTERVIEWER: Ok. Now I have a question I'm obligated to ask you. It's about Evra. We'll take a short break and you can answer it afterwards.
INTERVIEWER: We're back...(etc). I wanted to ask you: What was the incident that you had with Patrice Evra? Was the issue talked about too much? Was it over measured? What is your vision of what happened?
LUIS: These are things that happen on the pitch. During my career and the career of every footballer there are a million incidents that happen that aren't ever reported on. Well, this time an issue occurred that received a lot of attention. I remember after the game, they came to tell me that I was going to be charged on the word of the Manchester player. Well, I was really calm about the situation. My conscience was more than clear. After that, the case started to get bigger and bigger. I was trying not to think about it. I was trying not to read anything on the internet and just enjoy time with my family and concentrate on the football. After that, the suspension came and one has to ask: How strange? Without any proof, they suspended me. I accepted it and kept quiet because I knew that this would drag on and on for me and for the club. My conscience, my family's conscience and the club's conscience stayed more than clear on this issue. Especially because I had not said anything resembling what I was being accused of. This is why I stayed very satisfied and happy about everything.
INTERVIEWER: Have you ever suffered any racism in football?
LUIS: No, never. In Uruguay, throughout my youth, everyone knows that there are a lot of people of the other race, who are black. I never had any problems. I had many friends, colleagues on the National Team, in Liverpool. I remember telling you that I had played in Holland where the majority there were from Suriname of a black race. I never had any problems with any player. In fact, Holland is one of the countries that has the most black players and they never had a problem or complained about anything (***there is a possible implication to him referring to his colleagues as "Negrito" "Negro" here. You need to be Spanish to understand why. It's in the way he accentuates certain words.***). Well, these are the things about football. It seems to me that they had to get rid of a Liverpool player by any means necessary and, well, they definitely were gratified by all of this.
INTERVIEWER: What do you think about the football media around the world?
LUIS: Everyone has the right to work in whatever way they want. To ask me any question. To do their jobs. However, at times it seems that they are more interested in selling papers than actually telling the truth. These are things that happen. The English press has no interest to me because it's not a press that I care about. I'm only interested in what the press in my country says about me and what the people in Liverpool think of me because I have always felt their support.
INTERVIEWER: How do you imagine the end of your career? How do you want to be remembered?
LUIS: I want to be remembered for scoring goals, for helping my team, for helping them obtain titles and important things in every team I have ever played for. Obviously in Uruguay, they'll always remember me for the famous hand ball vs. Ghana *laughs*. But I'd them to remember me for my goals and not just for my hand ball.
INTERVIEWER: How do you get along with the fans when you play? How do you deal with all of this?
LUIS: Well, like I've said before, because of the suspension it was as if the accusations of racism were "confirmed". Everyone would tell me : "Oh, they're going to boo you, and insult you in every stadium". To be honest, it hasn't affected me in the least. I was already used to being booed in every stadium I ever played in before the "racism" case or after. This is why I tried to pay as little attention as possible and to just do what I love.
INTERVIEWER: Do you have any humorous stories to share? I know there are a lot of humorous stories between players when you're in a hotel or moving to another team? The funniest ones you could share? I'm sure there are a few that you can't share.
LUIS: *laughs* One that I really remember is one with El Loco (Sebastian) Abreu during the South Africa World Cup. During the first or second day after arriving, we were about to shower. He kept coming to us (wearing a towel) and asked: "Why isn't the hot water working?" We kept telling him: "It's fine for us". It turned out that he had it backwards. He thought "H" (for Hot) meant "Helada" (freezing in Spanish), and "C" (for Cold) meant "Caliente" (which is Hot in spanish). We all really laughed a lot.
INTERVIEWER: What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy?
LUIS: What I enjoy the most is being with my daughter. As a hobby, I love playing Playstation. *laughs*.
INTERVIEWER: I can imagine you still have dreams. What else is left for you?
LUIS: I've stated that I already have accomplished so many dreams and would like to still accomplish a few more. For example, to have the Uruguayan national stay on this track like it's been doing. We have other objectives to accomplish. To try to demonstrate what type of a player I am.
INTERVIEWER: What is your opinion of Russian football?
LUIS: Oh yea, Russian football on a club and national team level has been growing a lot recently. Russia has a lot of pull and a lot of high quality players are coming. Also their national team players are playing all over the world. It's a national team that had an amazing Euro (last time). They were in the semi final and are candidates at this year's tournament. It's going to be a great game.
INTERVIEWER: What do you feel about the current Uruguayan president?
LUIS: Uruguay's changed a lot recently. A lot of people are coming back and moving to the country because they see that Uruguay's growing and improving. They see that this president hasn't betrayed their trust.
INTERVIEWER: Last question. How did you fall in love with your wife? When did you realize she was the one for you?
LUIS: I was 15, and she was 13. We were going out. I remember her moving to Europe and we tried to continue the relationship. When I moved to Europe it became easier to be with her. She's always there for me and supporting me. In particular, during the "Manchester case", she suffered a lot. I'll always be grateful to her because she's the one who suffered this the most.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you Luis. ***Signs off***
From RAWK.
