the Marca interview – Álvaro Arbeloa

The Marca interviews continue with Álvaro Arbeloa [2010-06-09]!  This is definitely a much better use of their resources than this.  Read on for Álvaro’s thoughts on Joan Capdevila, Andrés Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo.  And find out what goal he thinks is the best, and which stadium other than the Bernabéu he would like to play at (hint, it’s one he’s spent a lot of time in!)

Click on the interviews category on the top to read the rest!

Interview

Q:  What enters your mind when you hear the words “World Cup?”

A:  The grandest event in the world of football.  The best players will participate in it and it’s impressive to be part of an event that has the ability to paralyze the world.

Q:  Were you one of those who dreamed of playing in a World Cup when you were a kid?

A:  No, I was never a kid who dreamed of becoming a professional footballer.  It was something that I saw as very difficult, so playing in the World Cup was not something I even dared to dream about.

Q:  A lot is being said about Valdés and the atmosphere in the locker room.  What’s he like?

A:  He’s a nice guy and contributes like everyone else to make the locker room a great place.

Q:  Give us an inside view on what the group is like.

A:  We have a lot of desire, and we’re working very hard.  We know that we weren’t as brilliant as we could have been in our first games, but we’re only just starting.

Q:  Capdevila has said some wonderful things about you.  How is it having him compete for the leftback position with you?

A:  We’ve had a fantastic relationship for a long time.  We got to know each other in Depor, and our wives are very good friends.  We’re not rivals.  Joan has played at a very high level with the national team.  Whoever plays will always have the support of the other.

Q:  We could meet Cristiano in the round of eight.

A:  It’s a possibility.  It sounds bad, but Spain could lose in that round.  It’ll be a hard game, almost like a final.  It’s similar to the Eurocopa when we faced Italy.

Q:  Do you know how to stop him?

A:  It’s a complicated task, but Portugal is not only Cristiano.  They have a great team.  There’s no manual that tells you how to stop Cristiano.

Q:  Have you all joked about the World Cup since you found out what the groups would be like back in December?

A:  A little, like with Kaká, about the possibilities of meeting up in the later rounds.

Q:  Besides Cristiano, what other forwards wouldn’t you want to face?

A:  Drogba, Messi, Robben, Higuaín… but I hope to face all of them, because that will mean that we go far in the tournament.

Q:  At least you won’t have to face Torres and Villa.

A:  Fortunately, they’re ours and they’re the best in the world!

La Porra

1. Spain  2. England  3. Brazil  4. Italy

Personal profile

1. A cologne:  Dolce&Gabbana’s Masculine, although it’s been discontinued.
2. A car:  Aston Martin.
3. A watch:  Whatever one that has been given to me as a gift.
4. A pending trip:  Australia and New Zealand.
5. It embarrasses you to…  do stupid things.
6. A politician:  Rodrigo Rato.
7. I envy women for…  their ability to do two things at once.  It’s very odd.
8. A historical person:  Julius Caesar.
9. You would go have a beer with…  with my brothers and my friends.
10. What kind of work wouldn’t you like to do?  Anything that would require me to spend a lot of time far from home.  [because a footballer spends a lot of time at home?]

Sports profile

1. The best goal you’ve ever seen:  Zidane’s in Glasgow [good boy!]
2. A football genius:  Iniesta.
3. What do you see yourself doing in South Africa?  Holding the Cup in my hands.
4. A coach:  It would be an injustice just to name one.
5. First stadium that you have a memory of:  La Romareda.
6. A teammate that was on the road to stardom but didn’t make it:  A lot.
7. Your first ball:  I have a lot of affection for a Etrusco Unico (from Italy ’90).
8. A game of Spain’s that you remember:  the 2008 Eurocopa final.
9. Your first kit:  one of the national team.
10. A stadium that you would like to play in that’s not your team’s:  Anfield [awwww!]