Ronaldo Nazario was chosen by FIFA to present the jewel trophy created by Tiffany & Co to shape the reward that the winner of next summer’s Club World Cup will receive. More fit (he has lost weight) and with a smile, something common for the former center forward for Real Madrid and Barcelona among other teams, he had time to review for MARCA what the new event prepared by Gianni Infantino can offer. “A little late, but of course I would have liked to play in a competition like that, but if I had been able I would have liked to play it with Real Madrid of course,” says the current head of Valladolid.
ASK. A World Cup with club emblems and not national team flags, what do you think of the idea?
ANSWER. It’s something new, but I think it’s going to turn out well. Football is a global celebration and it is fair that many teams from all over the world come and can face each other and see the level they have when they play against European teams. It’s quite a World Cup and I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people. I’m looking forward to coming and following some games. There are many incredible venues and also in the United States, a country that believes a lot in football and that has the possibility of seeing a Club and National Team World Cup. They are going to be two spectacular years without a doubt.
Q. A lineup full of stars, in which only the retired Toni Kroos, Lamine and… Ronaldo Nazario will be missing.
R. I would have liked to be among them, I hope, but the years passed me by, but now it is their turn to live and make history. What I feel is that football will be very well represented, with stars of all kinds. It is true that I continue with my favorite, Vinicius, who is having another season and I am looking forward to seeing him here playing in the United States, in the World Cup.
Ronaldo, in the club World Cup drawBRAND
Q. Don’t you think there is a lot of difference between the teams in Europe and South America and the rest?
R. It won’t be easy to get through the group (two qualify), but it will be important to see the level at which those less recognized teams are, including us, the South Americans, and to see how we fare against the European giants. It’s going to be a good experience.
P. Messi is going to be one of the main attractions of the tournament.
R. He’s going to have to be very Messi to be able to advance in the tournament. It’s not going to be easy for him. The best thing is that they are going to a very important game, with great teams. Some clubs are growing and are going to face other well-established clubs, although the tournament comes at the end of the season and the favorites will be the Europeans, but they may be surprised, especially the Brazilians. Botafogo has a great team, with good players, tall, powerful… Now it seems that the Brazilian teams are ahead of the Argentinian ones. They are streaks, before it was the other way around. In Brazil there is a lot of money, Argentina has more problems. Clubs in Brazil are improving their management, but there is still a lot to do in Brazil. The football industry has to grow.
Ronaldo and Vinicius in the presentation of the latterJOSE A. GARCIA
Q. Let’s go with Vinicius and the Ballon d’Or, what did you think when the Real Madrid player was left without the award?
R. Without disparaging Rodri, Vinicius had to win the Ballon d’Or, which has lost a great opportunity to crown Vinicius as the best in the world. It has nothing to do with Rodrigo, let’s be clear, but Vinicius has been much more decisive last season.
The Ballon d’Or has lost a great opportunity to crown Vinicius as the best in the world
Ronaldoi Nazario
Q. Real Madrid is not having a good time, what do you say to Florentino Pérez?
R. What can I say if the real Ballon d’Or winner is Florentino Pérez, he is a father to me. He taught me a lot and gave me everything in the world of football.
Bernabéu box with Florentino Pérez and Ronaldo Nazario.PHOTO: JOSE A. GARCIA
Q. It seemed that Real Madrid with Mbappé was going to be invincible and the reality is being very different…
R. In football anything can happen. There can be good streaks and bad streaks. You don’t have to look so much into the small details. Mbappé represents a lot for Real Madrid and is going to be very important. Both Real Madrid and Mbappé have a lot of credit.
There can be good streaks and bad streaks. You don’t have to look so much into the small details. Mbappé represents a lot for Real Madrid and is going to be very important
Ronaldo Nazario
Q. Your big concern at the moment is Valladolid…
R. I see myself here talking about Mbappé and the one in Valladolid…Things are not going well and we have many problems. We are in a very bad streak, but we are going to fight to get out and improve. There have been changes and we will see what happens, counting on luck too. You have to work. We have made a change to try to get out of the situation.
We are in a very bad streak, but Valladolid is going to fight to get out and improve. There have been changes and we will see what happens
Ronaldo Nazario
Q. The solution doesn’t seem simple, right?
R. There is a lot of difference in budgets and it ends up being seen on the field.
Q. The footballer arrives younger every day to the elite, good or bad?
R. Man when players like Lamine arrive… Now the next one is going to be Estevao, who will go to Chelsea. We have to take care of them, but everything has advanced, perhaps too much. Everything has improved, but we have to go step by step.
Q. The calendar and injuries have been the protagonists of the last few months…
R. It is not something that worries me excessively, but it is true that together we all have to talk and reach a solution for the calendar. There are many players leaving the season due to injuries. You have to respect and listen to the players. Surely the solution will be found.
You have to respect and listen to the players. Surely the solution will be found
Ronaldo Nazario
Q. Can the World Cup narrow the economic difference between football on one continent and others?
R. The same thing happens to me with Valladolid. We went up to First Division and found ourselves with consolidated teams, with budgets of more than one hundred million and us with much less. It’s hard for us to compete. We have to find a balance between everyone, but I don’t think it will change much with the World Cup.
