Zamorano: “Mbappé is more complete than Haaland”

Nothing better than a double Real Madrid-Inter on the imminent horizon of the Champions to pick up the phone and dial the number of Ivan Luis Zamorano Zamora (Maipú, Santiago, Chile, 54 years old). Four years of white and five of neroazzurro, bring him in a special way to this historical rivalry that already has 17 direct confrontations. Bam Bam has lived for five years in Miami, where he signed a contract with the television network Univisión, which has practically all the rights of the great world competitions of clubs and national teams.

-I have been told that you have become an expert on the subject … Are you very harsh in your comments?

-It is a new life project with the family. I work five days a week, rest two and watch all the football that can be seen and more. No, I am not tough. I put myself in the player's perspective and I know the circumstances that occur on a pitch because I have lived them. More than hard, I am technical and tactical. I try to give the error projection. I do not stay in the 'shit', I go a little further.

-A few years ago his dream was to train or be a sports director, in a few words he thought to continue linked to football from within.

-And I have not abandoned that idea no matter how happy I am now. I try to keep learning and if there is an opportunity I will be there. You already know in Spain, I am looking forward to training there or in Europe. I try to improve, to seek new challenges. My intention, at some point, is to work in a coach or sports director's club. I have the FIFA Pro. I have everything ready for when someone calls me. Soccer is part of my life. It was 20 years as a player and now I follow him with another vision, trying to contribute my experience. I feel fulfilled and happy.

-In other words, you are aware of everything that happens in Spanish football in particular and in Europe in general.

-Of everything. I see a lot of my Sevilla, Real Madrid. I talk a lot with Cholo… I follow Italian football, English football, in which I did not play, but which has become the most important league in the world due to its planning and structure apart from the money it may have. Money without ideas and common sense is useless. English football is striking for its intensity. You have to be very physically prepared to play there and anyone can beat anyone.

-We stay with your Sevilla, with Real Madrid …

-I belong to both of us. I can only be grateful to Sevilla because when I arrived I was a stranger and there I made a name for myself in European football. Those two years with a wonderful treatment allowed me to get to Real Madrid and from that moment there is a before and after as a player and as a person. Change your whole career.

-You could imagine then, seasons 90-91 and 91-92, that Sevilla was going to get where it has arrived: six times champion of the Europa League, regular in the Champions League, aspiring to the league title.

-Yes. Resounding That Seville of mine was a competitive Seville that played in the UEFA Cup and throughout these two long decades it has become an example club for all those who want to grow. And the great fault of this is the people who have been working there for many years, one of them is Monchi, who was a colleague of mine and was already speaking to you then with a different vision of things. He had a special plus to develop what he has developed today. He visualized what a team has to have to grow, progress and become an important club that is fulfilling the goals and objectives that it proposes. Other teammates I had when they played already had the vision of a coach … like Cholo.

– He spent two years at Inter with Simeone.

-We were roommates and I talked to you all day about football. You can't imagine what 'pesao' was. He would come to the room and tell you how we had to play. He used the glasses and everything within reach to explain how we should arm ourselves in the field. I also liked to talk about movies, fashion, cars, but he only talked about football.

– And did you already think like now?

– Back then he was explaining to us some strategies that today are reflected in a football philosophy that in the long run is marking a very long stage at Atlético. When you think of a technician who makes a mark, this is the Cholo. He has developed an idea and has transformed a team that was discreet when it arrived and is now a winning team with a super clear philosophy. That is extraordinary. It is the most difficult. As a player he was the classic footballer that you always wanted to have on your team. Give it to me always. The Cholo was all physical, courage, claw, drive.

– Real Madrid-Inter on the horizon. Broken heart'.

-Yes. I already had it last year that they also faced each other. If the four years at Madrid were wonderful, those at Inter were not left behind. That Inter was a very South American team, everything revolved around happiness, jokes … You know well that he happened to be locked up in a room one day precisely when he was talking to Simeone … The two teams must pass first and second. They are favorites. My heart asks that the two games tie, but my mind says that Madrid will win at the Bernabéu and Inter at the San Siro. And I also want and believe that both of them are going to fight for the Championship.

-Talk about Madrid as if you were in front of the Univision microphone.

-He has put together a good team. With a Hazard in better physical condition; with a more motivated Bale; with a Benzema doing everything he knows how to do; with a Casemiro who recovers balls and hits a strong leg in the middle; with a Kroos and Modric that continue to have that magic on their feet; with a Valverde that I love because of the back and forth that he has and that charrúa claw that he puts; with Alaba putting a little more intensity when coming out from behind playing; with a Courtois that transmits security … If everyone is well physically and technically I see a Real Madrid to compete for the League and the Champions …

-Forwards like Iván Zamorano are disappearing from football …

-The area forwards are in extinction. There is no longer a Batistuta, a Crespo, a Zamorano … They don't exist. Today's football took the forwards out of the area. Today they are players from the entire front of the attack. The last that can be left of my style is Falcao, who has just signed for Rayo Vallecano. He is still a forward who can finish 90 percent of the plays in the area. Luis Suárez was there, but he also came a little further back to receive. I really like Lewandowski. He has a great header, but covers more area of ​​action, plays very well from behind. Haaland, Lukaku are strikers who can start far behind and with their physical power they make a difference.

-He has not mentioned Mbappé to me. What is French for you …

-It's an extreme. In a couple of years he will be the best player in the world. Today it already marks differences in the one against one. In the definition he is a type that does not make mistakes, when he has one, he does not fail. He is not a center forward, he is a player from the entire front of the attack. He can define in the center of the area, but he moves very well on the wings. Much of his goals go from the outside to the inside. Divide very well. He is a player who not only scores a goal, he also gives a lot of assists. He lacks what the great 'center forward', 'pitching', 'pitching' have … At his best he is one of the most complete forwards.

-Suppose you have 150 million euros in the bank. Who does Mbappé or Haaland sign before? Only one.

-Mbappe. For everything I have explained and for how I see football. Haaland can be used for a system, for a football idea. To play more against. Or to think of a long outing where he can make a difference with his physical power. Mbappé works for any game system and any coach in the world is much more useful because he is much more complete.

“You always 'train' like this or only when you hate your coach”

Iván remembers his experience with Valdano when the coach did not have him at Real Madrid and how Ronaldo arrived at Inter. Curiously, Iván had to overcome two special moments in his football career during his time at Real Madrid and Inter. While at the Bernabéu, in his third season, 93-94, Jorge Valdano arrived as coach and publicly pointed out that he did not have him or Amavisca. Specifically, he told Zamorano that he would be the fifth foreigner and the fifth striker …

-You came from scoring 37 and 17 goals with Real Madrid the two previous seasons. What did you think when Valdano told you that he did not have his services?

-Jorge wanted me to find equipment. He had another vision of that Real Madrid. At that moment I showed myself that in this adversity I could find a sporting and life opportunity. I just wanted to stay at Real Madrid. His words that he would be the fifth foreigner, the fifth striker, was a challenge to myself that I could play and that is how I wanted to show him from the first training session in the preseason in Nyon, Switzerland …

-Count, count. How did you prove it?

-Jorge got in to play the little game with us and I said this is my chance. Valdano had the ball and I threw myself on the floor and grabbed the ball, grabbed ankle, grabbed knee … and grabbed something else, but without any intention. We fell to the ground and when I was going to get up to continue looking for the ball, Jorge told me: “Che, boludo, you always train 'like that or only when you hate your coach.” And I told him “I always trained like this”. Later, over time, we discussed the play many times and we shit laughing with Jorge and Cappa, but at that moment they realized that they had made a mistake with me because I knew exactly what I had to do in order to continue being an important player at Real Madrid.

-It was the entrance, the tackling, the most important of his life.

-I don't know if it was the most important, but it was the one that allowed me to have a before and after. That tackling made everyone know how he worked. It allowed me at least, in the preseason games, to go in for 15 minutes and score a goal. Then 30 minutes and do another. So until Teresa Herrera arrived, I started and scored the winning goal. In the Bernabéu trophy I scored both goals and was chosen the best player of the tournament… and that's how I started the starting League against Sevilla and after 13 seconds I already scored a goal; By the fifth game he already had seven goals and he was already Valdano's partner and the example of what everyone had to do to be a starter. That was a life lesson that showed me that as long as I tried my best I could achieve my goals.

–He does not renew for Real Madrid, he is about to sign for Atlético, but really where he stops is at Inter. His first season there, 96-97, is indisputable. Play 40 games and score nine goals. But in the second Ronaldo arrives … and the ownership becomes more expensive.

-The difference with what happened at Real Madrid is that at Inter no one told me that I had to go. They told me that I was still in a squad that included the best players in the world, at least one who was Ronaldo. As a soccer player I could make mistakes, but I had something that was very important: my mental strength, my character, my personality. The only way I have to see football is by giving myself to the fullest. I did what I have to do. That was an extraordinary squad with Baggio, with Recoba, with Vieri … and of course with Ronaldo. I understood that I had to try twice as hard to play and that's what I did. I chose the right path, which was that of effort, that of overcoming and in the long run I ended up playing. In all the teams I went through I was considered a warrior and that's what I was. He fought harder than anyone to be able to play. Doing so would be much better for me. That year we won the UEFA Cup against Lazio in Paris and I scored the first goal. We also won the 'scudetto', although Juventus stole it from us. Then it came out with the time that in that decisive match the referee was bought …

-And in your third year, Ronaldo's second, you left him the 9 and invented the 1 + 8 thing. How did that come about?

-When Ronaldo arrived, everyone took for granted that he had to leave the '9' to the best in the world and I had no problem. I spoke with Mazzola, who was the club's sports director and also with Moratti, the president. I told them, leave me one more year on '9' and I'll give it to you the next. They understood the position and Ronaldo put on the '10'. I didn't want the '10'. It seemed to me the number of the largest and that I was not worthy to carry it. Also, the nine was mine for a lifetime.

– Was the moment of truth very traumatic?

-When he arrived it occurred to me to put together two numbers on the shirt that would add up to nine. But whoever thought about the '+' sign was Mazzola. The club asked the Federation for permission and they let us. At first, I myself put the sign between 1 and 8 with a piece of white cloth, but after a few games, the clothing brand already sent me t-shirts with the '+' added, which was much better than my homemade recipe. And that shirt became the best-selling shirt in all of Italian football. As you hear it.