The Tokyo Olympic Stadium will host next Friday the opening of the most anticipated Olympic Games in recent years. Saúl Craviotto and Mireia Belmonte will be the standard bearers of the Spanish Delegation, which will not be the only one with Spanish members in its ranks. With the Mexican will march Hannibal Gonzalez, an Asturian in charge of the physical preparation of the Olympic soccer team in Mexico. “I am very proud to represent Mexico because I feel Mexican. I am more excited to greet the Mexican delegation than the Spanish one because representing the same country unites us. Right now I am 100% Mexican“, he discovers after crossing paths with Marc and Pau Gasol in the Olympic Village.” I can't even reach their armpits. “
Aníbal González lived his first professional experience in Mexico -between 2015 and 2017 he was the physical trainer of Cimarrones de Sonora-, which inevitably unites him to a country that feels “inside of me.” “I always sing the hymn”, adds Aníbal, who would love to meet Spain in the final. “And beat them. So Spain goes far but the gold is for Mexico. It would be very nice,” completes the first athlete born in Llanes to attend the Olympic Games. “The City Council recognized me and, as we all know each other there and have seen me grow, I was very excited. I have been working outside of Spain for a long time and being recognized at home is very nice.”
The Mexican team, which debuts next Thursday, will face France, Japan and South Africa in the group stage. “It is a complicated group, but like everyone else. France is a strong rival. It will be a very tough match, but I think we are going to beat them because we have been working longer and we have one more point in the collective,” Aníbal González analyzes hours before debuting in the Olympic Games precisely against the Gauls. “We go flying. We did a tour in May and June. We played three games and we didn't lose any. In addition, we arrived in Tokyo early and we are already used to the hours, the temperature and the humidity. We also play at altitude in Mexico and being at sea level now makes our work easier. We are used to playing in hot and humid conditions. It is something that is not going to weigh us as much as the European teams. “
It is not the first time for Aníbal González in Japan. The Asturian was for a season the physical trainer of Ricardo Rodríguez's Tokushima Vortis. “It was a complicated experience because there was nothing beyond work. It cost me a bit and I returned to Mexico, but Japan is incredible. It is a country that is growing a lot and I have a lot of love for it. I like being here.” And it is full. Among other things because he knows that Mexico is one of the great favorites to win the gold, something they already did in 2012 after defeating Neymar's Brazil. “I think we have a very good generation. Ochoa is the captain of the senior team, Luis Romo was elected the best midfielder in Liga MX and Henry Martín is the Club América center forward and the senior team. People demand to win and believe, like us, that it can be won. We go with humility and respect, but I believe that, if we do things well, we can qualify for gold. “And if he succeeds, he will immortalize it with a tattoo.” I still don't have any, but if I win the gold, it won't take me five days. I would wear something related to Mexico and the Olympics. “