Master of reporterism, incisive interviewer and super sniffer of the news, apart from being all heart and lover of his family, that's how I would define Miguel Vidal, who on Monday undertook a one-way trip to meet other friends, colleagues, family … and with his son, to whom he could finally give the love that life took from him.
I did general graphic information with Albero and Segovia when i met Miguel, he made happenings in Information, had just come from his Majorca, of Consell, his town, and he boasted of having made the return to Mallorca by camel, his stories were charming and left us with our mouths open. There we began a friendship that has lasted physically until Monday, January 4, and that spiritually will never die.
A short time later we found ourselves on a wonderful journalistic adventure, ACE, our AS. I remember Miguel entering the newsroom, in the Cuesta de San Vicente, with a bunch of interviews and reports made by the north of EuropeHe was wearing a spectacular white shirt with frills. The first issue of AS, in December 1967, included four reports that bore his signature, his takeoff in sports journalism was already a reality.
Vidal and Magic Johnson, in 1991.
I remember his words: “JaviI'm going to talk to Rienzi, I want you to come with me on trips. “And there our friendship was cemented. From Bidasoa to Minho, our first trip together. Do you remember, Miguel? In a Simca 1000 that punctured every two by three. And do you remember when we both slept together in the same bed, in a truck garage? What memories, and we did not care about anything, we had to get to interview Herrerita, Emilín, René Petit …
Later came historical exclusives such as Magic johnson in The Angels; the entrance to Wembley in the European final that he played Panathinaikos without any accreditation of the arm of Puskas, his coach, as if we were two players; the tragedy lived in Fiumicino with the attack on the plane of the Pan am in which we had traveled without knowing it, of course, with the terrorists … Moscow, South America, Yugoslavia, Albania… Endless trips and anecdotes lived with you.
We create our families almost at the same time. Ana, your wife, a Parisian who has always been by your side, without cutting your vehemence in many situations, in this section I will never forget the title of your chronicle in a Columbian of the year 1972, was effectively the 'Columbian of love', i met Tony and the following year I got married and our lives became parallel. We have traveled, laughed and cried together. Life hit you where it hurts the most and you took refuge in your second love: journalism.
I'm sorry, Miguel, but I won't be able to continue, I hardly see what my mind is writing anymore, my fingers act as a simple stenographer at the dictation of my heart.