Tapia: “My grandfather gave me 50 cents per goal”

He landed last summer in Vigo without making a sound, with the freedom card in hand, and has become one of the sensations of LaLiga. The Peruvian international Renato Tapia is fashionable and has reviewed for Celtic Middle his football career. The midfielder recalls his first kicks to the ball, episodes lived with the national team or the lights and shadows of his time in Dutch football.

Childhood: “I started playing soccer when I was 3 years old. Before I knew I was going to be a footballer, my father already knew it. He was one hundred percent convinced. My grandfather gave me 50 cents of Peruvian currency for every goal he scored. . He always supported me and took me everywhere. “

Sporting Cristal: “At the age of 9 I played at Sporting Cristal, I was there for a couple of seasons. I did the tests to get in with 100 other children and in the end we were two. It was the first professional team, so to speak, in which I was. I have great best regards. I have great affection for Cristal and people know who I am a fan of, but I will always be grateful for the years I was there. “

U-20 selection: “We did not go to the World Cup for one point. In the last game, against Chile, we went ahead and they tied us with a free kick almost from the middle of the field. It was a great goal. Then we scored again, but they signaled an offside Not going to the World Cup was a great pain. The lower teams in Peru are not the best, but those years were a revolution. Many of those players are now in the absolute. “

Twente: “I have a very fond memory of Twente. They welcomed me with open arms, my daughter was born, I learned Dutch … As it is a small city everyone knows each other and the people are very good. I am very grateful to the people that got me there. “

Feyenoord: “I could feel a bit what elite football was. There was an atmosphere that we had to reach the Europa League, become champions or play Champions. There was that feeling that you have to improve every day because if you don't fall behind. they won my first league and cup as a professional. No matter how many people say no, my name will always be in the history books because we won after 18 years. “

Willem ii: “I had a hard time at home because I was frustrated, I felt that I had lost a little taste for playing and going to train. Things were very difficult for me on the field. So, the decision was made that in the In winter, I was on loan to Willem II. The first month it was difficult for me, but then they took a lot of me into account and I began to regain that love for training and playing. In that team I got a new taste for football. In addition, we reached the final of the Dutch Cup after many years and that also marks you. “

Absolute Selection: “It cannot be explained. As a child I dreamed of being in the national team, I lived a five-minute walk from the sports village where he trains and always went there to see how the bus left to go to the stadium. He did it year after year. My love for the national team, for my country, will be wherever it is. “

Celtic: “I feel very happy because many things happened for me to be in this place. All the sacrifice is reflected and I feel that it was worth going through so many moments to get here.”