1996
Myfirst year in the junior team, Junior B to be precise, twelve yearsold, the games were more difficult, the other teams had players thatwere older than us, which made a difference. But even so, although wedidn’t win the league we finished in a good position in the table. Wehad the same group of players as the year before, apart from six orseven lads who’d fallen by the wayside. I spent every day playingfootball or studying, it was a bit hard going to be honest, but it wasworth it in the end.
1997
I began the Junior A season at 13. People from outside Madrid joinedthe team. I remember players like Manu, Molinero and Sergio Torres, whowon the European under-16 championship with me. Football was still apast-time for me, but I knew what it meant to be part of anorganisation like Atletico de Madrid, and I was 13.
It was my third year of football with Atleti. My arrival coincided withthe double year, and that made me even more proud to be part of theclub. In just a handful of years I’ve lived through the double,relegation, promotion, happiness and disappointment as a player and afan…I’ve seen people of all age crying in the stands, I’ve even seenthe fans leave the ground happy even though the team have lost!
They’re happy to have seen Atleti, their team. It’s different from withteams like Barcelona or Real Madrid, whose fans are only interested inwinning, Atleti fans follow their feelings more than the results, welike to enjoy ourselves, have a good time every Sunday, then if youwin, all the better. That’s the way of thinking I got from my Granddad,the Atletico way.
1998
At cadet level I had a change of coach, Pedro Calvo was in charge ofthe team. I won my first important title with Pedro, and I want tothank him for his help and advice both when I was in his side, andafterwards.
I played for a year at cadet level, that was the year we played twoNike Cup tournaments, at domestic and European level. All the bestteams were at those tournaments: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Milan,Manchester United, Juventus…, the standard was much higher than I’dbeen used to up to that point. And even so we won.
ß Those two trophies form part of the successful record of Atletico deMadrid junior football, and if that wasn’t enough I was voted JuniorPlayer of the Year. I couldn’t believe what was happening, I’d gone, insuch a short time, from playing with a bunch of mates in Rayo 13, tobeing the best European player in my age-group. I was still onlyfourteen years old.
1999
At fifteen I signed my first contract withAtletico de Madrid. I would have signed for life. When I was a kid andwe played bottletops I was always Atleti, playing football with mymates I always imagined I was an Atleti player, and now I really wasone, I was part of the club, I was an Atletico de Madrid player.
At cadet age I played my first season with the youth team and took partin the National League. The group I was in was made up of cadet levelplayers who had stood out the year before and first year youth teamplayers, with the aim of putting together a strong side for the HonourDivision. It was then I met the coach who has been most important formy career, Abraham Garcia, who I really hope and believe will go far.
(Professional Football and the National Team)
2000
At sixteen I began the season playing in theHonour Division and I finished it in the first team. That season wasamazing, but from the way it started nobody would have guessed how wellit would end. Thanks to a cracked shinbone, and after an operation toput it right, I didn’t start playing until December. |