Rodrigo Riquelme, former Atlético de Madrid attacking midfielder and now Real Betis player, revealed in an interview with Mario Suárez, on the program “El Camino de Mario”, details of his career and the decisions that marked his career. The conversation, led by the former Colchonero player, focused on key moments, the relationship with coach Diego Simeone and the influence of other professionals on his development.
The player recalled a difficult stage in which a quarry coach called him “stupid” during training, which led him to seek psychological help. He also confessed that at one point in his career he lost his enjoyment of football and was on the verge of abandoning it. It was then that Simeone called him up for preseason, which gave him the opportunity to return to competition. Riquelme described the relationship with “Cholo” as a “talk from father to son”, where the daily demands and the close approach to the player were combined. He stated that, although he was asked to play wingback, he accepted regardless of the position, because his goal was to help the team. According to him, leaving Atlético was a totally personal decision, motivated by the need for more minutes and to feel important within the club.
The former player also spoke about figures who inspired him. He mentioned Antoine Griezmann, whom he considered an idol before joining Atlético, and recalled an episode in which, after missing a penalty against Inter, he received a message from Griezmann telling him that he had “very big balls” and that he admired him. In addition, he highlighted João Félix as the footballer who surprised him the most in training. When asked about Isco, Riquelme described him as an example for everyone and expressed his wish that there were more players with the same dedication as Morata.
Finally, the former player recalled a decisive conversation with coach Marcelo Pellegrini, who told him that he had everything to be a great player and that he had to be differential. This advice, according to Riquelme, changed his mentality and made him become a more complete player in training. With these testimonies, the former colchonero offers an intimate view of the ups and downs and the influences that have defined his career in football.