He lives in Arroyomolinos with his partner and their dogs, drives a Peugeot 408 and does not usually give many interviews. Juan Cruz (Quilmes, April 25, 2000) likes to go unnoticed and have a very simple life. Half Argentinian, half Spanish, he was born in Quilmes and grew up in the capital of Málaga and in Rincón de la Victoria. As a footballer, he trained in the youth team of the Boquerón team, Betis let him escape and he has exploded this season at Leganés, where he was already key to promotion last season. Today they face Real Madrid for the first time: «I would have given the Ballon d’Or to Vinicius. Of course he deserved it more than Rodri.” -Do you remember anything about your year and a half of living in Quilmes? -Cynthia, my mother, is from Catriel Río Negro, in the south, in Patagonia, and when she was pregnant From me he went to Quilmes in search of work. I was only 17 years old. Then, 18 months after my birth, and with my mother pregnant with my little brother, we flew here to Spain, to Malaga, with an aunt of mine. There in Malaga she has worked caring for the elderly and in a bar. Now she does it on a family farm in Antequera. -Has she raised you and your brother alone? -My mother is an example of a mother and a strong woman. I owe him everything. Jaime, whom I consider my father, has also been a great support. He is my mother’s partner, and he already met her here in Spain. I don’t know my biological father, he ignored everything. -What do you miss about not living with your mother anymore? -Although it is not very noticeable that I am from Argentina and my accent is what it is (if you listen to it carefully eyes closed, one can perfectly think that the speaker is Isco), we have Argentine customs and I miss sharing mates and dulce de leche with her. -What differences do you see between Argentines and Spaniards? -I think that Argentines get together in greater amount of people. A family meal of 30-40 people is normal there and not so much here. At least from Madrid upwards. I think that we Argentines are more family-oriented and warm-blooded. It is noticeable, above all, in soccer. -What country would you like to play for? -I identify more with Argentine soccer and, also, my family would be proud of me wearing the albiceleste. For now, the Argentine team is more appealing to me, but I have played in the youth teams with the Spanish team and it would be a difficult decision. – Does your brother also play soccer? – No, no. He said that playing football in the summer was for someone else (laughs). He works as a lifeguard at a sports facility in Malaga. -Do you go to Argentina a lot? -Well, I’ve only been there twice in my life. One with Betis, to play a game in Mendoza, and the other time was when my cousin turned 15. I was there a month. It is true that I knew everyone by video call and some had come to see me in Spain, but it was also the first time I met people from my family in person. The truth is that I came away crying from there. It made me very sad, but we are always in constant contact. I know they are doing well and that they follow me. Whenever news about me comes out, they pass it on to me and get together to watch my games. -What do you do when you’re not playing or training? -I’m a simple guy. I live with my girl, who is from Seville, and my dogs. Home, cinema or bowling alley. We don’t do much else. I like the quiet life. I have also completed two of the three coaching courses and, now, I am attending a finance course. I am not one to spend money, but it is important to know how to use it. -He started playing for Atlético Juval, when he was 8 years old. Who took that step? – It was the mother of a classmate, who wanted me to play with her son. In fact, my mother didn’t want me to play soccer. He told me that I wasn’t going to be good at it. Now, from time to time I remind him and, of course, he has to keep quiet (laughs). -When did he think he would eat this? -In the Málaga cadet team. I joined their youth team when I was 10 years old and that team was spectacular. We won almost everything and I always played. From then on, I believed it. – Who was he looking at? Messi, of course, and Neymar. I love that Brazilian street football. -Have you played in the street or in small squares in Malaga? -Of course. A child has to go outside and stop playing so much. I played with goals made of bottles, papers, sticks or whatever. Those signs prohibiting playing ball drive me crazy. I didn’t pay attention to them. I’ve done some damage to the cars. What does the street give to a footballer? – Above all, one on one, which is being lost today. – His contract with Málaga ended in 2021 and from there he went to Betis, but He did not have the opportunities he expected and in January of this year he was loaned to Leganés, with a mandatory purchase option of one million euros if they were promoted. It doesn’t seem like the best operation. -Well, they are decisions that don’t depend on me. What I was clear about was that I needed to play and for that I had to get out of there. And here at Leganés, which is giving me everything and I feel confident, I am showing what I am capable of. -Four goals in the League, which have meant five points, plus one in the Cup that helped us advance to the next round. Do you feel that the permanence of the team is in your boots? -No, not at all. Permanence is everyone’s business. Things are going well and I hope it continues like this, but we will achieve permanence as a team. -Which Argentine from Madrid did you like the most? -Man, Di Stéfano, of course. Also Di María, who for me is one of the best wingers in history. He has been underrated, but there is his record. I recently saw his documentary and I feel very identified with his life, his humble origins, what his mother did for him… I took him to train as best I could, which is what mine also did.-What was she doing?-My mother He went to work on a motorcycle and when he left he went directly to school to pick up my brother and me, but of course the three of us couldn’t fit on the motorcycle. I will never forget those trips home from school, lasting more than an hour, in which the three of us dragged and pushed the motorcycle up endless slopes to our house, which was near Martín Carpena. And, afterwards, he took me to train. -Would he have given the Ballon d’Or to Vinicius? -Yes, of course. Of course he deserved it more than Rodri. And I say that to everyone who tells me otherwise. He was the best last season. It made the difference in Madrid, who scored a double. I understand your anger for not having gone to the Gala.
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