"I want to be a role model"

Lucas Vázquez was the hero in Saturday's 1-0 home win against Werder Bremen, when the Spaniard scored his first Bundesliga goal to secure an important victory for Leverkusen. The 34-year-old right-sided player recently met up with the Werkself magazine for an interview in the Düsseldorf restaurant Casa Galicia after the first few months of settling in to his new home in Germany. Over tapas, the five-time Champions League winner, who left Real Madrid in the summer after 18 years to continue his career at Bayer 04, spoke about his career to date, the new challenge in Leverkusen and the importance of family - and he paid a big compliment to the fans of his new club.

You grew up in Galicia, moved to Madrid at the age of 16, joined Real and are now living abroad for the first time. What does home mean to you?

Vázquez: My roots are in my childhood home and the region around A Coruña. Madrid was an important and very long time in my life, which has shaped me a lot as an athlete and as a person. But for me, home is now where I am with my wife and children. That has developed over the years. So Bayer 04 is also my home at the moment. We are very happy to be here and to have started a new, interesting stage in our lives.

With three small children, moving to another country is not a natural step. How did the family react to the change?

Vázquez: At family level, we are obviously experiencing a lot of new impressions at the moment. A new place to live, a new neighbourhood, a new school for two children and a new kindergarten for one. My wife has a lot of responsibility in these areas and has taken care of everything. But we're all sure it's the right move, we're all looking forward to this change and are enjoying our new home.

Did you get any tips on this from Toni Kroos, Daniel Carvajal or Xabi Alonso?

Vázquez: I spoke to them about what life’s like in Germany, especially in Düsseldorf, and how the club works. And all the answers were really positive, even Toni Rüdiger and David Alaba only told me nice things. Xabi Alonso has also made history here. My last weeks at Real Madrid were at the Club World Cup - under him as coach.

 

The move to Leverkusen followed. That's a very nice story, as if everything had been predicted.

Vázquez: I was convinced from the start that I would play for Bayer 04 - and so far everyone has been right with their recommendations.

There was a very unpretentious post from Düsseldorf on Instagram - on the street in your new neighbourhood. How do you stay so down-to-earth with more than 22 million followers and so much success?

Vázquez: One does not exclude the other. I am aware of what I have achieved in my career. Thank God I've been able to win so many titles and celebrate so much success. I am very privileged, but I am still a normal person in everyday life with family responsibilities and enjoy spending time with my wife and children more than anything else. I've always tried to stay the same, I've never wanted to pretend and I want to be a role model. On the pitch - but above all for my children.

Who shaped your character and what role did your early enthusiasm for football play in this?

Vázquez: First and foremost, of course, my parents, they raised me and instilled certain values in me. I owe everything I am to them. But football was also very important. That's why I want my children to play football. Not so that they can become professional players, but so that they can experience the positive aspects I was able to experience: You get to know other children, from different places, classes, cultures and families. It's also a team sport that teaches you many important things for life, such as cohesion, social components, discipline and a team player mentality - plus you get to be active. There are a lot of positive aspects.

What values are important to you - on and off the pitch?

Vázquez: Respect, working hard every day, never giving up and always trusting in yourself are essential values in private life and in sport. I always try to internalise them and set an example for my children.

How have your children changed your life?

Vázquez (laughs): My life has been turned upside down. I believe when you become a father, your children are what really count in life. Before that, as a football player you're extremely focussed on the sport, you only think about it and everything is geared towards it. Children make you take a step back from football and the pressure that comes with it. It helped me a lot to become a father at a relatively young age - especially in bad moments, such as injuries. I didn't let it get me down so much because my thoughts were no longer revolving around football 24/7 and I was able to switch off and take care of other things thanks to my children. At home, it didn't matter if I was injured - I still had to fulfil my duties as a father and be there for my family. You also experience a lot of incredibly wonderful moments. For example, when my wife told me that my eldest son recognised me on TV for the first time. Before that, everyone who wore a white jersey was 'dad'. (He laughs)

Was there another great sporting talent in your family?

Vázquez: My parents weren't experts in ball games. (He laughs) But they were also very fond of football and my older brother also played. He was very good at almost all sports and was a huge influence on me. We played a lot within the family, a cousin was always there, as was my father's brother, who played for the second team at Deportivo La Coruña. My mum's brother was also very ambitious. But nobody else made it into the professional game.

Family plays a big role in your life. How did you grow up?

Vázquez: My family comes from the small village of Curtis, about an hour away from A Coruña. Around 2,000 people live there. I had a very nice childhood, surrounded by my family and friends - and of course football, which was already an important part of my life back then. Even though it wasn't easy to find enough other children to play football in such a small village. (He laughs) But I was lucky that my friends also liked to play. We had a very good small-sided team and won against many teams from other villages and from the big cities in Galicia. That's how it started. I'm still friends with the boys from back then.

Then you were discovered by Real Madrid. How did that come about?

Vázquez: I initially moved from the club in my village to a club in A Coruña. I was spotted by scouts there and invited by Real Madrid to train with them for a fortnight. I impressed them, they trusted me to strengthen their team - and apart from a loan spell at Espanyol, I was part of the club until this summer. I'm very grateful for that. It was an incredible time, especially as I was a Real fan as a child. I still remember the exact moment when they called me at home and my father told me that they were inviting me to Madrid for a trial. I was incredibly happy, it's hard to put into words. All my life I'd dreamed of playing there, of being able to show what I could do. Real Madrid was and is the club of my dreams.

And how did it feel to train with the first team for the first time?

Vázquez: Those are unforgettable moments, Real always had incredible players and teams. At that time, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo and many others were in the squad. Of course, I was very excited when I was on the pitch with them for the first time. But they gave me phenomenal support right from the start and I'm very grateful to them for that.

You've won the Champions League five times and a total of 23 trophies, including four Club World Cups. Which moment stands out?

Vázquez: The greatest and most emotional triumph was certainly winning the Champions League for the first time in the final in Milan against Atlético Madrid. Lifting the trophy for the first time is probably the best memory - until now. (He laughs)

 

Despite the many big names in the team, as a young player you took on the responsibility of going first in the decisive penalty shoot-out. What was going through your mind?

Vázquez: The game had given me a lot of confidence, I played very well and felt very good. And I think the penalty shoot-out should be for those who are confident of scoring. That's why I said that I wanted to shoot. They trusted me as much as I trusted myself - I scored and it turned out well.

At the beginning of your career, you always played on the attacking right flank. Zinedine Zidane then moved you to the back - not to your enthusiasm at first...

Vázquez (laughs): You could say that. For the first five years at Real, I was always an attacker on the right. But then, due to injuries, there was a phase when I was needed in defence. I didn't really want to play there though, I didn't see myself in that position. But of course I tried to come to terms with it, to put myself at the service of the team and gradually felt more and more comfortable. So time proved Zidane right - and I enjoyed many years in this position. At Leverkusen, the job on the right is a mixture of the two previous positions. That's why the tactical alignment suits me here and I've felt very comfortable in my previous appearances. That's another reason why, in hindsight, it really helped me to move to the back.

You once described Zinedine Zidane as the coach who was most important to you in your career. That's high praise considering the number of prominent coaches you've had. What characterises him?

Vázquez: He only coached us for just over three years and won the Champions League with us three times. That says a lot. But what characterises him is that he is very honest and authentic, modest and very caring in his dealings with the players. Nevertheless, he always addresses things clearly and openly. But above all, he gives you the self-confidence you need to achieve your best possible performance and win trophies. That is a very important quality as a coach and is what impressed me most about working with him.

You played more games for Real than Alfredo di Stéfano. How does it feel to have such status at the best club in the world?

Vázquez (laughs): I think it says a lot about my career. Of course, Alfredo is still at a completely different level of legend at Real Madrid, and you played fewer games per season back then than you do now. But this record means a lot to me and makes me proud.

How do you deal with always having to win?

Vázquez: It's something that's instilled in you from a young age at Real Madrid. Always getting the best out of yourself, winning every game, trying to achieve the goals you set yourself. It's part of the club's philosophy, ambitions and self-image. You internalise it at some point.

You played relatively few games for the national team, only making nine appearances. Why was that?

Vázquez: Some things are out of your own hands, and for me personally that is one of them. I've always given everything to be able to perform at my best at the club and for the national team. But in the Spanish team, a coach decides whether he favours you more or less, whether he needs you more or less. That's football. I've always done everything I could to be ready when I was needed. Since I can't blame myself for anything, my international record doesn't bother me either.

Is that still the only small dent in your career?

Vázquez: It doesn't hurt me, but my record with the national team doesn't necessarily compare favourably with my club record when you compare the games and successes at Real with those for Spain. But that never drove me crazy and I always supported the national team as much as possible - whether I was there or not.

Why did you decide in favour of the Bundesliga in the summer, how do people in Spain view German football?

Vázquez: It's a very attractive league. The football played here is at a very high level, the quality is very high and there is a lot of talent. I was keen to try out another top league.

So what tipped the scales in favour of Bayer 04?

Vázquez: Leverkusen are a big club that has made it into the top 16 in Europe over the past five years thanks to its successes. It's a great club and for me the move was a very good opportunity to continue enjoying football at the highest level in a great team. There were also enquiries from other countries, but my aim was to play at the highest level. Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes also made my decision very easy and showed me right from the start that they would love to have me. In the end, I'm also here because of them.

Fernando Carro has played a decisive role in the development of Bayer 04 as CEO, a fact that has also been recognised in his native Spain...

Vázquez: Of course, definitely. What Bayer 04 have achieved and accomplished is incredible and a significant achievement in European football - and closely linked to him. He has made a great contribution and his successes show how valuable his work is. People in Spain know that just as much as they do in Germany.

You've been here for a few months now: Is there anything that has particularly impressed you in or about Leverkusen?

Vázquez: It's clear that I was fascinated by the fans. The first time my family went to the stadium in Leverkusen, they were overwhelmed by the atmosphere. I've never seen the crowd support the players in this way before, it's incredible.

And that despite the fact that you've already experienced so many games in so many stadiums...

Vázquez: Yes, I really have to say that. I've often played in Germany and know the atmosphere; I was impressed by matches in Germany in the Champions League. How emotional football is here, how the fans always support their team, the passion in the stands. But now I'm part of a team that is cheered on like that - even away from home. That's a new experience. Also because the culture of away fans doesn't exist like it does here in Spain. Fewer fans travel and the away stands are usually somewhere at the top of the stadium, so you can't hear them on the pitch like you can in Germany.

You are ambitious and also want to celebrate success with Bayer 04. What other goals do you have once you've won everything?

Vázquez: For me, it's part of football to always be as ambitious as possible. That's why I always want to win more trophies, improve, do everything I can to become a better player and be at the highest level mentally and physically. I also want to improve at this point in my career - it's never too late for that, the ambition never ends.

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