Ricardinho, the myth of futsal: “Spain? We must not go back to where we were happy”

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To be Ricardinho (Valbom, Portugal; 1985) is to be the most mediatic person in futsal. He is in his own right, since no other in history has managed to be named the best footballer in the world six times as he has been. The last five were playing in Spain, at Inter Movistar, but the love affair with the Torrejon team ended in the summer of 2020.

He went to France, al ACCS Paris, who won the league and was immediately relegated to Second administratively due to his financial situation. There are many questions about what Ricardinho will do at 36, if he will finally return to Portugal much to the joy of his compatriots, as the moment of retreat draws nearer.

At the moment, his head is only in one place: the Futsal World Cup. Ricardinho focuses on the appointment that takes place in Lithuania and that started on September 12 and will run until October 3. It is the title that he lacks in his legendary career and it is the last time that he will be able to lift it, since after this edition he will say goodbye to the great appointment of national teams, as he has announced.

He never had to suffer so much to reach a World Cup as now. The reason was a serious injury to the long tendon in his right leg that he suffered in March. Until he saw his name on the list, he did not remain calm and now he only asks “to enjoy”, as he confesses to this newspaper.

THE SPANISH He was able to speak with Ricardinho after Portugal’s winning debut in Lithuania. Close, practically, the door to play again in Spain after his traumatic and gray departure from Inter Movistar and before the possibility of being measured at the Selection from Faith Vidal He is not too excited (at least, no more than to do it against other favorites in the World Cup).

Question: A tough year. You were seriously injured in March and, with the World Cup on the horizon, you set the only goal of entering Portugal’s list. With what sensations have you arrived?

Answer: I want to enjoy. They spent many months working to be here. To be able to play another World Cup, my last World Cup, was a dream. To be able to enjoy this team, this generation of Portuguese footballers who are pushing hard and want to win more than ever. For me, being here is a dream and now it’s time to enjoy every day. We are only going to know how we are when we enter the field, enjoy that moment and then see how we can improve.

You are Portugal, the European champion, do you think there is a lot of pressure on you and on you, especially, to see how you are?

I am already used to that pressure for many years, so I don’t see any pressure. I see admiration and I see that I have to continue to be demanding of myself on the court and off it.

And with the national team we do feel that a bit. It is normal because it is the first time that we are going to play a World Cup being the European champions, but the only pressure we have is that we want to continue showing that we are good, that it was not a coincidence. We want to continue competing against the best and this (the World Cup) is the box of dreams.

We all know how excited you were in this World Cup, the last of your career. As a legend of this sport, do you feel that you lack something to achieve besides a World Cup?

The only thing I lack is this, to be world champion with my country. I also needed to be European champion, we have achieved it and the good thing about sport is that it always gives you one more chance and here I have it. For me it is the last, but I am going to enjoy it as if it were the first and play with the shirt of my country, with all the pride, because it is something that is fleeting in our lives and here is only the one who deserves it.

Hopefully there are still many years of Ricardinho in futsal, but how would you like to say goodbye in the future?

I would like to say goodbye as I like to say goodbye everywhere. With people in the pavilion, to be able to do what I like the most, which is to play, and if it were so, better. Either with my club or with the national team. The most important thing is that sport will not stop, it will continue to be admired by all people and futsal will continue to be the love of my life.

If there is a confrontation against Spain in the World Cup, the expectation here would be maximum. Would it be more special now for you after spending a year out of our league?

Playing against high-quality teams is always special for me. Playing against the best like Brazil, like Iran, like Russia, like Italy … They are all very strong teams and we like to measure ourselves against the best. Not for not being or for playing in the league is more or less special. If you want it to be special then make it a final because it is already a sign that we have a guaranteed medal.

In Spain you marked a whole time and the dream of many fans would be to see you again in our league. Could it ever happen?

I don’t know that anymore -laughs-. I always take time to play in the leagues and try to make my mark. I have done it in Portugal, I have done it in Japan, I have done it in Spain … I think we should not go back where we have been happy because it is difficult to find better happiness. But hey, we never know the future.

[Más información: Ricardinho y su adiós al Inter: crisis con la directiva y sin despedida]

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