This week Laporte was a guest on former footballer Mario Suárez's video channel "Mario's Journey." In the second part of the program (which due to its length was divided into five parts), he shared his thoughts on Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Enrique, De la Fuente, and others.

What did you do when the final whistle blew?

I hugged the first person I saw, dropped to my knees, and looked at my family in the stands.

Did you ask to be substituted, by the way?

Yes, I was exhausted. My body had stiffened up, and my calves were completely shot.

Who was the first person you thought of when you won the championship?

Unfortunately, the first person I thought of was my father, who pushed me toward football but is no longer with us. Of course, I also thought of my mother in the stands, my wife, and my children. My father would definitely have been there. He was even at Euro, but he couldn't share in my World Cup glory.

How important are your parents in your life?

Very important. My father always accompanied me on my football journey and taught me to strive for excellence. I left home at 11 to join the academy, and at 15 I went abroad to Athletic Bilbao. He shaped my strong inner character. My mother has always given me warmth from a distance. Both of them made me who I am today, and this honor is my way of repaying them.

What was celebrating the World Cup victory like?

Insane. Time zone changes, celebration after celebration. I barely slept for a long time, but the whole team had an amazing time together.

Do you have any interesting stories?

The bus was supposed to leave after the ceremony, and I was late. I was with my family and friends, running around the upper floors and completely ignoring that the bus was waiting. Everyone kept calling me, and I eventually arrived late.

You formed a very effective central defensive partnership with 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí. How would you rate him? What's his potential?

He's very young but exceptionally solid. He rarely makes the mistakes typical of players his age. Many young defenders rush forward too much, misjudge danger on the pitch, and create risks for the team, but Cubarsí is magnificent and has enormous potential for growth. He's already on the right path.

What about Lamine Yamal, who is also 19?

He changes the game. He always draws multiple defenders, is almost unstoppable one-on-one, and possesses exceptional technical ability. In time, he will achieve great things in football; I have no doubt about it.

Let's talk about your two national team managers. First was Enrique, under whom you made your Spain debut. What were his best and worst qualities?

He has an excellent life philosophy and has overcome many hardships that shaped his character. His weakness is that he can be too stubborn; once he makes a decision, he struggles to be flexible.

What about De la Fuente? What's the key to his success?

He's good at managing the team and knows how to communicate with every player, which is a huge advantage. He doesn't easily succumb to media pressure, and that's fully reflected in his coaching. If I had to joke about a "weakness," it's that he's obsessed with physical conditioning and has built a surprisingly strong physique.

Tell us about your childhood. Where were you born? What are your earliest memories? Did both your parents play sports?

I was born in Agen and lived there until I was 15. My father played rugby and later tried football, but it wasn't for him. My mother also played football in her youth.

At 15 you moved to Spain to join Athletic Bilbao. How did that happen?

I was playing for an Aquitaine regional team from France and played a friendly match against a Biscay regional team. Athletic Bilbao scouts were there, saw me, and were impressed. They then invited me to a trial tournament. After the match, negotiations began, and everything followed from there.

Was it difficult at first, being 15 in a foreign country away from your family?

It was very tough; I was incredibly homesick. And I didn't speak Spanish at all. Fortunately, there were four other young teammates from Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz in France with me. The five of us supported each other during those early difficult times. I was terribly homesick for my family.

On weekends, when possible, I would travel home by bus or train. But the journey was long, so I couldn't return every week. Many weekends I was the only one left in the club's dormitory; all my other teammates went home to the Basque Country. It was fortunate that video calls were available back then, so I could at least see my family in the evenings.

Переведено ИИ.

Сайт AF теперь доступен! Читайте полные новости, комментарии, детали матчей и статистику на компьютере. Посетите: www.allfootballapp.com