JUlíán Álvarez is Atletico Madrid’s attacking standard and perhaps the most important player in Simeone’s team. The Argentine has his sights set on the opposition’s goals, having scored nine goals between La Liga and the Champions League this season, seven of which have come in the national championship, leaving him second in the race for the Pichichi trophy.
In a wide-ranging interview with L’Equipe, Julian Alvarez looks back on his entire playing career, from the moment he left his native Argentina to his arrival in England and then Atlético, where he established himself as one of the world’s best strikers.
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He had a tryout for Real Madrid as a child, but says it wasn’t the right time to make the leap to Europe. “I had the opportunity to come to Madrid when I was 11 years old. My father accompanied me to Spain for about 20 days. I trained with Real Madrid and then played in a tournament in Peralada, which I won. But in order to stay, my whole family had to come and live with me. It was a great experience, but it was too early.”
When I was 11 years old, I trained with Real Madrid (…); but to stay here my whole family would have had to come and live with me
In modern soccer, where physicality is extremely important, it is rare for a center forward in a top European team to be 1.70 meters tall. Julian knows this and has had to overcome these prejudices throughout his childhood, wherever he goes. “I remember very well my first trial in River Plate. They asked me the year of my birth and my title.” I said, “2000, No. 9.” They said to me, “Number 9?” Number 9 in your category! ‘And they pointed to the big man. But I knew my strengths, so I wasn’t worried at all. As a number nine, I could play a little further back, on the right or on the left, and I was able to adapt. That was never a problem. ”
It’s not just his height that makes him the odd man out in today’s football. The dressing room is full of tattoos, his arms are covered in drawings, his back is covered with no ink, his legs are fully decorated… But Julien is cut out of a different cloth: “The other day at the national team camp, someone commented that I was the only player without a tattoo. I don’t do it to be different. When I was a kid, my dad used to tell us, “No tattoos, no smoking, no alcohol.” Everyone gets their own tattoos when they grow up.” But I don’t feel the need to get a tattoo.
To tell the truth, I am very calm and enjoy spending time at home with my loved ones. That’s where I feel the happiest. ”
When I was young, my father would often tell me, “No tattoos, no smoking, no drinking.”
In two seasons at Manchester City, he scored 36 goals in 6,007 minutes, but Haaland’s numbers probably overtook him and he wasn’t as prominent as he would have liked. “I didn’t always play in the decisive games, but I had quite a lot of playing time. I often came on as a substitute.” This final reflection led him to come to Spain. “I was approached by several clubs. I chose to come to Atlético because I felt that because of the space they offered me, I could earn my place here and do my best.”
Julian Alvarez’s name is heard repeatedly on the market. He is rumored to be replacing Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona, as he was previously at PSG. Julian focuses on red and white. “Frankly, I don’t know. I see what is being said on social networks… In Spain there was a lot of talk about me and Barcelona. When I signed for Atlético last year, there was also a lot of talk about Paris.P It’s true that there were conversations between the SG board and my agent. They were interested in signing me, but it didn’t happen. For now, I’m focused on Atlético. We’ll see what happens at the end of the season,” he says.
In Spain, they talk a lot about me and Barcelona. When I signed with Atlético last year, there was a lot of talk about Paris.
His performances over the past few seasons have made him one of the candidates for the Ballon d’Or, but he is by no means the favorite. He finished seventh for the award in 2023, but was not among the top 30 nominees for two seasons. He doesn’t lose sleep over it. “Of course, it’s an honor to be named among the 30 best players in the world and to be present at such an important event. It means I’m doing something right. I’m proud of that, but I don’t mind not being among the 30 nominees. I’m doing what I’m passionate about. I don’t need praise to be happy. Just playing football is enough for me.”
His good performances are also based on the confidence his coach Cholo Simeone has in him on the pitch. “We share the same vision for football: passion, hard work, dedication, the desire to compete against two big clubs, never give up and always believe,” he says. “On the pitch, he trusts me and gives me complete freedom. Our relationship is very positive.”
