Uruguay may never win a World Cup again, but the emergence of fresh young players has given the tiny South American nation a glimmer of hope for the future as it looks to regain its status as a leading soccer nation. One player that has been part of this revolution is Nacional center back and Real Madrid target Diego Godín.
At only 21, he has already cemented himself a starting position in the national team and several brilliant performances suggest he’s ready to follow the footsteps of several Uruguayan defenders that have found success in Europe’s toughest leagues.
But for now, Godín’s main priority is to help Nacional regain some of its pride with a good Copa Libertadores campaign, which it got underway in grand style last Wednesday, with a 3-1 victory over defending champion Internacional of Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Godín has also set his sights on this year’s Copa América and the 2010 World Cup. He is almost assured of a starting role for Uruguay as it looks to revive some of its past glory.
I caught up with the talented defender on Monday and we touched on several issues, including Nacional’s Libertadores aspirations, the future of Uruguayan soccer and his sudden rise to prominence.
SI.com: Many have compared you to former Juventus defender and Uruguay captain Paolo Montero.
Godín: To be compared with Paolo is an honor. But I think there is still a long way to go before I become as good a player as he is. I have to keep on working hard and improving every day.
SI.com: Your performances with Nacional and the national team have attracted interest from several top European clubs, including Real Madrid. If you had the choice, in which league would you prefer to play?
Godín: I think most of the European leagues are very strong and competitive. Obviously the leagues that we take more notice of here are the English, Spanish and Italian leagues. They are very nice leagues to play in and are all very strong. Any of these leagues would seduce any player.
SI.com: What can we expect from Nacional this year, both in the Copa Libertadores and the Uruguayan Championship?
Godín: At the moment we are only thinking about the Libertadores. We have a very important match coming up on Wednesday and it’s important that we get a positive result. We started off very well and we hope to keep on progressing in the competition. We didn’t start the Uruguayan league in the best way, but we expect to lift our heads, and we know by winning some matches we will be back in the hunt.
SI.com: Does the possibility to take part in the upcoming Copa América and World Cup qualifiers motivate you?
Godín: Of course, representing one’s country is the best thing that can happen to any soccer player. I prepare myself for that every day on the field. I try to make the most of the opportunities I’ve been given and I hope to continue to do so.
SI.com: Up to now, what has been your most important achievement as a soccer player?
Godín: Representing the national team. But to play in the Copa América and the World Cup qualifiers will be the best thing that could possibly happen to me.
SI.com: Which players did you look up to when you were growing up?
Godín: Montero is one of them. Obviously, even though I was small, I always admired [Uruguayan legend] Enzo Francescoli. He was a great player. Nowadays the player I like most is [Fenerbahçe's Uruguayan defender] Diego Lugano — he is a great person and an even better player.
SI.com: Do you think the victory over Club World Cup champion Internacional means Uruguayan soccer is back, or is it too early to tell?
Godín: I think the win was great for all the Uruguayans to win back respect. But we know the Copa Libertadores has just started. We have to do double the work to pass the first phase, but I think we are heading in the right path. The only way Uruguayan soccer can win back its respect is by winning these kinds of matches.
SI.com: Did eliminating Boca Juniors in last year’s Copa Sudamericana help give the side a winning mentality?
Godín: We know it was an important match, like the match against Inter. And we know that we can be on the same level as the best teams of the continent. These wins have given us lots of confidence, but it is only the start. Our main objective is to win an international title. But we know that there are plenty of important teams around, and we shouldn’t give anyone a head start.
SI.com: Nacional is in what has been deemed the Group of Death alongside Inter, Vélez Sarsfield and Emelec. Does Nacional have what it takes to reach the knockout phase?
Godín: I think so. Like I said, we started off well vs. Inter. Now we have a very difficult match to play against Vélez in Buenos Aires. And match by match, we’ll see how things go. I think we are at a good level and we will be very disappointed if we fail to reach the next round. One of the objectives is to pass the round, and then to see how far we can go.
SI.com: What can we expect when you face Vélez on Wednesday?
Godín: It’s going to be a difficult match. Vélez is a very strong team and has some good players. They are going to attack a lot and we are going to try to wait for an opening, defending ourselves well. We aren’t going to have many chances, but we will try to take advantage of the few we have, in order to get a good result.
SI.com: From what you have seen so far, which clubs do you feel are the main candidates to win the Libertadores?
Godín: Nacional is one of them. I have a lot of faith in us, and I think we have a good enough squad to reach the decisive stages of the competition. Then there are the teams that are always there: São Paulo, and other Brazilian teams like Inter. Vélez is another candidate, same as Boca. There are lots of strong teams, but this has just started. I think after this week’s matches, we will have a better idea of who are the biggest contenders.
SI.com: Why has it been so difficult for Uruguayan clubs to do well in South American club competitions in the last few years?
Godín: It’s difficult because the Uruguayan market isn’t as competitive as the others. The Uruguayan soccer player tries to emigrate quickly, and the good players go overseas before they are fully developed. This means the best players don’t stay in the country long, and this is where the quality is lost. The other teams, like the Argentines, are always very competitive, because they keep on rebuilding. Most of them count with very talented players. I think that’s one of the main reasons.
Gregory Sica
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