Trezeguet, Gareca, Sorín, Dudamel and Aimar took the stage in Bogotá

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The fourth Novo Fútbol Summit exhibited in the Colombian capital new trends in international football with fans from different regions of South America

Leer en español: Trezeguet, Gareca, Sorín, Dudamel y Aimar coparon la escena en Bogotá

An event that is consolidated and we could even say is reinvented every year: the Novo Fútbol Summit, the one that is based in Bogotá, but whose content is of Latin American interest and which, in its fourth edition in 2019, had the privilege of having people from the soccer world such as Juan Pablo Sorín, who served as presenter, David Trezeguet, Ricardo Gareca, Pablo Aimar and Rafael Dudamel, among other characters linked to the most popular sport on the planet.

Latin American Post was present in the two days of this important event, recognized in social media as #cumbrenovo2019. This time, if we compare with the 2018 edition, it was more directed to the general public, to the amateur, who could come close to their idols with very relaxed and informal conversations. Technology, what should be done in the continent to compete with Europeans, and personal anecdotes were the main issues.

Read also: A change that is on track! A different Champions League than the current one?

Latin America behind Europe?

One of the sports themes exhibited by the organizers was how to win. Regarding this, Ricardo Gareca, Peru National Team's manager, and the ex-player David Trezeguet, current ambassador of the Juventus, emblem of the FIFA and champion of the world in France 1998, did not hide his positions.

Peru's coach, who qualified them for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after 36 years of absence, said: "It strikes me that new generations know so much about European soccer and do not know the quality of our soccer. Been born in Europe or Spain does not necessarily make players better than ours, I think we should start by highlighting our own a bit more".

Technically, 'El Tigre' pointed out: "To win again, or have better chances, South American soccer must recover the technique, its boldness and freshness to play, and not be so European, now everyone wants to be European because it is the style that now reigns in world soccer."

In turn, the half-Argentinian, half-French, Trezeguet was a bit sharper. "The reality is that 90% of the players who go to a World Cup play in the best leagues in Europe. In there, they envy the South American talent, that's no secret, but it's not just talent. I think America should learn UEFA's discipline, planning, and organization, beyond that economically the reality here is very different", he said referring to the fact that in the old continent several clubs are private, owned by their own private owners and not by the state or governmental entities, as it happens more frequently in this part of the world.

Technology in soccer

Personally, one of the more interesting talks, from the information point of view, was the one by Argentinian journalist Alejandro Varsky, Content Leader of FIFA, who confessed the gigantic impact that social networks have when they are used by world stars, and how the media should readjust to that, that they are no longer the main reference for society when it comes to wanting to learn something.

"In today's soccer, a player like Pogba (Paul) posts you what happened 20 minutes after the game, they move more social media than we do, so for us it's important to have them as support. Instagram is the social network that soccer players use the most, and now they are not the same as before, everything has changed, today, for example, taking pictures with them in the World Cups, it's an event."

Pablo Aimar is remembered for his time in River Plate, Valencia in Spain and Benfica in Portugal, among others, but few know that a month and a half ago he guided the U-17 Argentinian team towards the South American title. On technology, he outlined his opinion. "We can not leave the guys (their players) without technology because we can not be without it, it's a complex issue but I think we've managed to have it under control."

Anecdotes and opinions of two former players, now managers

One of the most remembered phrases of Aimar was when Sorín asked him about his relationship with Messi. "The times that I have crossed with Messi we have exchanged T-shirts, but I have not crossed it yet in this new stage of my life, in my stage as a coach," said the also member of the management staff of the Argentinian senior team.

Some confessions that left the former River Plate player were "the coaches that marked me the most were Marcelo Bielsa and Jorge Jesús, the coach that I had while I played in Benfica". He also said "Javier Saviola is the player with the best understanding on the field", before a surprise video of the organizers in which Saviola reaffirmed the great friendship that unites them.

Finally, Rafael Dudamel, Venezuela National Team's manager, and who attends the event for the second year in a row, reiterated his hopes regarding the classification of Venezuela to Qatar 2022 and shared some theories that he applies in his work and in life.

"In the construction of the teams, it is important that everyone assumes the same responsibility, both the referents and the young people. It's about having soccer with identity. You must be clear about who you are, how you are and where you are going."

For the former goalkeeper, soccer is about winning and losing and, in that sense, he pointed out that "the journalist is the only actor in soccer who never loses", before securing the closing of his presentation: "My dream is to take for the first time my country to a World Cup," he concluded.

LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano

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