🎙️INTERVIEW | Rodríguez talks about himself

In an interview conducted for the Club’s official channels, Juan Martín Rodríguez opens up for the first time since arriving in Sardinia. He discusses his first taste of football as a child, being Uruguayan, and the bond between his country and Cagliari that dates back to the early 1990s. He also discusses the emotions of his recent debut, with two excellent performances in just a few days against Roma and Napoli.

THE ORIGINS AND FIRST KICKS
“I’ve always been a child—and then a young man—passionate about soccer. I spent a lot of time playing with friends from the neighborhood or with family members. At school, I mostly thought about recess, wanting to play again. I was three years old when I started. I couldn’t even catch the ball; I’d just play with the sand in the middle of the field. Then, over the years, I began to get the hang of it and actually play.” A key figure in his growth was his grandfather: “He was like a second father. Sometimes my mother or father couldn’t take me to practice, but he—Grandpa Juan Carlos—was always available.”

URUGUAYAN IDENTITY
“When you leave Uruguay, people recognize you as Uruguayan and look to you as someone who can emulate what other compatriots have achieved in Europe. It means demonstrating the way of experiencing football that identifies us. My father was my first coach. Then Serafín García had a huge influence on my development at Peñarol. Jadson Viera gave me the chance to make my first division debut at Boston River. And Diego Aguirre helped me a lot when I returned to Peñarol: playing in the first team is not the same as playing in the youth team.”

IDENTIKIT
“Sono un giocatore con molta dedizione, spirito di squadra, umile. Cerco di dare il massimo per il gruppo. Prima di tutto viene l’impegno: cerco di dare il massimo anche a livello tecnico, ovviamente. Modelli? Guardavo molto Godín, ora seguo Giménez, mi piace come marca e come va nel corpo a corpo. E poi Van Dijk, mi piace il suo senso del tempo”.

ITALIAN FOOTBALL
“È difficile adattarsi al calcio italiano: qui è molto veloce, si gioca molto con la palla tra i piedi, è tutto molto tecnico e tattico. In Uruguay il ritmo è diverso, hai più tempo per pensare”.

THE WELCOME IN CAGLIARI
“From day one, they made me feel at ease. The Rossoblu’s history is full of great Uruguayans, and they all try to help you give what others have given to the Rossoblu jersey. Diego Lopez? He told me to stay calm, to learn, and that when my time came, I should make the most of it.” Among his former Cagliari compatriots, Nahitan Nández was also a role model: “I met him on the national team. He welcomed me and told me Cagliari was a great place to play. I knew that coming here had been a great experience for many Uruguayans. My family and friends were thrilled. It was my first step into Europe.”

THE CITY, THE DEBUT, THE FANS
“Cagliari is very peaceful. When people see you, they greet you or congratulate you, and that pushes you to improve. I felt enormous pride in making my debut in the Coppa Italia and then in Serie A. I’ve been working for years to get to these moments. Without my family, my friends, and my grandfather, I wouldn’t have achieved anything. I saw the fans from the bench and I wanted to experience the game from the inside. Luckily, it happened, and then came a prestigious victory against Roma. I’m happy; we’re doing well. It’s hard being away from my family, but I try to do my best to make them proud of me. I thank the fans for how they welcomed me from day one and for how they support us everywhere. Having their support is very important to us. I ask them to continue to have faith and encourage us: we’ll try to defend them on the pitch and do our best so that in the end they’re all happy and proud.”

THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW: