What is it like growing up with a soccer father? That is the question with which it has just been released ‘Children of Football’the new podcast Paulo Futre Jr.son of the Atlético de Madrid legend, in which he interviews other sons and daughters of great figures of the beautiful sport to discover their most human side.
The first episode premieres with a very special guest: Luis Aragonés Jr., son of the Wise Man of Hortaleza. In the conversation, he reveals some of the most human and everyday aspects of his father: from his passion for mus and flamenco to the role that Di Stéfano had in choosing his school, San Agustín. He reviews some of the hardest moments of his father’s career just before Euro 2008. The role of his children and Luis’s relationship with his grandchildren.
“My father didn’t sleep much. I have been up more than 90% of my life and he was already awake,” says Luis Aragonés Jr. before telling an anecdote in which Luis made it clear to Paredes that “the boss was the first to arrive and the last to leave.” A sample of the personality that the coach had.
A stage, that of coach, that had many difficult moments for Luis and his family, as his son well remembers. “My father was a tough guy, what tough guys also feel. You try to calm yours but when you close the door you are alone with your wars. He always told us don’t read, don’t listen, don’t pay attention… I’m strong and they won’t knock me down.”. But we knew he had low moments. It went by quickly, yes,” says Aragonés Jr.
The great memory of Luis’s career was returning Spain to glory with the 2008 Euro title. But not everything was easy until then, as his son explains with Paulo Futre Jr.: “The Eurocup left us with an unbeatable taste in our mouths. Beyond the title, the work. It was a commendable job. The job of making a selection was taken up by my father. We have gone from being nothing to being something. Right now no one disputes the work my father has had but at the time he did and it was very hard.. Those of us who were around had it so bad… And today it is the opposite. People tell you ‘I’m from Madrid but your father changed us’, and that’s how it is, he really changed us.”
Beyond the title, the work. It was a commendable job. The job of making a selection was taken up by my father. We have gone from being nothing to being something. Right now no one disputes the work my father has had but at the time he did and it was very hard.
Those months before the Euro were hard for everyone who was close to the Wise Man of Hortaleza. His son remembers in the podcast a moment that was key: “I remember a story that I will always take with me. I think of it as the father who has helped you all your life and the moment in which the son supports the father. I entered my house and my father was very bad. I was thinking of resigning. And I told him ‘father, keep going, you’re doing well.’ And he told me that I was right, ‘fuck everyone, I’m going ahead.’ And suddenly he looked at me and scolded me for not working.”.
A first episode that shows the great personality of Luis Aragonés and that kicks off a series that will bring more ‘Sons of Football’. Children of Ballon d’Or winners have already been confirmed for future episodes, including some ‘galacticos’, presidents of big clubs, world-famous agents, iconic sports journalists and active players who also had footballer parents. The project is supported by Vitruvea training technology company used by some of the best teams in the world, including Atleti, Barça and Real Madrid.
