Icardi: “Zanetti has helped me since the day I came here”

It’s a great time for Mauro Icardi who is fulfilling his dream to wear the Argentine shirt: “Every Argentine wants to be here, the only Italian I have is my passport. It has always been my dream to wear this shirt, right from when I was little.”

But you have lived in Europe for ten years, half of your life…

“Yes, that’s true, but I haven’t forgotten my past… Everyone dreams of Argentina, even those who, like me, left. Everybody wants to come back, and now I’m very happy. I was here back in 2007 when I was with u-17, but it was less fuss then than it is now.”

Has anything changed now with your first selection to the national team’s squad?

“No, but I ‘m happy. To practice surrounded by superstars is very nice, but I’m calm. People like me are in the background and that makes me less nervous.”

Maybe if Messi were here…

“I met him at a party for Dolce & Gabbana, but I knew him already. This time I can’t play with him, but I hope there will be more chances. The young people are at the bottom.”

Sabella had already been to Italy to talk to you about being called, but it was a long time coming. Were you impatient?

“No, never. Again, I ‘m young, I’m only 20 years old. Sabella had never promised me anything but just wanted to know how I was thinking and I still think the same, that is that I have a lot to learn, play and to practice. If I worked hard, the national team would come, and it did. Now I want to repay the trust.”

As you, among other things, are doing at Inter. By the way, what are your countrymen saying. They are so many…

“Yes, we’re nine or ten. Initially they told me ‘go to Italy, go to Italy.’ After the match against Cagliari Cambiasso praised my goal and my performance, still there was no call. After two days, however, Sabella called and he congratulated me once more. El Pupi, for example, has helped me since the day I got here.”

At Inter they already knew about you, given the goals you scored with Sampdoria. But what are your characteristics?

“I’m a number 9 in the penalty area, my strengths are playing in the air and my speed. But in Barcelona, I also learned to play with the ball on the ground, they work that way. All teams at La Masia are playing 4-3-3 and playing… Between the age of 14 and 17, I was there and the coaches helped me very much. It was a risk to leave Barcelona, ​​but it was a risk I wanted to take after I talked to my agent. They were getting Ibrahimovic and I realized that it would be difficult to find a place in the first team. So I went to Sampdoria and I did well because I scored 10 goals in Serie A during my first year.”

Then Inter bought you for 13 million euros…

“I’m not going crazy by those things, I’m pretty calm…”

How do you like it in Europe? Would you like to live in Italy?

“Yes, that is quite clear. You live in a calm manner. This is the most obvious difference with Argentina.”

Source: fcinternews.it