Aguero: I'm on cloud nine
For Sergio Aguero, 22 July 2007 will not be remembered as just another day. One year on from the disappointment of missing out on selection for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, the stocky striker clinched his second FIFA U-20 World Cup crown in front of nearly 20,000 fans in Toronto. He also walked away with the tournament's top scorer and best player awards.
A matter of minutes after clinching his remarkable clean sweep, the Atletico Madrid starlet shared his thoughts with FIFA.com.
"This day means everything to me. No doubt about it, it's the happiest feeling in the world," says the man of the moment, smiling from ear to ear. "What more could I ask for? I've won the world title with Argentina, that doesn't happen every day!"
The gifted Argentinian has achieved everything he had set his sights on when first touching down on Canadian soil. Not only have the Albicelestes successfully defended the title he helped win at Netherlands 2005, but his superb, goal-laden displays have brought him both the adidas Golden Shoe and adidas Golden Ball awards. "I've got everything!" he exclaims delightedly. His team-mates, meanwhile, are caught up in raucous victory celebrations in the background, led by the diminutive dynamo that is Maximiliano Moralez.
Nothing can spoil this moment for El Kun, shortly to return to Spain for a second season in La Liga: "This title gives me the opportunity to go back to my club side (Atletico) and hope that things continue to go well. Let's see what happens from now on."
As the blue-and-white tinged festivities continue unabated, Aguero is visibly anxious to join his team-mates in celebration. The forward believes that Canada 2007 could prove a springboard to success with the senior side: "This title win boosts the reputations of all these players. Let's hope that it gives us a better chance of being involved with the full national team."
Goals and rewardsIn total, the former Independiente man played 605 minutes in Canada, more than enough time to make a vital contribution and capture the attention of the attending media. The striker also picked up the adidas Golden Ball after being voted the tournament's top player by an ample margin over his friend and team-mate Maxi Moralez, and Mexico's Giovanni Dos Santos.
"When I arrived here I said my dream was to become world champion and be voted best player. Now, having achieved that, I'm incredibly happy," he says, with two individual trophies in his arms. The second, the adidas Golden Shoe came courtesy of his finishing the tournament as top scorer after netting twice against Panama, once against Korea DPR, twice against Poland and also in the Final against the Czechs.
Even more impressive was the quality of several of those strikes, although the player has no doubt which one meant the most: "If I had to choose one, then it would have to be today's. It may not have been that spectacular, but it came in a final, and there's nothing to compare with that. For that reason it was the most beautiful, and it was fundamental to our winning the title," says the player who, with two individual awards, has matched the feats of Lionel Messi at Netherlands 2005, even down to the number of goals scored.
With his team-mates preparing to leave, Aguero gets ready to join them to the sounds of the folk song penned in his honour by Los Leales. Asked about his immediate plans, the player says: "I'm going to call home and talk to my family. And I also want to talk to my good friend [Lionel] Messi and share my experience with him." Together the pair look set to write many more golden pages in Argentinian footballing history.
source: FIFA.COM
