So Paulo FC is the team to watch if you want to see players juggling many balls at once. O Tricolor, which will play Flamengo in its opening match of the 2006 Brazilian championship, is looking to build on its incredible 2005 campaign, which saw it win three major championships, including the FIFA Club World Championship in December.
The staunch defense of So Paulo, led by Uruguayan international Diego Lugano, is crucial to the team’s success. After a recent training session at the club’s five-star training facility, I was especially struck by the highly regarded center-back, who is one of the most sought-after defenders in the world of soccer.
A revived Lugano appeared to have just begun, continuing with ball skills, stretching, and 30 minutes of muscle training before taking a break to make live broadcasts for various Brazilian television networks. The rest of the team had gone to the showers after a long day’s labor.
We finally had the chance to talk about his quick climb to stardom, his worldwide career, and life in So Paulo after he had calmed down.
Q: Before traveling to So Paulo, you were not well-known in Uruguay. When you initially joined the club, did you ever think you’d be that successful?
Lugano: To be honest, when one joins a prestigious team like So Paulo, one usually hopes for the best, but what transpired has undoubtedly beyond hope. Off the field, I have gained people’s respect and have learned a lot as a soccer player and as a person. On the field, we won the Copa Libertadores, the Club World Championship, and the 2005 Paulista Championship. As I often say, my expectations for So Paulo were exceeded by reality.
Q: You’ve won back-to-back awards for best center-back in Brazil, and last year, voters named you the second-best player in South America. What does that feel like to you?
Being recognized as the greatest center-back in Brazil for two years in a row was significant, especially given that everyone is aware that here is where the finest soccer in the world is played. Every day, players are sold here to any team in the world, and it is challenging for foreigners to play here and much more so to be successful, therefore I take great delight in this. It was a dream come true to be ranked among the top two players on the continent thanks to my accomplishments at So Paulo and with the Uruguayan national team. Although it will be challenging, I aim to do this again this year.
Q: What distinctions can be drawn between Uruguayan and Brazilian soccer?
Lugano: There are significant variances in several areas. First off, it’s impossible to compare structure because Brazil has more than 200 million people whereas Uruguay has just three million, making Brazil’s structure far superior to Uruguay’s. The worth of Uruguayan soccer is unaffected by the fact that internal competition in Brazilian soccer is far higher. Uruguay has always been a competitive soccer nation that has achieved significant things and will continue to do so, despite its tiny size and lack of investment opportunities in the sport. It’s great fun to play soccer in a huge nation like Brazil, and I’m glad to be Uruguayan.
What lessons can you draw from Brazilian soccer, asks SI.com?
Lugano: Your soccer nearly always becomes better when you play against strikers with a lot of talent and teams with good technique and loads of energy. No matter what area of life you are looking at, I believe that if you have a goal and work toward it with enough support, everything gets a lot simpler. You develop and adapt to where you play. I am appreciative that So Paulo offered me the chance to represent my nation and succeed professionally. The high caliber of Brazilian competition has aided my development as a player.
Q: What do you consider to be your strongest playing attribute?
Lugano: As a center-back, I aim to make use of my space on the field. I aim to time my exit from the region to avoid assaults and make the greatest use of my physical attributes and aerial strength. Off the field, I am a complete professional. I devote my entire life to soccer and am constantly looking to get better.
Q: Uruguay boasts some of the finest soccer players in the world, so why is it so hard to qualify for the World Cup?
Lugano: In certain ways, we players share some of the blame. However, a large portion of the fault lies with Uruguayan soccer’s internal issues, mainly because of the directors. I believe that this is also influenced by the nation’s economic status. Uruguay organized itself in the World Cup qualifiers in a very amateurish way. Today, all members of the national teams should focus entirely on playing soccer, with internal problems being handled by others. We arrived late for the playoff game in Australia, which was an example of this lack of planning. It was hard to completely concentrate on the game since the journey there was a nightmare. These drawbacks give us the impression that, while having outstanding players, we are still lacking in organization. Without professionalism and structure, our ability to compete at a high level is compromised.
What can be done to fix this, asks SI.com?
Lugano: I’m not sure where to begin, but I’m confident that Uruguay provides you with advantages that no other team in the world can match. That is what I find confusing; perhaps it has anything to do with how the nation’s economy is doing. However, I believe there is a lack of self-discipline and order. We must start working on streamlining the structure of our young divisions so that talented players continue to emerge. Because we don’t have players of that caliber anymore, Uruguay isn’t the force it was 10 to 15 years ago. We must view soccer as a professional and important sport, as has begun to happen in the majority of other nations.
Q: You wore the captain’s band against England in a friendly match last March, and are the frontrunner to succeed Paolo Montero as captain of the Uruguayan national team. How does it feel to be in charge of this?
Lugano: It is an enormous honor for me that Uruguay sees me as Montero’s replacement since Paolo represents so much to us as a player, a person, and a leader both on and off the field. Being compared to him is an enormous honor because as a player, I want to be like him. However, I don’t want to be Paolo Montero; instead, I want to be me and guide the national team in a way that is unique to me. And at the age of 25, having the opportunity to lead the squad against England as captain is similar to seeing some of my goals come true. It was a dream come true, but I’m hoping it’s only the beginning of many wonderful experiences with La Celeste.
Q: Despite competition from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Liverpool, you insist on remaining with So Paulo for the time being. However, you must be considering a future transfer to play soccer in Europe.
Lugano: Several of the teams you named made concrete offers last year, but we had a project to build a champion squad at So Paulo, and we had a memorable ’05 when we won everything. I don’t regret my choice because it was a dream come true. Therefore Paulo now, I am well-liked and respected, so I have nothing to repent. If I ever have to travel to Europe, I’ll do so with a strong desire to succeed and big expectations. However, I am currently in the best club in the world, one that is excellent and first-rate in every way, so I am not preoccupied and am hoping to stay at the club for a while.
Which European league, if you were to transfer overseas in the future, would you like to play in?
Lugano: I don’t have a choice, but given my history and playing style, I believe Italy would be the greatest fit. But because I am a fighter and I work hard to achieve my goals with professionalism, I am a person who can adapt to any situation.
Q: As a young soccer player, who were your role models?
Hugo de Leon was my biggest role model growing up because he was a center-back, a terrific captain, and a leader. Lugano But when I started playing professionally, Paolo Montero—as a center-back, a person, and a leader—became my major role model. My major references to Uruguayan soccer were those two.
Q: What do you like to do on the weekends?
Lugano: Due to the ongoing nature of matches in Brazil, I make an effort to spend time with my wife and children. You travel a lot and play 80 matches a year, so you don’t have much free time. And when you do, your family always comes first because they truly need you there, especially my kid. I thus make an effort to spend as much time with them as I can.
Q: Which other clubs, except So Paulo, do you believe have a chance of winning the Copa Libertadores?
Lugano: Internacional of Porto Alegre is one of the other excellent Brazilian clubs, in my opinion. Although Corinthians may not have a long history in the league, the club has made significant investments in talented players. I believe that Chivas of Mexico is a powerful team as well, and you should always respect River, a significant competitor. It’s going to be a hotly contested Libertadores, in my opinion. It will be a pleasure to play, and I’m hoping we can repeat our performance from the previous season.
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