Emiliano Buendia of Norwich talks Argentina team, Lionel Messi, Riquelme

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Emiliano Buendia has been called-up to the Argentina national team for the first time in his career after representing two different national teams at youth level.

Buendia played in Europe at a young age and never played for a senior club in Argentina. Speaking in an interview with Cómo te va, the 24 year old commented on how he knew he made the Argentina team, a conversation with Lionel Messi, playing in Europe at a young age, players he watched and Diego Maradona.

Despite playing for Spain at youth level, Buendia did represent Argentina at an U20 World Cup. However, he has never played for the senior Argentina national team. Here’s what he had to say regarding his call-up:

“What I am living is a dream. I got the call from Aimar to tell me that I was going to be in the Argentina national team.”

Regarding his upcoming debut:

“I’m very anxious and I expect to do my best, to meet the best of the Argentina national team. Putting on the Argentina kit is something great. One always imagines it and dreams about it and now I have the opportunity to make it a reality.”

The Argentina also spoke about a conversation he had with Lionel Messi while playing with Getafe:

“I played twice against Messi at the Camp Nou. I spoke to him during half time because I was playing with the Spanish U19 team and he asked me if I was going to play with Spain or with Argentina. He surprised me a lot and I told him that I was Argentine and I wanted to play with him.”

In regards to playing in Europe at a young age:

“I left to play in Europe at 11 years old, I was playing at the Cadetes de San Martin and I went to Europe. I spent a few years at Real Madrid, I missed my family a lot but it was clear that I wanted to play football.

“A lot of times when things weren’t going well, I would think about going back to Argentina but I went through a lot of things as a kid and my dream was to play football. So at the age of 14, I left Real Madrid to join Getafe. It was a mew challenge and I skipped the youth teams. At 17 I was able to debut with the senior team in the Copa del Rey.”

About Argentine football and the Premier League:

“I always try to follow the football in Argentina, I’m a fan of River and I try to follow them but for now I’m very well in Europe and I’m not thinking about going back to Argentina. The Premier League is something special, the atmosphere on the pitch is incredible, they support you the entire time and with a lot of respect. It’s something special.”

A midfielder himself, Buendia spoke about the players he watched growing up:

“I always admired and watched a lot of how Riquelme played, he was an incredible number 10. As a River fan, I watched Aimar, D’Alessandro, Saviola, I watched a bit of everything.”

In addition, Buendia commented about Diego Maradona:

“One always listens to the parents or the family members that saw Maradona. I think the entire world knows what he transmitted on the pitch and off it and the special thing is that he was for our football. It’s beautiful watching him on video, I can’t imagine how he was on a pitch.”

26 Comments

  1. Scaloni said the reason paulo wasn’t called up was because he hasn’t played a lot of minutes for club. Keep in mind he called up aguero whos been struggling with fitness issues this whole season

  2. From a different perspective of a neutral individual, since i like all the Argentine football clubs without supporting a specific one, even though i always had the tedency to like River more than the others: The decision of not allowing River to use at least one single goalkeeper is scandalous to say the least! And my friend Cox4, allow me to answer to your question, if it was for a Brazilian club, the whole copa libertadores would have been postoponed, the same that happened to the wc qualifiers when Brazil denied to fixture with their local players! Simple as that!

    You know, sometimes we are obligued to know and see the obvious, instead of keeping our eyes or ears shut!

    • Yes, I mean almost always a YES! Had it been a Brazilian club, not those big fishes, say even a Bahia or a Ceara, Conmebol would have most probably been a bit more lenient. I expect River to tide over these challenges somehow, by hook or by crook…

  3. N/T always need new elements such as fresh young players who give up everything for the jersey and try hard to perform their best to cement the place in n/t. Beside it will be a surprise “X factor” to the opponents. Buendia, Emi Martinez, C.Romero will be a good selection.

    • Sometimes coach have to take brave decision… Just like France coach. Benzema recall .. argentina coach also starting to take bold decison to look for QATAR…. You can’t go to qatar with armani otamandi pezzela.

  4. Best Argentina 11 from 30 man squad:
    Formation 4 3 3
    Emi Martinez
    Foyth C. Romero Otamendi Acuna
    De Paul Paredes Lo celso
    Messi Lautaro N. Gonzalez

    2nd best 11
    Formation 4 3 3
    A. Maschrain
    Molina Pezella Palomino Tagliafico Emi Buendai G. Rodriguez Papu Gomez
    Di Maria Aguero J. Correa

  5. Cox, Angileri is a San Martin and Boca academy product, not River, his idol was Martin Palermo. Btw with the remaining players a team like this in 5-3-2 Casco-Lecanda-Martinez-Maidana-Angileri—Carrasco-Felipe Pena Biafiore-Paradela—Julian Alvarez-Fontana would be good for a draw minimum vs Junior with a goalkeeper. Defensively sounds good, so maybe even with Enzo Perez in the net, have to deny Sante Fe shootings.

      • yes true. good point. just why to eliminate only because Conmebol don t allow us use 1 goalkeeper. it is not fair. the kindest word i can use.

        if in the place of River was 1 team from Brasil you believe the decition suppose be same? be sure NO.

    • Yes i write wrong about academy. But he is mosrly “product” of River plate.
      because Gallardo make him the player he is now.
      in Godoy cruz he became profesional player.

      But don t even mention Boca at all. they just take him on loan and after some testings they send him back to Mendoza almost directly.
      they didn t deserve any single piece of credit about Angileri.
      if he was fan of Boca as boy i don t know and i don t have reason to don t believe you.
      just he is member of River family anymore and he “bleed” for our jersey.

      as about Perez last info i had it is that he is injured and probably he is not able to play.
      as about Santa Fe game i hope you will be right after game.
      the players available truth is those you post up.
      Personally i want our players go out and pretend the injury to postpone game because i afraid most possibly we will face humiliation and not only just a defeat.

      • not that it is intrest me he go to Europe but i have see much worse than him players to go to European clubs before. yes he should not be considered as talent anymore true at 27 but anyhow if he continue play well and better than now then sure he have place in national team despite which club he is playing. if he is not wanted from other clubs then ok no problem. He will have one place in River plate anyway.

        • I agree he might be good enough to at least be given a chance to be tried as a LB at the NT. If Tagliafico or Acuña get injured or their form drops badly then Angileri would be on the top of my list of the players to replace them.

    • Both De Paul and Buendai are different kind of player we need both. Each have their own kind of playing style and both are good in it.

    • You can’t say that , anyone who’s been watching udinese this season knows that de paul is the definition of progressing in serie A and I agree with Kevin’s comment that each player is different

  6. He displays a lot of passion for the national jersey like emi martinez. Wld love to see him against chile & colombia. If messi plays central in a 4-2-3-1 its very much possible.

  7. “WHAT I AM LIVING IS A DREAM. I GOT THE CALL FROM AIMAR TO TELL ME THAT I WAS GOING TO BE IN THE ARGENTINA NATIONAL TEAM.”

    crazy from a players perspective. Grow up watching amazing players to getting a personal call asking to join the NT.

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