Etoo's 22-year-old son Etienne Etoo has performed well in the past season, scoring 32 goals in the Vallecano reserve team and scoring his first goal in the King's Cup of Rey last October. Next season, Etienne will officially become a member of Vallecano's first team. The player recently talked about his feelings in an interview with "Marca".
From Mallorca to Guimaraes and finally find happiness in Vallecano...
"Yes, this is a place that makes me feel trusted. Their evaluation of me is not based on my name or past experience, but on my performance and my value as a player and individual. I see people cheering for what I do, which makes me feel very happy."
What do you think when you were drafted by Vallecano's first team to play the Copa RE?
"At the beginning of the season, I have been training in the first team on a daily basis. I firmly believe that as long as I continue to perform well, I will get a chance sooner or later, and this opportunity finally comes. When I think about the possibility of a debut, I hope to have a chance to score a goal."
So you scored a goal too...
"Yes, this is a very important step, and to some extent gives you meaning and value to all the work you have done since childhood."
Talking about La Liga debut
"You can really feel how fast this changes, whether it is football or life. Last season I was still playing in the low-level league, and I made my debut in La Liga in less than a year. I have always longed for this opportunity to realize my dream - in La Liga Present. I feel that I performed well, tried my best on the court, and did not retreat. But I believe I have greater potential, and over time, I will definitely prove it."
Talk about Father
"I admire his hunger the most. I lacked this mentality a few years ago, and now I have this strong enterprising spirit. I long to prove myself, I want to play, and I want to gain a foothold in the top league. My father has always had this spirit of not giving up as a player. "
Talk about completing 7 double hits in the reserve team, 1 hat-wrapping and scoring the first goal in the first team...
"Yes, this year was very smooth, I am very, very happy."
Do people often compare you with my father?
"I think this is normal. After all, he has a very good football career and has a huge influence in the football world. I am still developing my career now. I believe that through hard work, people will gradually forget who my father is and then start to recognize my achievements."
What are the similarities between you and your father?
"Although we are different types of players, there are indeed many details that we are very similar, such as running style, ball control skills and shooting. I think we performed very similarly at the distance of two meters after starting. Maybe he was faster because speed is his big advantage. But I didn't deliberately imitate him in this regard. It's a bit like you often watch someone play football, and you will unconsciously learn his movements."
Talking about the difficulties of career
"I made great efforts to get to where I am today. This step is a long and difficult road, but I am ready to contribute to the team, play a role in the first team and score goals. If I decide to give me a chance, I believe I can perform well and repay the fans and team’s trust in me with goals. I have experienced much more difficulties than good times, which is a fact. But it is a very good thing to be able to enter the top league in the end. I see it as a chance for my life now, I will do my best to achieve my goals, and I firmly believe that I will succeed. ”
Have you ever thought of giving up at the low point?
"I am not a person who gives up easily. Of course, I will sometimes feel like everyone else, and sometimes feel that I can't hold on. But I will immediately abandon these negative thoughts and keep moving forward. This is what my family taught me since I was a child. I remember my mother has been by my side and supported me, and she has experienced much more difficulties than I did. Therefore, I have always maintained a positive attitude and always believed that my future is in football."
Will you get a degree in business administration next year, right?
"Yes, I like to study, and studying is always a good thing."
Are you a person with very good psychological qualities?
"I don't think a person should be strong in self-evaluation. I try not to pay too much attention to things that are irrelevant, but focus on things that I can control... My mother, agent, and people around me have been helping me manage and control my emotions."
Who gave you the best advice?
"My mother, whether in good times or bad times, has always been my biggest supporter. We have learned how to treat things with a normal mind. She never let me give up, always told me that if something makes me unhappy, I can choose to let go, there is no obligation to persevere, she has made me take the burden off. She and my agent played an important role in my growth. Indeed, when I was very young, there was a time when it was the agent who pushed me out of the trough, and I can stand here now."
How heavy is the last name "Etoo"?
"If you think so, then it is really weighty, but you don't need to emphasize it deliberately. Sometimes it may appear heavy, but when you perform well, this pressure will also disappear in a positive way, and you have to work hard to lead the last name to the positive side. It's always part of me, you can't choose your last name, but it makes you proud. I'm proud to have my father's name, in which case I represent him on another level, so I'm going to do my best to do what I can."
The best position is center?
"I feel comfortable in the penalty area. Shooting and goals are areas where I am good at and can also make me the greatest contribution to the team.. ”
The way of free kicks is like Ronaldo?
"He is my role model. He is an extraordinary player, never giving up, work tirelessly, sacrifice himself, and surpass himself. ”
Messi or Ronaldo?
" They are all great, but I prefer Etoo. ”