María Fe Serra: “Almost everyone’s candidate is Argentina”

Her World Cup memories go back to Korea-Japan 2002. That emotion has led her to watch every World Cup since then. María Fe Serra is a member of the digital magazine Sudor and, in addition, co-founder of Talenta, a representation agency for female soccer players whose purpose is the integral development of players from an early age. Today she is clear that she wants to see Messi’s Argentina crowned champion in Qatar 2022.

—Who is your candidate to win the World Cup in Qatar 2022? Why?

My candidate is Argentina and I know that almost everyone’s is also. There is no doubt that he is in a great moment, beyond the fact that he comes from being champion of America, he is in a good sporting moment. Most of the players are at a fairly high level and even when they reach the national team their level rises higher. As a group they seem solid, that they care for each other, that they respect each other and there is this conviction of wanting to win the championship and of wanting to give that title to Messi. Maybe it’s a bit subjective on my part, but I always try to make my candidate a South American because I want them to do well and win.

—Who will be the scorer in Qatar 2022?

This question is very difficult for me because there are many players who arrive at a high level and with a lot of goals, but that does not mean that their teams will go that far. Following that line and because I believe that Argentina will reach advanced stages, I would be encouraged to say that the scorer could be Lautaro Martínez, because of the position in which he is playing and because he has a lot of goals.

—Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Mbappé?

For everything I said before, I stay with Messi.

—Where do you watch the World Cup?

A bit of everything. For some games I already met in advance with some friends and friends to get together to see them. Others I will also see with my family and I am sure that due to the schedule some I will see at home, especially on work days.

—Do you have any World Cup cabal?

I don’t have cabals and I never felt the need to have. Perhaps because the first time I saw Peru in a World Cup was Russia 2018 and I think I tried to see it very objectively. I always thought that we were not going to make it past the group stage, even if I wanted to believe otherwise, it was very difficult for me.

“Do you bet or play any dick?”

I don’t usually bet, but from time to time and for the last World Cup I bet on the semifinals and the final and it went well, I hit everything. Let’s see if I’m doing just as well this year.

—What is the first World Cup you remember or the one you saw first?

The first World Cup that I remember very well is Korea-Japan 2002 and I think it caused quite an impact. I remember very clearly that it was a World Cup that made me very excited. It was at this World Cup that they gave me my first ball, a Fevernova. I don’t know if it’s because of the memories it brings back to me, but for me the Fevernova is the most beautiful ball that can exist in the world, it really is very beautiful. I remember a lot about that World Cup, having put the album together. I remember going to McDonald’s because in the happy meal they gave you the World Cup mascots that seemed amazing to me. I have the memory that I went with my parents to Polvos Azules and we bought some ‘Total 90 Rojas’ that were incredible.

—How much of an impact did it have on you?

Above all are the memories he left me. I had many illusions for that World Cup in Korea-Japan and it exceeded my expectations, and until now I keep those memories with me that are very special to me.

—Does the World Cup really paralyze you?

Not really. The World Cup seems to me, after the Olympic Games, the most beautiful sporting event in the world, it is wonderful, but I think that the last time it paralyzed me was 2018. Although as a World Cup it did not seem the best to me, we have seen better, That your country plays gives another emotion and that is contagious. That is something that I experienced for the first time last World Cup because I had never seen Peru in a World Cup before and I realized that it was different from before. It wasn’t the same level of paralysis that invites you to be alone in it. I think that before Russia 2018 I had never been so paralyzed, although sometimes I thought so.

—What is missing for the women’s soccer world cup to attract this attention? Will it ever be done?

One of the things that was missing out there was the level and I think it has already been achieved. The level of the last Eurocup was brutal. I who watch women’s football can always say that this huge leap in quality is noticeable in these years. And that was a very important first step. The second is a matter of communications and dissemination that is being done more and more. What is missing for Peru to have that level of impact is to be closer to going. It is true that attention to women’s football has increased at the club level, but we do little monitoring of the national team. At the world level interest is increasing a lot, I think the next Cup will have many reflectors, but for Peru to see that we have to feel that the team is close to a World Cup. I hope it happens little by little, that performance improves, that people become interested, that we qualify for international tournaments and that not qualifying for a World Cup is frustrating as it is with men’s soccer.

—What do you think of those who still believe that women don’t know about soccer?

I believe that such people do not deserve our attention and our time. I think that a very big mistake that we women have made for a long time is feeling that we have to prove something to someone. That we have to validate ourselves when it shouldn’t be like this, when our work has to be the one to speak for us.