Lorena Álvarez: “France will be the world champion”

Although she is a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, for Lorena Álvarez France will be crowned champion again in Qatar 2022. The Latina journalist analyzes the possibilities of the French in this World Cup that is already in the round of 16. Likewise, she tells us what this World Cup represents for her and how she lives it together with her family.

—Who is your candidate to win the World Cup in Qatar 2022 after the first phase?

My candidate is still France. I have loved the France that I have seen in the first two games, I have liked them a lot and they have a great team. For me they are fixed in the final.

—Who will be the scorer in Qatar 2022?

There we entered into a debate because I love that Cristiano Ronaldo breaks records. He has a great commitment to his selection at the age he is. At 37 he jumps like no other player, that’s impressive. You look at him and he doesn’t look as old as he is.

—Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Mbappé for this World Cup?

For me Cristiano Ronaldo always. I am a person convinced that the innate talent that Messi has is something wonderful, I do not take it away from him or discuss it. But Cristiano is a player who has made a point of effort. He was not born touched by God to move the ball, but he has put his soul, heart and life into making an effort to work and get to where he is.

—Where do you watch the World Cup?

I see it at home with my husband, my children. We are soccer fans. What’s more, now we have tried to accommodate our agenda so that it does not come across important parties. It is a special World Cup, because it is our first World Cup that we share together as a couple.

—Do you have any World Cup cabal?

He had cabals for the Peruvian team. We always made tequeños at home before the national team played. The only time we didn’t do the tequeños was in the repechage, we didn’t see it at home either, which was what we always did. So I think that the next Qualifiers I promise to resume that (laughs).

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

United States 94. I was 10 years old and it was Maradona’s World Cup. He was this mythical figure returning to football. You don’t know how I cried when they take Maradona out of the World Cup. He cried as if he knew him, as if he were my friend.

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

That 1994 World Cup was the first time I experienced soccer and I fell in love with Brazil, who emerged as world champion. With thousands of wonderful cracks that made you dream and vibrate with their plays and with that contagious joy. For many years I was a die-hard fan of Brazil. It’s more in France 98 when the final is France-Brazil, and France thrashes Brazil, I lived upset with France for a long time. That is why he is now my candidate is an evolution in my thinking, but my heart also always has something of Brazil there.

—Does the World Cup really paralyze you?

Yes, it paralyzes me. For me the World Cup is a moment of joy, passion and emotion. Where there is always that selection that surprises, that makes you dream. You associate football with your life, it makes us forget for a moment about the political situation and this sport is a balm that makes us smile. Live the football party.

“Do you bet or play any dick?”

Now with my family we have made a bet. With my two children, my husband, my mother and me. I have gone to France, my eldest son to Spain, the youngest to Brazil, my husband to Uruguay and my mother to Croatia. So there we are.

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

Let’s hope this happens. Now Cristiano Ronaldo has entered history as the first player to score in five World Cups but in reality the first to do so was Marta, Brazil’s ’10’, in a Women’s World Cup, only because of this lack of interest many people does not know. It is important that people know it, remember it and give it the recognition it is due. But I think we are on the way to that equality. We have seen it now with the local women’s soccer final, with a full stadium. They have to be professional players, because many still aren’t. Girls have to be able to live from sports like men do, with millionaire salaries. Men must also join this fight, as has happened in tennis, for example. When men join the cause, I believe that much progress will be made.

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

They are ignorant. It is ignorant to say that because you are a woman you do not know about football. It is as if I told a man that because he is a man he does not know how to cook. They are very old stereotypes, of roles that have remained in the past. We are all relearning that it is not so. There are many women who are showing that they play football like cracks and others commenting that they generate pride. As in the case of Talia Azcarate, as a result of effort and dedication, she has positioned herself as one of the best. It is not only in Latina but also on DirecTv and that opens doors for many girls. That is being broken with good references, who open the way and that must be recognized and valued because it has not been easy. They make the road a little easier for those who will come after.