WORLD CUP 2022
Juanes: “I would like Messi to win the World Cup”
Juanes presents ‘Amores prohibidos’ a song that he has co-produced about the pandemic, but Qatar is also front and centre of his mind.
Juanes (Carolina, Colombia, 1972) tells us about his new single, ‘Amores prohibidos’ (Forbidden loves). It was based on a theme that arose with the covid-19 pandemic, when he looked at a newspaper article where they talked about locked up loves. The Colombian is happy, smiling with this song that he wanted to create so much and from which he expects a great reception. Of course, he is sad at the thought that his Colombian national team will not be present at this World Cup in Qatar.
-You are one of the artists with the most Latin Grammys in history, and you have just entered the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. Not bad, right?
- I’m very grateful, really. It has been an incredible dream, and not even in the most ambitious dream could I imagine that something like this could happen to me. You can’t get anywhere alone. It’s been a lot of people and a lot of work and, well, a lot of love for music. I am very grateful.
After talking about his music and background, the topic of his other passion, football came up...
- The World Cup is almost upon us, and without the Colombian team...
- I can't believe it, I still feel like I'm in a nightmare. It is very sad that Colombia is not here. It is a very hard blow for us not to enjoy the World Cup with our national team. But you have to be calm... I'll still watch some games, but it's going to be tough.
“I would have loved to be a player, but I didn’t play. I never had the facility to play football...”
- You also consider yourself a fan of the Brazilian team...
- I am not part of a particular team, but I can see how the Brazilians play, they are so good, the Argentines... Colombians... What I love about these World Cups is the impressive level, the quality of the players, and that makes it an indisputable art. I really enjoy soccer.
I would have loved to be a player, but I didn’t play. I never had the facility to play soccer, and when we had physical education at school and everyone ran to play soccer, I would ask the teacher if I could run around the field for an hour. I loved running, it was my therapy. But music was always more present. In fact, when I was very little I was chubby and ate chips for lunch and dinner, so imagine what my physical condition was like. But today I like sports more, and I do something every day.
“They are going to kill me, but I would like Messi to win the World Cup”
- Which soccer player are you going to follow this World Cup?
- They are going to kill me, but I would like Messi to win the World Cup. In Argentina they are all very young and very new boys, and they are all supporting Messi, and that can work for them. It’s not like I know football to tell you much either.
- A prediction for the World Cup...
- Hmmm... it would be between Argentina, Brazil, Spain and some surprise out there.
- Thoughts on James Rodriguez
- For me James is a star, he is a great player. I think he’s a great guy and he’s going to move on. He has scored two tremendous goals there in Greece, and I think they are special moments. You can’t always be on top.