Q&A

Liverpool's new man

When we spoke to Darwin Núñez earlier this year, he told us about his childhood and upbringing – and the example set by another Uruguayan to have worn that red kit…

CJ Extra

When you watched the Champions League as a kid in Uruguay, who were your heroes?

Edinson Cavani has the same physical attributes as I do. I watched his movement on YouTube – his diagonal movement. I also observed Luis Suárez. I watched them because they are from Uruguay and they are humble; their background is similar to mine. I enjoyed watching them both play.

What was it like the first time you met and trained with those guys?

I remember when I lived in Montevideo, I was playing for the youth team at Peñarol. When the national team played in Montevideo, their bus would pass by accompanied by the police and I would stare, thinking, “I want to be there one day; I’ll succeed, I’ll be there on that bus next to Suárez and Cavani.” So the first time I had a training session at Complejo Celeste I was very nervous, in case I didn’t manage to do things right. But, at the same time, I felt happy. I couldn’t believe I was right next to Suárez and Cavani, who are idols in Uruguay and worldwide. So being there was absolute happiness to me. My family came to my mind, for everything I had been through.

Darwin Núñez joins Liverpool for an initial £64m from Benfica.

What was it like growing up in Artigas?

It’s a city that will always be close to my heart because it’s where I was born, where I grew up. I have many friends over there that I had to leave behind – my family as well – at a young age because my dream was to become a footballer. I always spoke to my teachers at school and told them that I wanted to become a professional, I wanted to play in Europe. I remember that when the school bell rang for breaktime, I had a football with me beside my chair. The first thing I would do was to grab the ball and run out onto the field to play with my classmates.

Did your upbringing help you in your football career?

Yes. When I was a kid, what I wanted to do most was grab a football and play. From the age of four I started to play for the youth team. So it was the support I received from my my grandparents, my parents. My dad worked in construction and would spend eight or nine hours working during the day, and my mum worked in the mornings as a house cleaner.

And did you ever think you’d end up here?

Since I was a kid, I always dreamt of reaching where I am today, and I praise God. I wholeheartedly thank my family for always supporting me, and that dream of always achieving things will stay with me because I’m still that same kid; I haven’t changed, nor will I ever change. I’m still the same Darwin: always humble and keeping his feet on the ground. That comes from my parents.

When you watched the Champions League as a kid in Uruguay, who were your heroes?

Edinson Cavani has the same physical attributes as I do. I watched his movement on YouTube – his diagonal movement. I also observed Luis Suárez. I watched them because they are from Uruguay and they are humble; their background is similar to mine. I enjoyed watching them both play.

What was it like the first time you met and trained with those guys?

I remember when I lived in Montevideo, I was playing for the youth team at Peñarol. When the national team played in Montevideo, their bus would pass by accompanied by the police and I would stare, thinking, “I want to be there one day; I’ll succeed, I’ll be there on that bus next to Suárez and Cavani.” So the first time I had a training session at Complejo Celeste I was very nervous, in case I didn’t manage to do things right. But, at the same time, I felt happy. I couldn’t believe I was right next to Suárez and Cavani, who are idols in Uruguay and worldwide. So being there was absolute happiness to me. My family came to my mind, for everything I had been through.

Darwin Núñez joins Liverpool for an initial £64m from Benfica.

What was it like growing up in Artigas?

It’s a city that will always be close to my heart because it’s where I was born, where I grew up. I have many friends over there that I had to leave behind – my family as well – at a young age because my dream was to become a footballer. I always spoke to my teachers at school and told them that I wanted to become a professional, I wanted to play in Europe. I remember that when the school bell rang for breaktime, I had a football with me beside my chair. The first thing I would do was to grab the ball and run out onto the field to play with my classmates.

Did your upbringing help you in your football career?

Yes. When I was a kid, what I wanted to do most was grab a football and play. From the age of four I started to play for the youth team. So it was the support I received from my my grandparents, my parents. My dad worked in construction and would spend eight or nine hours working during the day, and my mum worked in the mornings as a house cleaner.

And did you ever think you’d end up here?

Since I was a kid, I always dreamt of reaching where I am today, and I praise God. I wholeheartedly thank my family for always supporting me, and that dream of always achieving things will stay with me because I’m still that same kid; I haven’t changed, nor will I ever change. I’m still the same Darwin: always humble and keeping his feet on the ground. That comes from my parents.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

When you watched the Champions League as a kid in Uruguay, who were your heroes?

Edinson Cavani has the same physical attributes as I do. I watched his movement on YouTube – his diagonal movement. I also observed Luis Suárez. I watched them because they are from Uruguay and they are humble; their background is similar to mine. I enjoyed watching them both play.

What was it like the first time you met and trained with those guys?

I remember when I lived in Montevideo, I was playing for the youth team at Peñarol. When the national team played in Montevideo, their bus would pass by accompanied by the police and I would stare, thinking, “I want to be there one day; I’ll succeed, I’ll be there on that bus next to Suárez and Cavani.” So the first time I had a training session at Complejo Celeste I was very nervous, in case I didn’t manage to do things right. But, at the same time, I felt happy. I couldn’t believe I was right next to Suárez and Cavani, who are idols in Uruguay and worldwide. So being there was absolute happiness to me. My family came to my mind, for everything I had been through.

Darwin Núñez joins Liverpool for an initial £64m from Benfica.

What was it like growing up in Artigas?

It’s a city that will always be close to my heart because it’s where I was born, where I grew up. I have many friends over there that I had to leave behind – my family as well – at a young age because my dream was to become a footballer. I always spoke to my teachers at school and told them that I wanted to become a professional, I wanted to play in Europe. I remember that when the school bell rang for breaktime, I had a football with me beside my chair. The first thing I would do was to grab the ball and run out onto the field to play with my classmates.

Did your upbringing help you in your football career?

Yes. When I was a kid, what I wanted to do most was grab a football and play. From the age of four I started to play for the youth team. So it was the support I received from my my grandparents, my parents. My dad worked in construction and would spend eight or nine hours working during the day, and my mum worked in the mornings as a house cleaner.

And did you ever think you’d end up here?

Since I was a kid, I always dreamt of reaching where I am today, and I praise God. I wholeheartedly thank my family for always supporting me, and that dream of always achieving things will stay with me because I’m still that same kid; I haven’t changed, nor will I ever change. I’m still the same Darwin: always humble and keeping his feet on the ground. That comes from my parents.

Q&A

Liverpool's new man

When we spoke to Darwin Núñez earlier this year, he told us about his childhood and upbringing – and the example set by another Uruguayan to have worn that red kit…

Text Link

When you watched the Champions League as a kid in Uruguay, who were your heroes?

Edinson Cavani has the same physical attributes as I do. I watched his movement on YouTube – his diagonal movement. I also observed Luis Suárez. I watched them because they are from Uruguay and they are humble; their background is similar to mine. I enjoyed watching them both play.

What was it like the first time you met and trained with those guys?

I remember when I lived in Montevideo, I was playing for the youth team at Peñarol. When the national team played in Montevideo, their bus would pass by accompanied by the police and I would stare, thinking, “I want to be there one day; I’ll succeed, I’ll be there on that bus next to Suárez and Cavani.” So the first time I had a training session at Complejo Celeste I was very nervous, in case I didn’t manage to do things right. But, at the same time, I felt happy. I couldn’t believe I was right next to Suárez and Cavani, who are idols in Uruguay and worldwide. So being there was absolute happiness to me. My family came to my mind, for everything I had been through.

Darwin Núñez joins Liverpool for an initial £64m from Benfica.

What was it like growing up in Artigas?

It’s a city that will always be close to my heart because it’s where I was born, where I grew up. I have many friends over there that I had to leave behind – my family as well – at a young age because my dream was to become a footballer. I always spoke to my teachers at school and told them that I wanted to become a professional, I wanted to play in Europe. I remember that when the school bell rang for breaktime, I had a football with me beside my chair. The first thing I would do was to grab the ball and run out onto the field to play with my classmates.

Did your upbringing help you in your football career?

Yes. When I was a kid, what I wanted to do most was grab a football and play. From the age of four I started to play for the youth team. So it was the support I received from my my grandparents, my parents. My dad worked in construction and would spend eight or nine hours working during the day, and my mum worked in the mornings as a house cleaner.

And did you ever think you’d end up here?

Since I was a kid, I always dreamt of reaching where I am today, and I praise God. I wholeheartedly thank my family for always supporting me, and that dream of always achieving things will stay with me because I’m still that same kid; I haven’t changed, nor will I ever change. I’m still the same Darwin: always humble and keeping his feet on the ground. That comes from my parents.

When you watched the Champions League as a kid in Uruguay, who were your heroes?

Edinson Cavani has the same physical attributes as I do. I watched his movement on YouTube – his diagonal movement. I also observed Luis Suárez. I watched them because they are from Uruguay and they are humble; their background is similar to mine. I enjoyed watching them both play.

What was it like the first time you met and trained with those guys?

I remember when I lived in Montevideo, I was playing for the youth team at Peñarol. When the national team played in Montevideo, their bus would pass by accompanied by the police and I would stare, thinking, “I want to be there one day; I’ll succeed, I’ll be there on that bus next to Suárez and Cavani.” So the first time I had a training session at Complejo Celeste I was very nervous, in case I didn’t manage to do things right. But, at the same time, I felt happy. I couldn’t believe I was right next to Suárez and Cavani, who are idols in Uruguay and worldwide. So being there was absolute happiness to me. My family came to my mind, for everything I had been through.

Darwin Núñez joins Liverpool for an initial £64m from Benfica.

What was it like growing up in Artigas?

It’s a city that will always be close to my heart because it’s where I was born, where I grew up. I have many friends over there that I had to leave behind – my family as well – at a young age because my dream was to become a footballer. I always spoke to my teachers at school and told them that I wanted to become a professional, I wanted to play in Europe. I remember that when the school bell rang for breaktime, I had a football with me beside my chair. The first thing I would do was to grab the ball and run out onto the field to play with my classmates.

Did your upbringing help you in your football career?

Yes. When I was a kid, what I wanted to do most was grab a football and play. From the age of four I started to play for the youth team. So it was the support I received from my my grandparents, my parents. My dad worked in construction and would spend eight or nine hours working during the day, and my mum worked in the mornings as a house cleaner.

And did you ever think you’d end up here?

Since I was a kid, I always dreamt of reaching where I am today, and I praise God. I wholeheartedly thank my family for always supporting me, and that dream of always achieving things will stay with me because I’m still that same kid; I haven’t changed, nor will I ever change. I’m still the same Darwin: always humble and keeping his feet on the ground. That comes from my parents.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

When you watched the Champions League as a kid in Uruguay, who were your heroes?

Edinson Cavani has the same physical attributes as I do. I watched his movement on YouTube – his diagonal movement. I also observed Luis Suárez. I watched them because they are from Uruguay and they are humble; their background is similar to mine. I enjoyed watching them both play.

What was it like the first time you met and trained with those guys?

I remember when I lived in Montevideo, I was playing for the youth team at Peñarol. When the national team played in Montevideo, their bus would pass by accompanied by the police and I would stare, thinking, “I want to be there one day; I’ll succeed, I’ll be there on that bus next to Suárez and Cavani.” So the first time I had a training session at Complejo Celeste I was very nervous, in case I didn’t manage to do things right. But, at the same time, I felt happy. I couldn’t believe I was right next to Suárez and Cavani, who are idols in Uruguay and worldwide. So being there was absolute happiness to me. My family came to my mind, for everything I had been through.

Darwin Núñez joins Liverpool for an initial £64m from Benfica.

What was it like growing up in Artigas?

It’s a city that will always be close to my heart because it’s where I was born, where I grew up. I have many friends over there that I had to leave behind – my family as well – at a young age because my dream was to become a footballer. I always spoke to my teachers at school and told them that I wanted to become a professional, I wanted to play in Europe. I remember that when the school bell rang for breaktime, I had a football with me beside my chair. The first thing I would do was to grab the ball and run out onto the field to play with my classmates.

Did your upbringing help you in your football career?

Yes. When I was a kid, what I wanted to do most was grab a football and play. From the age of four I started to play for the youth team. So it was the support I received from my my grandparents, my parents. My dad worked in construction and would spend eight or nine hours working during the day, and my mum worked in the mornings as a house cleaner.

And did you ever think you’d end up here?

Since I was a kid, I always dreamt of reaching where I am today, and I praise God. I wholeheartedly thank my family for always supporting me, and that dream of always achieving things will stay with me because I’m still that same kid; I haven’t changed, nor will I ever change. I’m still the same Darwin: always humble and keeping his feet on the ground. That comes from my parents.

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