Who is the most important player in Atlético Madrid’s squad?
Most football fans would likely give one name—Julián Álvarez. Since joining Atlético Madrid from Manchester City in August of last year, Álvarez has quickly become one of coach Diego Simeone’s most trusted players. In the current season, he has scored 9 goals in total across La Liga and the Champions League, with 7 of them coming in La Liga. He is currently second in the race for the Pichichi Trophy, awarded to the league’s top scorer.
In a lengthy interview with French newspaper L’Équipe, Álvarez shared the story of his football journey, from his beginnings to where he stands today. In July 2022, the Argentine made the move from Manchester City to Spain’s Atlético Madrid. In just three years, he has established himself as one of the world’s top strikers.
As a child, Álvarez had a trial with Real Madrid. However, he did not think it was the right time for him to move to Europe. He recalled, “When I was 11, I went to Spain with my father. We stayed for almost 20 days. I trained with Real Madrid, played in a tournament in Peralada, and won it. But for me to stay, my whole family would have had to move to Spain. It was a great experience, but I thought it was too early for me to make that decision.”
In modern football, physical strength is so crucial that it is rare to find a main striker at Europe’s top clubs who is only 5’7″. Since his childhood, Álvarez has had to work hard to overcome this physical challenge.
Reflecting on his first trial at River Plate, Álvarez said, “I remember they asked me for my birth year and position. I told them 2000 and number 9. They laughed and said, ‘Number 9? Look at our number 9!’ pointing to a huge guy. But I wasn’t worried at all. I knew where my strength lay. I can play as number 9, whether it’s slightly behind, on the right, or left—I can adapt. My height was never an issue for me.”
Álvarez is also different in another way. While many modern footballers are covered in tattoos, Álvarez remains ink-free. Laughing, he said, “Someone in the Argentina camp once said I’m the only player without any tattoos. But it’s not because I want to be different. When I was young, my father used to say, no tattoos, no cigarettes, no alcohol. As we grow older, everyone makes their own choices, but I never felt the need for a tattoo.”
During his two seasons at Manchester City, Álvarez scored 36 goals, but he struggled to fully express his potential while playing behind Erling Haaland. He explained, “I had enough game time, but not always in important matches. Many times, I came on as a substitute.”
This realisation led Álvarez to Spain. He shared, “I had offers from a few clubs, but I chose Atlético because here I had the chance to establish myself, to give my best.”
Álvarez’s name has often been mentioned in transfer rumours. At times, he has been linked with a move to Barcelona as a replacement for Robert Lewandowski, or as a potential striker for PSG. However, his focus remains solely on Atlético. He said, “To be honest, I don’t know what people are saying. I see a lot written on social media, there’s a lot of talk about Barcelona. When I signed for Atlético, there were rumours about PSG as well. PSG’s board had spoken with my agent, showing interest, but in the end, it didn’t happen. Right now, I’m fully focused on Atlético. We’ll see what happens at the end of the season.”
Álvarez’s performances in recent seasons have also seen him break into the Ballon d’Or rankings. In 2023, he finished in seventh place. However, he has not been included in the top 30 for the past two years. Álvarez is not concerned by this, saying, “Being in the top 30 in the world and attending such an event is certainly an honour. It means you’re doing the right things. I’m proud of it. But I’m not worried about not being in the list for two years. I’m doing what I love, and that’s enough. I don’t need praise to be happy. Playing football is enough for me.”