Christian Cueva and the possible duel with Denmark: “It's not a rematch, it's an opportunity God gives me”

The Peruvian national team ranked fifth in the South American Qualifiers after winning the Paraguayan squad on the final day. This automatically allowed him to enter the pre-World Cup repechage in Qatar 2022. If he passes this stage, he would repeat the group in the world cup event with Denmark, a match that is remembered for the missed penalty by Christian Cueva. Precisely, the flyer talked about this possibility, as well as other related issues.

“For me it's not a rematch. This is an opportunity that God gives me”, commented 'Aladdin' in an interview conducted by the 'Football in America' program. He then acknowledged that the team remains hopeful of qualifying for the World Cup. “Illusion and dream are always there. We always dream of this moment. We're missing a step. We would have liked to qualify direct because we always depended on us,” he added.

The current player from Saudi Arabia's Al-Fateh experienced one of the most critical moments in his time at the national team in that match against the Danes on the first round of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The match went 0 to 0 until Christian suffers a foul in the opponent's area. He himself set out to take the penalty, but sent the football several meters above the goal defended by Kasper Schmeichel. This provoked a wave of criticism from fans of his person that has lasted all these years.

For this occasion, if the national cast passes the repechage, they will have the opportunity to cross again with the 'Red Dynamite' and with France. As if to remember what happened in the previous World Cup and, why not, offer a better performance to win the matches.

REPECHAJE

Now, about the repechage, the 'bicolor' will play Australia or the United Arab Emirates in a single match on June 13 in Doha, Qatar. In that sense, Cueva knows this country, because it is located close to where it currently works and knows about the hot climate. “The weather is complicated. On the one hand it is that, but on the other, with our teammates we have always prepared ourselves for any type of scenario, with very cold, hot, with good courses, bad courses. So, all those things are going to have to come to mind because we didn't grow up playing on a pool table,” he said.

As mentioned above, between Australians or Emiratis, the rival of the 'white and red' will come out, although the midfielder has no preferences. “In these instances you don't see which rival would be better for us, but that whoever comes we have to respect him, and with great peace and humility go out and play the game that, for us, the most important game of our lives,” he said.

FOOTBALL MOMENT

On the other hand, the 30-year-old also had words about his exceptional football moment, which he says is not the first time he has had it, since in Sao Paulo (2016, 2017 and 2018) he also offered a great version. “I disagree with the press a lot there. Actually, there is a lot of talk about today's good time, but the good time is not today. I have had it at some point in my life also in Sao Paulo. But I've always said, to talk about something you have to find out and see things well. In this case you have to see the statistics”, he said.

Indeed, if we review the numbers of the 'Cholito' in the 'Tricolor' we can confirm that his stay in this squad was more than outstanding. In 87 matches played, he scored 20 goals and provided 18 assists. Statistics that far exceed what was exhibited in other teams, although in Al-Fateh it is not far from reaching those records, due to the fact that, at the moment, he has 16 goals and 15 goal passes in 38 matches.

In the same way, he referred to the gift of playing football, which has been enhanced lately with extra physical work to the point of enduring the strong mark of rival defenders. “I will always thank the talent that God gave me. The Peruvian footballer, is from the neighborhood, who comes from the street and plays there. But not only me, many have it in the sense of that vividness,” he said.

KEEP READING