JOS-slalom ocean run Ocean Jim oceans (Caracas , 1989) is 35 years old but has scored more goals than ever (26 in Pachuca in 2024), to be the ‘Pichichi’ of La Liga MX and CONCACAF champion and be nominated for the ‘best’ that was discovered today in Doha. Legend, Captain, title… And on the way to the first World Cup with Venezuela. He attends us with the usual smile.
Ask your question. The final is against Madrid. What comes to your mind?
Round Ocean stands in front of Marca in Doha.
The answer. How much I struggled even here. I remember watching Madrid from Venezuela, when I was a child, playing these finals. I remember that effort and discipline took me here, to this final.
S. Has Madrid performed well in La Liga?
A. I think I won a game in the Copa del Rey with Malaga with a goal from Santi Cazorla, but I was not good at it, no.
S. Will it be a ‘miracle’ to beat Madrid?
A: no one gave us anything against Botafogo and Al-Ahly, because we haven’t competed since November. Everything was against, but we were better. Now we do not know what could happen.
S. 35 years old, but your figures for 2024 speak of the best tour in years.
A: if we count Venezuela, I have 30 goals this year. She was heavily criticized when she left Argentina for Mexico. They thought that it was already a withdrawal, but everything went well. I competed to the maximum, as I promised when I arrived at the Pachuca club.
S. How can you maintain your competitiveness?
A: I unload myself one hundred percent, although I am no longer a child. I feel very good physically. Boxing helps me a lot. I practice it and it helps me to break away from the ball and gives me an incredible physical advantage, resistance helps me in the fight with defenders. You know that you will get boxing and make you sacrifice. I’m still going to unwrap. I do boxing and basketball.
S. Let’s go to the game. He does not play Mbappe starting starting. Is anything changing?
A: I faced a lot of them, rusherdiger and Courtois in the Premiership. Rd digger likes to call, Morning. I know how to defend. But we focus on ourselves, on what got us here. Killian and Vinicius are great guys, but we have to think about our virtues as a team and try to make them an ugly final.
S. Your three children are from Malaga. Were any of you Real Madrid fans?
A: yes, the oldest, the 13-year-old. He is very Madridista and when we were still in Mexico, I was sleeping with him and I said to him: ‘get ready, because we will reach the final against Madrid and we will win’. He told me No, that it was difficult to get to the final because we had to win the Libertadores champion first and then the other match. ‘Dad, I don’t think you’ll make it,’ she’d tell me. And I was answering it. ‘Look, we’re going to arrive and see what shirt you put on then.'(Laughs). “Dad, I’m from Pachuca, but also from Madrid,” he kept telling me. But I imagined it: playing the final against Real, and since we won the championship.
Q: they have already made history. Does this satisfy their hunger?
A: being in the history of the club is already something unique. We have already won two titles with wins over Botafogo and Al-Ahly (FIFA turned each of the previous matches into a title with its own name). In the end, there are two medals, two titles and people still see you at the top level.
Q: he missed the penalty the other day, but did not sink and continued to cheer for his teammates in the penalty shootout.
Solomon, with the brand editor..
A: I missed it by changing the shot at the last moment, hesitating, thinking about the future. But yes, I was still there. Personally, this team was an incomparable family, very united and sacrificed in terms of effort. And I, like Cabral, the other captain, we can’t drown and we have to always pull the team, not conveying any negative thoughts.
Q: I will be waiting for you in Malaga soon. With a trophy?
A: that would be perfect. Malaga is my place in the world, where I isolate myself from everything. I’m going to eat, to the beach, to play racket tennis, basketball… People are very supportive of me there. It will always be my retirement. If Venezuela became what it was before, I would have gone to my country. But if not, then Malaga will be my place, also when I want to be a coach in the future.
Q: the first dream is on Wednesday. And the second, to get to the World Cup?
A. Totally. It is what I am most looking forward to in this sporting life, if there is anything left for me to accomplish in my career, and the best thing is that it depends on us. Let’s get to him.
