Alejandro Balde talks early life in Barcelona, La Masia, family, racism
Alejandro Balde talks early life in Barcelona, La Masia, family, racism
Alejandro Balde’s days at Barcelona could be numbered as the defender continues to struggle to gain regular game-time under Hansi Flick.
Balde has fallen behind the likes of Joao Cancelo, Xavi Espart and others in the pecking order and has failed to gain regular game-time even with the injuries to Espart, Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde.
This has led to question marks over Balde’s future, with Barcelona reportedly prepared to sell him for the right price in the upcoming January transfer window.
Balde on La Masia, family
It wasn’t always like this for Balde, who started his career at La Masia in a promising manner.
In a recent interview with SPORT, the Spaniard has talked about his early life at Barcelona as well as La Masia.
Balde is not a part of Hansi Flick’s setup. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
“I arrived at Barça at the age of seven and there are none left of the team at the club. From the first day they tell you that football is very complicated, that maybe one or none stays.
“The secret to success? I’d tell you it’s a combination of talent, work and a lot of sacrifice. If you have talent and you’re not willing to make sacrifices or work and improve, you can’t get to anything,” he said.
Balde went on to talk about his family and the challenges he faced as a young kid coming from a very humble background in La Verneda.
Balde is the son of Sadiu Balde, from Guinea-Bissau, and Gledys Martinez, from the Dominican Republic. He has never forgotten the effort his parents made to give him his chance.
“My mother took me to the games by subway. We have toured Barcelona by public transport to go to so many fields,” Balde said.
“My father was the one with a car, but he was always working. Maybe other families say ‘so far’ and are not willing to make so many sacrifices.
“When you are little you also miss things, like birthdays of friends, for going to training. But now you see that everything has been worth it,” he added.
“The other day I was at the school where I did Primary. I think it is very important that in such a neighborhood the children can see someone like me who has arrived at Barça and the National Team and who has left the same place as them.
“Sport is fundamental in slums like mine because they take children away from bad decisions. If it hadn’t been for the sport, who knows what would have become of me,” he added.
Standing up against racism
Balde has had a poor season so far. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
Balde also talked about being a subject of racism, having suffered repeated racist abuse during a match at Getafe at the start of last year.
“They’re things you grow up with and you think it’s normal. But when you get older you realize that it’s all because of your skin color.
“My parents have educated me and my siblings well and told us that there are always good people and bad people. The important thing is to identify them and know who we’re meeting,” he said.
He went on to describe the discrimination he and his family have encountered away from the pitch, saying:
“In the world of football I have not had any problem of racism, but I have had it on the street. Me and my family.
“When I was little I remember wanting to play a game in a park and the children tell me and my brother that their families wouldn’t let them play with blacks.”
“My parents have had trouble getting a job because of the color of their skin. My brother has been stopped and asked for the meaningless documentation. They say, ‘What are you doing here?’ just because of your skin color,” he concluded.
Looking ahead, the coming months will be important for Balde, with Liverpool and Manchester United among the clubs interested in his services ahead of a potential January exit.
Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.