Ibañez recalls World Cup call-up: “It was pure emotion” | OneFootball

Ibañez happily recalled the moment he was called up for this year’s World Cup, the first of his career. In a press conference held this Tuesday (9) at The Ridge Hotel in New Jersey, the defender celebrated the unprecedented opportunity in his career, but stressed that “everything fell into place” for him to get where he is today.

“It was pure emotion that day. Everything was new, everything was exciting, but it was a special shout, a shout of joy. I believed it was a very distant dream, but today it is becoming reality. For me, this is a very important moment in my career. The emotion is immense, yes, but everything fell into place to get here. It’s an incredible feeling,” he said.

Ibañez during a press conference for the Brazil National Team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

At the last World Cup, in 2022, the Canela native from Rio Grande do Sul was included in the squad announced before the tournament, for the friendlies against Ghana and Tunisia, and in the one afterward, when Brazil faced Morocco in March 2023 — the same opponent Ibañez will meet again next Saturday at 7 p.m. (Brasília time) at MetLife Stadium, in the opening round of the World Cup.

“After the World Cup, I was called up for this match. And three years later, I’m here again. I believe that, because of the work I’ve done at club level and everything I’ve shown, whether as a center back or full back, I’m ready for whatever position I play. I’m here to give my best, whatever it may be,” said the number 24.

Since August 2023, he has played for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, where he believes he has grown as a “professional and leader.” Over the last two seasons, he won the AFC Champions League, the top club competition in Asian football.

“I believe that in Saudi Arabia I grew a lot as a professional and as a leader in terms of my character, because at Roma I wasn’t one of the captains, and today at Al-Ahli I am. So that made me understand my leading role within the team and my leadership,” he said.

Ibañez during a press conference for the Brazil National Team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Chemistry and preparation boost confidence for the opener

The Brazil defender also commented on the team’s preparation for its World Cup debut and explained the importance of the chemistry built day by day.

“We’ve been together for a few days now, building better chemistry, communicating better, understanding each other’s personalities better, and that is very important for us. We’ve been working hard, and we always try to meet the expectations we set for ourselves,” Ibañez concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.