In the 12th round of La Liga, Atletico Madrid will face Levante at home. 'Little Spider' Alvarez is in hot form this season and is Atletico Madrid's top attacker. He has played 17 times on behalf of the team and scored 9 goals and 5 assists. He is the team's leading scorer. French "L'Equipe" conducted an in-depth interview with Alvarez.

In the interview, Alvarez talked about why everyone calls him the team's lucky charm and why he doesn't have a tattoo.

The following is the content of the interview👇

In 2018, you won the Copa Libertadores with River Plate. In 2021, you won the America's Cup again, Argentina's first America's Cup in 28 years. The next year, Argentina won the World Cup trophy that they had been waiting for for 36 years. Are you some kind of lucky charm?

People say that because everything goes so fast for me. I quickly won titles with River Plate and then with the national team. After that, I joined Manchester City and helped the team win the Triple Crown in my first season at Manchester City, and won the club's first Champions League title in 2023. But I don’t consider myself a lucky charm: it’s all about being in the right place at the right time and, most importantly, being well prepared. Of course, luck certainly plays a role, but it mainly comes down to hard work, persistence and the ability to seize opportunities.

In the third game of the 2022 World Cup, you started instead of Lautaro. You scored four goals in the World Cup, including a brace against Croatia (3-0) in the semi-finals. How do you explain this immediate success?

To be honest, I don’t know either. Some people thought my move to Manchester City in July, four months before the World Cup started, was a gamble. But for me, being able to play against players of this caliber every day is crucial. This allowed me to return to the national team with a feeling that I had the ability to establish myself in the international arena. Those few months at Manchester City, playing and scoring goals, gave me a lot of confidence.

Argentina coach Scaloni said of you, McAllister and Enzo in his biography, saying that when you participated in this World Cup, you did not fully realize the importance of it, and you were even a little reckless.

That's probably it. At the beginning, we weren't even sure we would make the final 26-man roster. My motivation every day in training with the team is to try my best to be a part of the team and to earn playing time little by little. For a striker, scoring a goal in the World Cup is the ultimate goal! I didn't think too much about it at the time. I followed Scaloni's guidance and tried to play "normally" in my own way, maybe as he said, I didn't really realize the meaning of the game and was just trying to realize my dream. Then, at some point, it suddenly dawns on you that you're playing in a World Cup semi-final.

Scaloni recalled that when celebrating the championship, you joked with him and deliberately made him think that the helicopter was going to crash, because you knew he was afraid of flying. He also said, "Oh, you can talk now?" What's your statement?

I haven’t been in the national team for a long time. I am like this: natural, calm, and a little shy at first. This is my character. This Argentinian team is amazing. From day one, they made me feel like part of the team, which helped me settle in quickly and feel comfortable. Then, when I feel confident, I relax. We were on the helicopter and we had been celebrating the championship for three days and we were just teasing the coach.

Many players have tattoos and like to go out and play. But you are very family-oriented and a homebody. What kind of person are you?

At the national team training camp a few days ago, someone pointed out that I was the only player without a tattoo. I'm not doing this to be unconventional. When I was a kid, my dad used to say, "No tattoos, no smoking, no drinking." Growing up, everyone could make their own decisions, but I didn't feel the need for that. I'm actually very calm and like to stay at home with my family. That's my happiest place.

For many, the quintessential Argentinian is Diego Maradona or "Dib" Martinez: outspoken and provocative. But there are also more composed types like Messi or Di Maria. Do you prefer the latter?

It's possible. A team needs a variety of players: some will step up and speak out for the team, while others will take a more cautious approach. It’s good to have these different types of players in the locker room and on the field. Argentina benefits from this good balance.

Do you think your personality has ever been or could be a disadvantage for you in football - a world where image is everything?

I don’t think so. I show my true self and never try to fake it. Ultimately, I believe that in today’s age of so many social media platforms and an explosion of information, nature is the most attractive.

However, once you step on the court, you seem to become a possessed person. Are there two Alvarezs in the world?

Maybe. Normally, I'm calm, but when I come on... (He didn't finish his sentence.) As soon as I get to the river, I'm asked to press aggressively, win the ball back quickly, and play with that intensity. The same goes for River Plate first-team teammate Gallardo. I think I've always had that potential.