You were a precocious footballer, making your senior debut with River Plate at the age of just 16…
Yes, my football life has always been full of surprises. I made my debut as a teenager, when I was a few years away from finishing school with much still to learn. At that age I reached the top, at a club with the history of River Plate, and it’s one of the greatest memories I have.
Who were the most significant people in your playing career?
Probably my parents. I didn’t get to enjoy my father very much because he died the week after I signed for Barcelona, when I was 19. It was a very complicated time. My mother took care of me and was always by my side. She travelled to Barcelona with me,
