Radio Federation interviewed Carlos Velasco Carballo, Roberto Alonso Fernandez and Juan Carlos Yuste Jimenez, after the official announcement regarding the presence of the Spanish trio at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
"It's a dream for us", began saying Velasco Carballo, who mentioned his colleague Alberto Undiano, former World Cup referee, who was also on the shortlist. The Spaniard started remembering his origins, with Antonio Rubinos Perez, also in college where they both studied. Rubinos was the one who recommended him to become a referee. "When I started, I dreamed of refereeing matches in Primera Regional, where I could go along with my local colleagues. Then I was thinking of the Third Division. Once you reach Segunda B, you start to travel, to meet other sites, and you dream of becoming a referee in Primera Division. This never stops. When I became international, I invited my family for dinner and they told me that I could not get more. But I explained that I could climb in the FIFA or UEFA category up to the Elite group. That was until today. Now I can say that I will go to the World Cup. The first thing I did was to call my mother to tell her that this really is the ultimate dream for a referee. This morning I saw the official communication from FIFA and was very happy. I was telling to the president of the territorial association that I still remember when I refereed at the Campo de La Mina in Cotorruelo... They were dirt fields, before the generation of the artificial turf. We have lived through a lot of football and now came this award. Today I remember all referees who do games on the fields where our children play, on the fields at lower levels". Regarding his assistants, Velasco said: "They have earned their presence in the World Cup. If I go to Brazil, it is in a large part thanks to them. With Roberto, we started together, 16 years ago, in Segunda B and Juan Carlos joined us three years ago. We are a team and friends on and off the field. We trained together, traveled together, watched videos together, we improved day-by-day".
Roberto Alonso Fernandez said that "this World Cup call for me is the ultimate dream. Everyone in his profession always aspires to the highest. To be selected for a World Cup is the most I can do in my profession".
"I must be a talisman for Spain, maybe that's why I have been chosen", joked Juan Carlos Yuste Jimenez, 38, on the FIFA List since 2004. The Spanish international assistant referee attended the 2008 and 2012 Euros and the 2010 World Cup with a common denominator, the Spanish team was the winner in all three competitions. "In 2008 I went with Mejuto, in 2010 with Undiano and in 2012 with Velasco. At the 2010 World Cup, I did Germany - Serbia, Korea - Ivory Coast and Netherlands - Slovakia. The opening match of Euro 2012, Poland - Greece, was impressive. Referees for the opening match and the final are always the most important", recounted Yuste, referring to Euro 2012, won by Spain and where he was on the line for Velasco Carballo. In reference to whether he would like to be in the final, Yuste Jimenez said that "every referee wants to whistle the final and anyone who says otherwise lies. If we make the quarter-finals, but Spain advance to the semi-finals, we will go home; if not, we will continue".
The Spanish referee at the last World Cup, Alberto Undiano Mallenco, congratulated the referee team that will go to Brazil: "I am happy for Carlos. He is experienced and knows what he needs to do. He did many games in Champions League and Euro and does not need much advice. It is true that each continent has a different philosophy of football, but Carlos has six months to watch football and prepare everything perfectly to make a great World Cup". Velasco thanked Undiano: "When he was in South Africa, I was his first follower. Now I will share my experience with him; he is a great person and a great referee. It is a pity that we cannot go to Brazil together".Velasco Carballo is glad that, a few years ago, he gave up his profession as an engineer to devote himself to the world of sports and football. Beyond that, "training is the key to the current team. Due to the various aspects of the event, a referee need to master the language, to be comfortable with the media, with everyone involved in organizing an event. You have to learn to make decisions and to have an appropriate level of training". In conclusion, Velasco said: "My first thought was for my children. I was very excited when I told them the news. My biggest dream, as of now, is that my children will be proud of me this summer and after ten years will remember that their father refereed at a World Cup. Their joy for me is priceless. Yesterday I said that just now we are going to know whether I will go or not to the World Cup; they said I sure would. I tried to convince them that, if I was not selected, nothing happened; we should be taking wins and losses. Today, they will be happy to go to school and tell their friends that their father is going to the World Cup".
Roberto Alonso Fernandez said that "this World Cup call for me is the ultimate dream. Everyone in his profession always aspires to the highest. To be selected for a World Cup is the most I can do in my profession".
"I must be a talisman for Spain, maybe that's why I have been chosen", joked Juan Carlos Yuste Jimenez, 38, on the FIFA List since 2004. The Spanish international assistant referee attended the 2008 and 2012 Euros and the 2010 World Cup with a common denominator, the Spanish team was the winner in all three competitions. "In 2008 I went with Mejuto, in 2010 with Undiano and in 2012 with Velasco. At the 2010 World Cup, I did Germany - Serbia, Korea - Ivory Coast and Netherlands - Slovakia. The opening match of Euro 2012, Poland - Greece, was impressive. Referees for the opening match and the final are always the most important", recounted Yuste, referring to Euro 2012, won by Spain and where he was on the line for Velasco Carballo. In reference to whether he would like to be in the final, Yuste Jimenez said that "every referee wants to whistle the final and anyone who says otherwise lies. If we make the quarter-finals, but Spain advance to the semi-finals, we will go home; if not, we will continue".
The Spanish referee at the last World Cup, Alberto Undiano Mallenco, congratulated the referee team that will go to Brazil: "I am happy for Carlos. He is experienced and knows what he needs to do. He did many games in Champions League and Euro and does not need much advice. It is true that each continent has a different philosophy of football, but Carlos has six months to watch football and prepare everything perfectly to make a great World Cup". Velasco thanked Undiano: "When he was in South Africa, I was his first follower. Now I will share my experience with him; he is a great person and a great referee. It is a pity that we cannot go to Brazil together".Velasco Carballo is glad that, a few years ago, he gave up his profession as an engineer to devote himself to the world of sports and football. Beyond that, "training is the key to the current team. Due to the various aspects of the event, a referee need to master the language, to be comfortable with the media, with everyone involved in organizing an event. You have to learn to make decisions and to have an appropriate level of training". In conclusion, Velasco said: "My first thought was for my children. I was very excited when I told them the news. My biggest dream, as of now, is that my children will be proud of me this summer and after ten years will remember that their father refereed at a World Cup. Their joy for me is priceless. Yesterday I said that just now we are going to know whether I will go or not to the World Cup; they said I sure would. I tried to convince them that, if I was not selected, nothing happened; we should be taking wins and losses. Today, they will be happy to go to school and tell their friends that their father is going to the World Cup".
Source: RFEF
