CAMAGÜEY.- York González Buchana is pure quality. You just have to see the photo of him to compare it with that postcard of Zidane at Juventus receiving the ball with the toe of his right boot near the lime line. The 19-year-old boy that we dare to compare with the French magician is, to our pride, a native of Camagüey.

"We are now living a very beautiful and exciting time, despite the pandemic, which has prevented us from training normally," the Minas Golden Ball told Adelante. We are about to make history, to play the World Cup qualifiers heading to Qatar 2022. Now with much more enthusiasm for the four summoned who play in professional leagues. We are all looking forward to the matches on March 24 and 28”.

—A difficult objective is to qualify for the World Cup ...

—For us it is, and to achieve it you have to work very hard and sacrifice twice as much." We must be optimistic. I think it can be done, among other things because with the “legionaries” we raise the level of the National Team and our confidence grows in the face of the matches.

—And the aspiration is more ambitious in a year in which the League could not be held. This means that the selection is unknown, as affirmed by your partner Luis Javier Paradela. Do you see it like this?

-I agree. Our league could not be played due to the pandemic and that could take its toll on us. But we have not been idle. We have been training in the bubble for a while.

Although we do not know what will happen, I think we are ready to compete in both games, and more with the quality of the "legionaries".

—Precisely for that reason, what do you think of this historic step of bringing in players from foreign leagues?

—It is a very important step to raise the level of the team, good things are being done little by little. We want to continue growing and we are all more than happy with the addition of these talented colleagues. Hopefully there will be more soon.

—You are already on the list of 26. If you manage to be among 23, what number will you choose and why?

—I would choose 10, it is my favorite number and the coaches have always liked that I play 10. But perhaps more experienced players ask for it beforehand or directly come and give me a number. Anyway the number does not make the player. I will try to do my job.

—A great experience for you to include yourself in the senior team at just 19 years of age. Have you felt it as a problem?

—For me it's the best. It was a dream. Now comes the hardest part: keeping it. It has not been a problem but a privilege that they summoned me with my age. Since I came for the first time, when I was 17, they welcomed me as one of them. They always support me, I receive a lot of advice that helps me face the path I chose. I am proud to be one of them.

—What do you think you can contribute? I understand that you are a box-to-box midfielder, and you like to reach the opponent's area.

—I think I can contribute a lot to the team from the second row. I like the game model that the coaches prepared to face these matches, I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about it. But like every offensive player I like to step on the rival area, it is an obsession for me and I think that there I do more damage to the opponent because I can give a pass, score the goal, look for a foul or a penalty.

- How are you doing with the coach and how do you feel the atmosphere of the team?

—It is a very nice experience to be under the command of coach Pablo Elier, one of the best who has passed through the National Team and the glory of Cuban soccer.

“Regarding the team, we support each other. We give our opinions, we all listen to each other, something very important. The success of most teams is based, apart from good play, on communication and good relationships with teammates. There is a good atmosphere here ”.

York confesses to especially admire the Cuban Arichell Hernández, "one of the few that remain of those who went to the World Cup in Turkey in 2013." On the international scene, his benchmark is Cristiano Ronaldo, for him "the best in the world because of his results as a professional and the great humility he shows on and off the court."

With those examples on the horizon, and using the plural that defines him as a team man, the man from Minas sets his goals, for now focused on the next matches.

“To the fans of our team, count on us, because we will do our best to obtain the best results. I hope they try to follow the games because we need all the support to bring joy to Cuban soccer and the people. This great group deserves success”.

• Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez