Ben Brereton Diaz, a Stoke-on-Trent native, has become a sensation in Chile, earning 42 caps and scoring 10 goals since his call-up in 2021. 'I really enjoy it every time I go there,' the Derby forward said, reflecting on the incredible support he receives in the South American nation.
Brereton Diaz's journey began when a group of fans launched a social media campaign to get him called up after discovering his Chilean heritage on Football Manager. Despite Chile's failure to qualify for the last two World Cups, Brereton Diaz remains optimistic about the team's future, citing the emergence of young talent.
'We've got a lot of young players coming through, and it's looking really good for the future,' he added. Meanwhile, Terry Devlin, a 22-year-old Northern Irishman, has been Portsmouth's standout player, utilizing his versatility as a right-back or right wing-back. Devlin credits his consistency and hard work for his impressive performance this season.
'It really comes down to doing the same things day in, day out,' he explained. 'Over time, that consistency starts to show in your performances.' Jamal Lewis, who made a temporary switch from Newcastle to Sao Paulo in Brazil, described his experience as 'amazing' despite being cut short due to injury.
'It was a great opportunity to showcase myself in a different market and culture,' Lewis said. Imran Louza, Watford's captain and leader at 26, has worn the armband for most of the season, inheriting the role from Moussa Sissoko.
'It takes time to be a captain,' Louza said, emphasizing the importance of respect and leadership. Steven Nzonzi, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, reminisced about the final against Croatia, where he replaced N'Golo Kante in the 55th minute. 'It was a lot of pressure, but you're so focused and locked in,' Nzonzi recalled.
'You don't want to replace N'Golo and not be good enough, especially in the final.'