“Konrad succeeded because he wanted to be himself”
{mb_sdlf_jugador_SDLF-jugador_frase-destacada}J. Marcet explains the training process that allowed Konrad de la Fuente to reach elite football.
How did a kid who just arrived from Miami manage to stand out in Spain and reach the top of world soccer? What characteristics did he have when, at the age of 10, he landed in Barcelona? What were his strong points and his weak points? What did he have to learn to be able to succeed at Barça and Olympique Marseille?
This child is Konrad de la Fuente. His parents, who lived in Florida, moved to Spain in 2011 and immediately enrolled him in the Marcet Academy. From the beginning he showed not only his talent, but also his good education. “He was a tremendously polite boy”, recalls President J. Marcet: “He was introverted, humble and immediately endeared himself to his classmates and teachers”.
“KONRAD UNDERSTOOD THAT
HE STILL HAD A LOT TO LEARN
AND CHOSE TO BE HUMBLE”
Konrad had a natural gift. And yet it was precisely that characteristic that could interfere with his plans to become a professional player. “His father told me that in Miami he was the best, or one of the best players,” explains the president. “Still, Konrad’s father agreed with me that the boy has still to improve. He did not want his son to experience what happens to many gifted children, who end up vanishing like smoke over time.”
Konrad knew how to avoid this danger thanks to his attitude. “He could have come arrogant, because in his environment he was one of the best. However, Konrad was humble. He realized that Barcelona is not Miami and was able to recognize that he still had a lot to learn. That was the key to his success.”
“Konrad understood that talent is not a gift of genetics, but a conquest of effort. In other words, there are no miracle pills in football, and any improvement requires a learning process”.
In the end, for Konrad it was about learning to know himself, to understand what his strengths and his weaknesses were. And, above all, to accept them, because each player is unique, and recognizing it is the first step to success. “Konrad”, explains president Marcet, “he didn’t want to copy anyone. He wanted to be himself, and this is what is helping him succeed.”