Werder Bremen recently signed Bolivia’s Marcelo Moreno. The striker is thankful for the belief the club has in him after a difficult season at Ukrainian side Shaktar Donetsk. Deutsche Welle spoke to him.
DW: Marcelo, you’re 22 years old and your resume sounds quite impressive: Bolivia, Brazil, Ukraine and now Germany.
Marcelo Moreno: Yes, despite my young age I’ve had the chance to gain experiences in different countries. I think that this helped me grow and improve, which is what I’ve been trying to do all my life.
Nevertheless, your season in the Ukrainian league provided you with some bitter moments. Although you won the UEFA Cup with Shaktar, you spent most of the time on the bench.
I wasn’t really keen on going to Ukraine when Shaktar signed me, but that’s how negotiations turned out. Although it was important for me to arrive in a European league, everything was very difficult for me, the language, the food, everything. That was my time of adaptation, of getting to know what it’s like to play in Europe. Now I know, and I’ve left the bitter moments behind.
Now it seems that better times are ahead of you, as Werder Bremen had been trying to sign you for a long time, and they didn’t let go until they had you.
That’s correct, and I am happy that Bremen have given me this opportunity. It’s actually my second opportunity, as I had to turn them down in the past. No other club would have done what Bremen have done for me. They were patiently insisting on my signing and believing in me from the start. I want to repay them with good results, with triumphs, with my goals which could help Bremen reach their goals.
Bremen are known for their formidable ability to attract talents and turn them into superstars: Diego, Claudio Pizarro and Miroslav Klose are only a few examples. Maybe soon your name will appear on that list.
I know that this is a huge club that knows what it wants. The team wants titles and has always had important players who made the club significant in Germany and the world. Now, I finally have the feeling to be in the right place in order to become an international star. Diego is a good example of what a player can achieve with the support of Werder Bremen.
You were the top scorer of the Copa Libertadores. Do you aspire to repeat that feat?
My objective certainly is to become the league’s top scorer. This needs to be the mentality of any striker. We live on goals and I want to score as many as possible to help Bremen achieve their targets. It was a wonderful experience to be the top scorer of the Copa Libertadores, and I want to achieve something similar here in Europe.
We heard that you get along especially well with your Portuguese-speaking teammates Naldo and Hugo Almeida. Does that derive from your Brazilian background?
I speak Portuguese with both of them because it’s the easiest way to communicate, and when I do so, I feel Brazilian. Brazil is a very important country in my life; I spent half my life there. But first and foremost I am Bolivian. I love both countries, no doubt, but I am Bolivian.
Which makes you a very exotic player not only in the Bundesliga but in Europe as a whole. There aren’t any other Bolivians playing in Europe.
The word “exotic” is correct. It’s rare to find a Bolivian player in Germany, and it isn’t common to find a Bolivian in Europe’s strongest leagues. That’s why I’m all the more proud to be here, flying the flag of my country.
On an international level, you are Bolivia’s most prolific player despite your young age. You even surpass the legendary Marco ‘el Diablo’ Etcheverry.
He is my real idol. His career was fantastic, he even played in a World Cup, which is one of my dreams. My career appears to look more prestigious than his, but he is “the Devil,” and nothing compares to him.
Speaking of your dream to play a World Cup, it won’t happen in 2010. Bolivia has no chance of qualifying for South Africa.
Yes, only a miracle could help us qualify now. We didn’t have the necessary results, despite some spectacular victories such as our 6-1 thrashing of Argentina. My Bolivian teammates are as stumped as I am. We simply don’t know what happened.
Let’s talk about your immediate future: the Bundesliga, Werder Bremen. Peruvian star Claudio Pizarro could become your partner up front.
I would love to play at his side. I think that I could learn a lot from his cleverness. But that can only happen if I earn my spot. I am working hard in order to feel like being a part of the team, the rest is up to the coach.
Do you have doubts about being a regular starter?
My mentality is to work every day and earn my spot, I want to deserve it. I won’t take anything for granted, so I will fight for it.
What can Werder Bremen fans expect from Marcelo Moreno?
Hard work, the will to win, score and give Bremen and Germany many reasons to smile.
And what does Marcelo Moreno expect from his stay in the Bundesliga?
I want to win the League title and maybe another UEFA Cup title, but this time as a starter.
The Bundesliga is Marcelo Moreno’s third international stop. The striker left Bolivia for Brazil, where he became the top scorer of the Copa Libertadores in 2008. Afterwards, he moved to Ukrainian club Shaktar Donetsk and won the UEFA Cup in 2009, despite not being a starter for most of the season. Werder Bremen had already tried to sign him years ago, and despite failing to do so, they followed his every move. This summer, finally, they succeeded in signing him.
– By Daniel Martinez l Deutsche Welle