The storied rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal is set to ignite once more. This Sunday, 9 March Old Trafford will be the stage for a potentially decisive encounter. With Arsenal desperate to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool, and Manchester United battling to salvage their season from a precarious 14th position, expect a fiercely contested match. Adding to the anticipation, Showmax recently sat down with United’s Uruguayan midfield maestro, Manuel Ugarte, for an interview on his career and life in Manchester.
How would you describe your childhood in Montevideo?
It was beautiful. I had great times. I made many friends, and it was also very competitive, because football in Uruguay is very competitive, and that’s also why Uruguay’s a country that’s won so much in football.
Did you always like football?
Yes, always. I started playing football at a very young age, so I never had to choose between two things. Football always won, and I obviously don’t regret it.
Did it start with playing in the streets with your brother?
Yes, I started in the streets with my brother. He’s a year older than me, so we always shared many things, and football was one of those things. He’s a great player too.
Do you have a first memory about football? A match, a player?
I have a memory, yes, of my first training sessions. I don’tremember how old I was, but it was at City Park, which is a local team, where I started playing. I clearly remember the first training sessions.
And what did you learn in those years?
Well, I always say the same thing: the most important thing is to enjoy yourself, and if you’re convinced that you want to play football, give it your all. If you want to do something, give it 100%. Dedicate as much time as you can to football, but always enjoy yourself.
How important was your father in raising you as a person and as a player?
He’s incredible. He still helps me with everything to this day. He helps my brother and me with everything. He’s had a big role in my career so far, because I had everything I needed. He always gave me everything, he was there for me, coming with me and giving me advice. I’m very thankful for that, because I’m very lucky in that sense, and he made my journey much easier.
Man United midfielder Manuel Ugarte. Credit: Premier League Productions
Is there any piece of advice from your father, or your brother, that you keep in mind?
Yes, I talk very often with my father, and he always says the same thing, that sometimes I should take a step back and see how my life has changed, how I’ve learned and experienced different things, in the world of football and outside of it, and that makes you enjoy it more.
And then you went to Fénix, a slightly bigger club in Montevideo. How did you arrive at Fénix?
I arrived through friends I made in football, because we were playing with friends and we didn’t know where to go. So, we picked a team and we all went there, and that’s where my youth career started in Uruguay as a kid, and they were some incredible years. My time at Fénix was beautiful, I learned a lot, and I really enjoyed it.
As you said, everything happened fast for you. At Fénix, you moved up to the first team at 15 years of age. Fifteen years old, how?
It’s incredible. Over there, you have different age divisions: seventh, sixth, fifth, fourth. I played the first year in the youth teams, and in the middle of my second year, around August, I was moved up to the first team. I could only train once a week, because I had problems with my school, and when I turned 16, I started training every day. But yes, my debut was at 15 years of age, and it was something truly incredible.
Do you remember your professional debut?
Yes, I remember it vividly. I remember that I played seven or eight minutes, and it felt like it was 90 minutes, because I had to run a lot, but I enjoyed it, I enjoyed it. I also feel like my emotions got the better of me, so I obviously felt more tired than I was.
And were you nervous?
At the beginning, I was on the bench, and I wasn’t nervous. In the second half when we started to warm up, all of my teammates were saying, “this is your debut, this is your debut. “That’s when I got nervous and I really felt it. Imagine my father! He was out there watching the game. If I was nervous, he was 10 times more nervous. It was a great moment, which I’llobviously never forget.
And you played as a striker for a time. When did you switch to midfield?
I started off as a striker. I’ve always played further forward, and I think the change happened in an U-20 team, with Uruguay, under Fabián Coito. And I think he was one of the first ones to move me further back. I started learning about it. At the beginning, I didn’t like it, then I began to learn, and started to like it, and now I’m a defensive midfielder.
And can we say that it’s a change that transformed your life?
Yes, clearly. I struggled at the beginning, because I didn’t like it. Players never feel comfortable playing in a different position, but I started to get used to it and to like it.
And when you were 20, you got the opportunity to go to Portugal. How did you make that decision?
The decision was an easy one, as I’ve always dreamed of playing in Europe, but the context was a very difficult one, because South America and Europe are different worlds. So, leaving your family at 19 years of age, and moving to Portugal, in the middle of the Covid pandemic, the first months were quite tough. Obviously, my family then came with me, which always makes things easier. You then grow up a bit and get used to the life of a football player, you get used to being on your own too, and you end up learning from these things.
How would you describe your time at Famalicão?
Again, very fast! Everything was fast! It was five or six months, where I also learnt a lot, I understood what football in Europe was like, how they worked, how they trained, and I pushed myself very hard. It was a very short time. I think it was from January to June, or may, I can’t remember. But it was only five or six months.
And then, Sporting. What was that like?
That was one of the moments I enjoyed the most, due to everything, what the club is like, the teammates I had there. It was a great group, I made great friendships there, everything, where I lived, my time there, how well we did, and I really enjoyed it. That’s also why I have so much love for Lisbon and Portugal as a whole.
What was it like to play under Rúben Amorim at Sporting?
It was amazing, very positive. He helped me and is still helping me grow as a football player. You really identify with him, because of how he communicates things, how he talks to you, and that’s it. We are with him until the end.
In September 2021, you made your debut with the national team, with Uruguay. What do you remember from that day?
It was beautiful. To go and train with the national team, with the players I’d watch on television, it was something incredible and something I enjoyed. So, to make your debut for your country, especially with how patriotic us Uruguayans are, we love our country .
And you became quite emotional coming off the pitch, right?
Yes. everything was going through my head. I think that what made me emotional at the time, obviously was playing for the national team, but having my family watch me play. That brought me to tears at that moment. They’re moments you treasure and never forget.
How did Paris Saint-Germain come into your life?
That too was moving up a level, a step up to the football elite, to the maximum level, with the players who were there, that are still there, what the club is like, everything. These are things I’velearned, the relationships with my teammates, the stars that were there and learning to live with them. It was a beautiful journey.
What was it like to work under Luis Enrique? We can say that the first half of the season at PSG was better for you than the second half of the season.
Well, I have a great relationship with him. He’s a great manager. I learned a lot from him. I learned mainly to play with the ball, to understand the game better, in terms of possession, having the ball and dominating games. As I was saying, every manager teaches you different things. There’s more than one way to play football, there’s a whole spectrum. So, it’s important to understand everything, understand how to play, the aspects you have to improve on, and it’s important for players to understand that.
Do you remember the moment that United showed an interest in you? What were you doing?
I think when I signed for PSG, there was already some interest [from United]. When I then found out that they were interested in me, I said that I wanted to go there, because we all know about United’s history. And as I said earlier, they defined a moment, they defined an era in football. It’s everything. United is one of the greatest clubs in the world, and if they want you, you don’t think twice, and it fills you with pride.
Do you feel that Premier League football suits your style?
Yes. Again, the Premier League’s the best league in the world. It’s on a different level. It’s another experience a player must have, because games here are unique, and you don’t think twice about coming to the best team in England. So, yes, I do feel like the Premier League suits my style of play.
You’re 23 years old. Do you sometimes stop and think about everything you’ve achieved, and how quickly you’ve done it?
I often talk with my brother and my friends, that just a few years ago, we were training on a pitch, at a park, during Covid while everything was stopped, and a few years later you say, “wow!”. That’s very positive, it fills you with pride and satisfaction, which you really enjoy, and it’s incredible. That’s what football is like, the life of a footballer, it’s all very fast. It’s very extreme too. So, you have to learn to live with that too.
Do you remember what you felt the first time you came out at Old Trafford for the first match?
Yes, the first match, and I also came out once before, before an international break, where I came out to wave to the fans. Before you come out, you can feel the crowd, and it was something unique too. It’s one of those moments you treasure. And the first match too, it was incredible, I really enjoyed it. With how much you want to win and play, you sometimes don’t notice everything, but it was unique.
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