ISL grabs more attention than I-League: Boerchio

Many congratulations on winning the league this year. How has the journey from NEROCA to Chennai City FC been?

Thank you very much. It has been a year rich in experiences and emotions. I arrived to Imphal in September and, immediately, I found kind people that made me feel at home and that is very important for a guy who is new and far from home. I have a lot of friends in NEROCA and I keep in touch with them. In February, I got the opportunity to join Chennai City FC. It's not easy to go into a consolidated group and learn a different style of play, but everyone – the coach, his staff, management and players – helped me become a part of the family.

What do you think has been the difference between the performances of both the teams that you have played for this year?

The big difference is the combination between young Indian players and foreigners. Here, in Chennai City, we have four Spanish players who know each other from a long time, so, it was easier to understand each other on the field.

Could you tell our readers about the dressing room environment before going into the final game – when East Bengal was breathing just down your neck?

We start to feel the anxieties of a match from the day before. The tension was high, we knew that only victory guaranteed us the title. In the evening, the coach did a motivational meeting, giving us extra power and extra motivation for the match scheduled for the next day. On the match day, in the dressing room, the air was electrifying, everyone was focussed, nobody was talking, everyone focussed on themselves and their ritual routine before the match. The coach reminded us of the plans we needed to execute to defeat the defending champions. One of that tips was, don't give up until the referee blows the final whistle.

What is your take on Indian Football?

I saw a lot of good quality Indian players and I think the next national team coach will be spoilt for choices. I-League, in my opinion, contains a good level of football. It needs some improvements on the organisational front, but I am sure that AIFF will grow on that too. A voice is echoing that next year we will witness just one league – with ISL and I-League merging into one national league. This can do a world of good to Indian football.

You have played in various leagues around the globe. What do you think India needs to rectify or add to emerge in the world football scene?

In my opinion, not just in India but in every country, if you want to have a great and long future with football, you need to have good coaches and mentors for all junior teams. You can nurture these young players and prepare them for professional football. You can't see the results in one year, but in the long term, it will be satisfying. Two models that can be followed are the Australian and the Japanese models.

There has been more hype around ISL and not so much with I-League. Do you think a merger of both leagues will do significant good to the sport in India?

ISL grabs more attention than I-League – but this doesn't mean that I-League has lower standards. As I said before, a merger between ISL and I-League can be good for Indian football and players. With more matches to play, the competitiveness is bound to increase. We will see a lot of changes and the game will be more attractive for fans as well.

India has many emerging young footballers. What will be your advice to them?

When I was with the National Team (U18) in a camp in Coverciano (Italy), I received an advice from an incredible person and legend, Roberto Baggio. He gave us five words – first, passion. There is no life without passion and you can only search for it within yourself. Second, joy. It is precisely from joy that a feeling of completeness is born. Third, courage. It is essential to be brave and learn to live by believing in yourself. Making a mistake is natural, you must not be defeated. Fourth, success. Following your passion with courage will hand you success. Last, sacrifice. It is the essence of life – the door to understanding the value of life.

Youth is the time for construction, so you have to train well now. Your future will depend on this. This is why the years you are living now are so important. Do not believe what comes without sacrifice. It is just an illusion. Effort and hard work build a bridge between dreams and reality. I will carry these five words always with me because they helped me in my hardest moments and I hope that they will help everyone else.