It’s his first time in India- and former Peruvian football star Claudio Pizarro is all smiles as he steps on the field for a friendly match with the All Stars club- consisting of actors Kartik Aaryan, Jim Sarbh, Aparshakti Khurana, filmmaker Shoojit Sircar and others. Bundesliga has launched a project to identify Indian talent, and it’s being done in association with Big-Hit, whose CEO Shaktie Prakash Shukla and Vinit Kore, co-founder are present too.
Posing for HT City, he rues afterwards that he would have wanted to be here for more time. He left the country on April 14, after being here for two days, “I was very excited while I was here for the first time. Sadly, it was just two days. I hope the next time I am here it’s for more days. I have heard a lot, and when I come to a new place I see beforehand the history and culture, you have a special culture.”
Considered the most successful Latin American footballer in the history of German football, Pizarro hung up his boots after the 2019-20 season. While he continues to be the club ambassador for Bayern Munich, he has stayed away from taking up coaching duties. He laughs when we mention it, “It’s very easy to say that- when I finished my career, I said to myself ‘I would like to have a lot of time for me’- because I gave so much time for football. I knew after my career, I will need some time. As am ambassador, I do a lot of things with kids who are aspiring footballers, sponsorships, and still have time for me. If I am a coach, I would not have any time for me.”
Pizarro admits he has not followed the Indian football scene much, but knows about Sunil Chhetri. “I saw kids playing football here, watched Indian football for the first time. I did not know much about it but I liked and enjoyed it. I hope I can learn a bit more,” he smiles.
Oh, and by the way he chooses Chelsea when given a choice along with Liverpool, and Manchester United instead of Arsenal. “I have played for Chelsea, it’s in my heart, and Man United because I have some friends playing there,” he ends.
