Roberto Corral, a Spaniard who overcame his fear and went to Ukraine to play football

Valladolid Roberto Corral is the only Spanish footballer who plays in the Ukrainian leaguehe recently accepted an offer from that country in the middle of the war, and recounting his experience of just over two weeks, he assures that he lived through moments of “distrust” regarding the option to play in Ukraine, but that move was a “dream” and it gave him the necessary courage although, once there, he found “more normality” than expected.

Ever since he was a child, when he arrived at the youth center of Real Valladolid, he dreamed of wearing the jersey of the first team and he achieved that, but in August 2021, when the market was about to close, he had to leave the club due to the surplus of players in its delimitation (left side ). It was a heavy blow.

With a restless character, Roberto explained in those days of uncertainty, almost two years ago, that as he hates boredom, he is most worried about being “unemployed” because the teams were closed after the termination of the contract in Valladolid. His anxiety was short-lived, he immediately committed to an internship from his physical therapy degree, and his agent encouraged him to look into offers “everywhere.”

The first was from Korona Kielce from the Polish League 1where he performed last season, and He is currently a player for Metalist Karkiva Ukrainian club that should play in Kharkov (its headquarters), but since it is one of the cities most affected by the war, it plays in another city and behind closed doors.

Corral, 25, says by phone that his signature began to take shape in February, when he returned to Spain after finishing his trip to Corona. “Then I wanted to free my mind, return home and go to the summer market with my thoughts, but they contacted my agent (Bruno Pires) to comment that Metalist should strengthen my position and they thought of me.”

Roberto was confused at first. The players went there because of the war and he had the option to leave. An interesting intersection. But he was interested when he heard the name of the team, one of the biggest in Ukraine, which from 2009 to 2016 he played in the European League, and in the 13/14 season he also played in the Champions Leaguewith players known as “Papu” Gómez.

The only thing that worried him was the situation in the country, because of the news he heard about the war, but through a phone conversation with club members, he got to know the reality of the Ukrainian league. “They convinced me, they even gave me a chance to try to calm down for a week. I saw that everything was normal at the sporting level and the other conditions compensated me, coming to the Ukrainian Premier League to continue gaining experience and the teaching program was good for me,” he says.

Regarding how the situation in the country is perceived, he assures that it is “normal” and in this context he points out that his life is peaceful, “like Spain or Poland, when I was in these last months”. – In the days that I have been in this region, I have not noticed any signs of alarm or fear in the people who are with me, and from the first day I was surprised by the calmness of my colleagues – emphasizes Corral.

Regarding how his surroundings accepted it, he admits that, as any family would do, when they know that there is a war in a certain country “and you say you will go there”, they first experienced it “with concern”. However, he points out that after they had all the information, after “prior ignorance and media fear”, they accepted it and supported him.

1300 kilometers from Kharkiv

As for the team, he assures that the big whole is noticed, although he regrets that he has to work in other facilities that are not owned by the club and train 1300 kilometers from Kharkivwhere they have their own stadium for 40,000 people and a sports city.

He says that “both Dnipro and we” are playing in Uzhhorod. It also describes the details of other teams They have a specific sports area within different parts of the country where they train and play matches. For example, Shaktar, in Lviv. “This weekend we have to go to Poltava to play against Vorslka, they compete and live there,” he emphasizes.

He claims that his colleagues welcomed him as another member and that customs are similar to Polish, to which he was already adapted. “The Ukrainian language is similar to Polish, although I miss that there are more people who speak English, but I speak it with those who know it, and basic Polish with those who don’t,” adds Corral.

With whom he is on good terms, also because of the language, is coach Perica Ognenović, a former Real Madrid player, then known as “El Atomo”, who speaks fluent Spanish.

Finally, Roberto assures that the Ukrainian league is at a high level and that there are very good clubs, such as Shakhtar, Dnipro, Dynamo Kyiv, Zorya Lugansk or his Metalist. “I made my debut against Shakhtar and it was one of the best teams I had in front of me,” says the Valladolid player.

Regret, yes, that the development of the competition is behind closed doors and highlights the fact that there are several teams, like his, located in war-torn regions that have had to relocate to compete, but, apart from that, “the league continues as normal, without accidents,” he says.

He is recognized on the street because Corral’s hyperactivity makes him move and absorb everything. When he is not training, he goes to the gym, walks and is interested in the new culture he has chosen to live. It was not an easy path, but his dreams drive him and… Roberto does not stop dreaming. “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”