Success, Humility and Healing w/ Javier “Chicharito” Hernández EP 1435

31:31And I thought he was like, okay, I don't know what he's going to say. he's going to retire in the next season. He retired like three months before the end of the season. So I thought he was speaking with the players to say goodbye. So he invited me and I went to his office and we started talking. He said small talk and everything and appreciated back and forth. And then in the end he said, look, I want to finish this meeting. Something that I want to tell you. There's been only in my whole career four players that I regret. I didn't give them more time in my time because you deserve it. And I took the decisions that I took already.

32:09I'm not regretting them because I thought it was the best for the team, always. But those four players, he mentioned the other three, you are in that category. Four players, I would have loved to give you more time because you deserve it because of the way that you are, the way that you work and the love that you have for this club. And I want to say that I'm sorry that you didn't get that time. Imagine Lewis. Wow. How old were you now? In that time, I was 26. Wow, so four years. No, 25. Three years into the year. Wow. Those lessons, man. And then, of course, the way that he treats, the way that he manages humans.

32:49He knew if Lewis needs probably a little bit of, like, I'm going to ignore you. You don't need to talk. There's others that they need to have a battle and something like that. There are others that you need to a little bit be more hard on them. But he knew how to manage 25. But for that, he needs to know people. And focus on people. Not only the sport, of course. He knew about the sport. But how I'm going to take... He knew that the most important part of tactics and the sport is how I'm going to take the best out of my players. And that's why he stayed for 26 or 28 years being the manager, changing players and changing coaching stuff through that time and keep winning.

33:38Wow, that's crazy. It's insane. It's insane. I'm curious, when you scored your first goal with Man U, after being in Mexico the whole time, transferring from Mexico right to Man U, did you believe that you were meant to be there with those players and in that league? Did you feel like, I'm just as good as everyone here? I deserve to be here. Or did you doubt yourself? And how did that first goal feel? Look, Luis, right now I can be completely sure that in that time when I was a kid, because I said I was a kid because I was 20, like mentally and emotionally, I was 22. I was already becoming a man.

34:23But I mean, like emotionally and mentally, and learning a lot about emotions, mindset, a lot of stuff, it was, I don't want to look bad at least. Yeah. Don't mess up. Right? Don't mess up at least. But right now, I learn and it comes now from a different place, obviously. But in that time, it was like, don't mess it up. Right? So that don't mess it up helped me to be aware of how I'm not going to mess it up. If you don't know what's messing it up with what, you need to be very aware. So that gives me an advantage of being more aware about my teammates, about what they do, what I have to do, what probably I shouldn't be doing.

35:07And then in the field, I'm a constant observer of what other people are doing great. And if it goes with me, I want to learn it. If it doesn't go with me that type of decisions, I don't take it since I was a kid because of my family. So that's why I was like, I don't want to look bad, first of all. And then that goal came in Wembley. That was even a funny one because the ball was a little bit behind, I slept, I shoot, but then the ball goes, I shoot it, but the ball goes to my face. And then it goes there. It was a peculiar goal. It went in though. It's like, go! It even makes, like, they impact more people because it was funny.

35:51Right. It wasn't like a clean strike. It's one of the transfers. First goal in Wembley, playing a competition. He scores. They won. Oh, he scores, right? Right. Crazy. So after that goal, yeah, I was like, yeah, I meant to be here. And something of, like, I can. Of course I can. I can. and something as well that I always been thriving it's I can and I will that's something that yeah my family and myself always speak about even with the love languages and the way that you speak with yourself it's like it's different that you can but you can speak and say I will it's more brave to say I will and then if you didn't make it be humble enough to say I didn't make it it's fine it's fine so this is amazing I love hearing the mindset and the story behind this.

36:44And you mentioned early on that your family always kept humility within you, right? They focused on celebrate you, but also talk about what you can do to get better. When did you feel the most humbled in your career and also personally in your life? Was there a game or a season or an experience or something in your career that truly humbled you? And in your life, when did you feel the most humbled? I'm gonna take back the story way more because I'm gonna explain you this type of humbleness that a lot of people don't know because I think what most people are used to when you speak about humbleness that there's like a success so you don't you don't you don't levitate right so you think down for me it was the other way around always is not is I never even though I don't want to say never of course we'll have moments that you feel a little bit high I plan different.

37:39Obviously, we are humans. But my humbleness always was about self-confidence. It was the other way around. Did you have self-confidence? I didn't have that much. That's why the humbleness, because in my opinion, humbleness is not only about don't feel more as well as don't feel less. And in my life, it's not being about feeling more ever. It's the other way around. Don't feel less. That's the humbleness. That was the lesson that I'm going to tell you right now, those moments of my life that it was incredible. The story about the World Cup and everything, then, of course, I got my debut, and in my debut, I scored a goal, right?

38:17And it was amazing. But then, since I got my debut, we went champions in that time, everything. But since my debut, just to put like a time-lapse, two years, Lewis, were one of the toughest two years in my life because then after that, I didn't play as much that I want. I had so many difficult and unpleasant experiences about not being, for example, telling you you're not going to come even on the bench. You need to travel now in a bus six hours with the second team division, but from one day to another, back, like stuff. With Man U. No, no, no, no. With Chivas still. Oh, gotcha. This is before everything, before everything.

38:55This is even after the World Cup of the under-20s in Mexico. So, but the humble part comes here. Again. I was with my mother at that time. My father was traveling because of the managing work. So one time, I supposed to travel with the first team. And in that moment, when you knew, for example, it was the locker room. You are 20 to 30 players in the locker room. First division locker room. But then one day before every match, if in your place you have a piece of paper, it means you are called up for the game. You are involved. You are in the squad for that game. If you don't have the sheet, you need to go and ask the second assistant, what's going to happen with me?

39:45Do you want me to train in tomorrow? Or do you go and play with the other team? Or do you have days off? Or whatever, right? Okay. So that one is like, I saw a sheet over there. So in those moments, it were like tiny victories for me. Of course, it's like the step of the ladder. You need to be involved in the cutoff. Then if you come in, make an impact. And then, of course, Okay, then the next day I come with my bag and everything. And then I was changing and they told me, hey, the manager needs to speak with you. And okay, I go. So I go. And I was even thrilled. Oh, he'll speak with me probably.

40:16Something's gonna change. The other way around, he tell me, look, Javier, we did a mistake. My assistant, I say, so whatever, you shouldn't supposed to have this shit. So the other thing is, you need to go to your house. The problem is the second team already traveled, so you're not going to play that weekend. So tomorrow I want you to come and train by yourself with our fitness coach over there, obviously. But yeah, right now we don't need you to train here. So if you wanted to go home, like go home. In that time, it was like, wow, okay. And the humble part comes here. Because then my mother picked me up.

40:54We have chats and stuff. And we were in the laundry room in my house because I remember. and the humbleness that I felt the most humble was, again, my mother told me, son, I've been talking with your father. I've been talking with a lot of people about, like, because, of course, we can have doubts that if you are not good enough, we want to see it. Because as well, that could be a gift for you, too, you know, to be in time to pivot, you know. And with all the objectiveness, you are good enough. your parent like your father sorry will tell you right if he doesn't think you're good enough I will tell you I've seen so much games I'll tell you so do that and now I want you son from now on he said I'm over and she said from now on no expectations I don't know what you need to do what you have to do I'm gonna be here to help you play for the love of the game don't forget the love of the game.

41:56Don't keep trying to achieve. Love the game. Love the game. Go back and train. Like if you're already playing in First Division, if you were the key player of that team, play like that, train like that, feel like that. I don't know how, it's difficult. And again, you need to trust in things that, things that we cannot see, things that are not tangible. You need to keep trusting. And she asked me again, you want to be a soccer player, a professional soccer player, right? And I was like, of course, yes ma 'am, of course, right? So you need to do that. So the humbleness come up like she telling me, find self-confidence in these moments.

42:32Because when you score goals, it's nice, it's better, it's easier. But in those moments where you are, again, going through pain, through those ideas that you need to break because, of course, your ego is telling you you are not worth enough, you deserve this, blah, blah, blah, et cetera, et cetera. So that moment was a breakthrough, Luis, because that moment start slowly, slowly putting in practice what my mom told me, right? That it's like, do it for the passion and love. Go and enjoy it. Don't enjoy it. They tell you, you're going to the bench. Oh, like, don't give the power to the outcome.

43:10Give the power of the love of the game and giving everything. So you know deep inside if you are retraining, give everything or not. Right. things can come your way or not but if you keep giving everything you are, like she said she always said this, you are investing you are investing, if you give everything no matter the outcome, you can have bad trainings or good trainings, but if you keep giving everything, and she said it in this way if you keep giving your heart, putting your heart into every training, you are investing, and that was one of the most humblest moments, Luis, because I could, I felt I swear, I felt, I don't even know how I did it because I was I trust so much in my family in them and they were like a mirror for me that I had to trust to myself the things start just start like working out working out I start playing more I start playing more I start playing more and then the story that we that we already know so that was the moment wow man in that laundry room it's gonna stick forever in my life because it was it was the other way around that's why I told you of the humbleness it wasn't that I scored three goals and my mother tried to hey come on come on hey let's sit put your feet in the ground and stuff like that when you were failing, she was building you up.

44:21Yes. And I think, thankfully, I've been failing so much. And I didn't avoid the failing. The failing and the feelings. The feelings. The feelings that come with the failing, like the consequences of that were that I was able to grow and then to live the experiences. Yeah, because you felt the pain. you felt the sadness and then it made you focused and continue to have a good attitude and the world makes room for passionate people if you show up passionate with your heart to something every day of practice it becomes undeniable how valuable you are to a situation or a team or a relationship yeah so if you just show up with passion and a good attitude if you've got the talent people recognize it for sure you'll have an opportunity for sure for sure and i was yeah i was i'm still You know, you saw me the other day.

45:19I'm so passionate for this sport. I love it. I love it. That's good, man. I love it. Yeah, it's fun, man. I'm curious. Speaking about just soccer with Mexico, what is one thing you wish the country of Mexico really knew about you? Because they know about all the goals you scored in the World Cups and the Premier League Championships and your father and grandfather, they know Chicharito, but what do you wish they knew about Javier? Look, Luis, I'm a believer, and I think you too, about that everything happens for a reason, and they need it to happen in that way, right, in our past. But as well, I will say, like, in the past five years, let's say, more or less, five to six years, they are knowing parts of Javier that I didn't show in the past.

46:15Not because I was hiding them. It was because I was believing to some of the noise of telling me how I should behave. That I'm still, but what people don't know is I'm still behaving that way, but I am a human being. I'm starting to embrace Javier. So if Javier as a human make a mistake, something is a human. If Javier or Chicharito don't score a goal, his value is still the same as a human being. In the business, of course, he's probably doing good or not good. Consequences will happen. But I am still a human being. The worth of a human being doesn't count how much goals I score, how much money I earn, or how many photographs I can say, or how many autographs I can sign that's not the value of a human being right so that's something that I'm doing now so to answer your question could it be like showing be more authentic and more vulnerable area probably and yeah I think that would that would that would be it but I'm doing it now right so yeah I'm trying to keep it up you know what do you wish the Mexican people knew about you that they don't know?

47:34You talked about, you know, you're a human being, and yes, you know, your worth is not determined by how successful and how many goals you have and these things. And you're being more authentic and opening up in general. But what is it you wish they really knew about you?

47:53I'm going to say it again, Luis, because I don't think people...

48:01Whatever I can say, whatever I can do, whatever mistake I did, whatever accomplishment I did, whatever interview, whatever word, whatever action, whatever it is, it never, ever, ever, and I could say never that, even though I'm not perfect, and I did it like I said when I was a kid, but I never felt that I have more value, more value or less value than another human being brother i swear on my kids life ever if i did the mistakes it's because i did the mistakes i'm a human being if i achieve stuff i achieve stuff because it's not that i'm better i'm doing different things i'm in a good way to achieve that but that achievement doesn't make me going to bed and say oh i'm better than louis oh i'm because the only i don't know how to call it but let's say the only person in the world that i want to beat is my ego really of course my ego is telling me ego is the challenge i believe ego something that I learned, the ego is like your rival in a very cool way.

49:19So every night I'm trying, like say, I give everything, I put my heart on it, and I think we have a good battle ego in a good way, when it's very positive. And some others, you know, those days that are very frustrating them. And then you're probably like, okay, you want to, just today, but then tomorrow. So things like that. So that's something that I will love, them to believe in the core that I love to share you know me Luis from one month ago, I love to share and my sharedness doesn't come with being, how do you say, pretentious or because I want to share, it's so much love to tell the people that I love I experience this and if you learn from it, I feel even like share my path and whatever whoever wants to take even a small piece or nothing my sharing with the most love it's something that makes me feel so much peace so much peace because for me it's like oh I learned something I want to share it and if that new skill that experience like the fun and the joy that I experience, I want people to experience.

50:39So the only way that I want, I want to share it. So sometimes with this passion, as you can see, right, I can understand when people can misunderstand that could look like a little bit present to us or a little bit like, oh, show enough. I can understand. But I swear it doesn't come from that. It comes from a pure love of like, let me share you. You know, like I came to School of Greatness, man. And it's like I want to share it with my guys, not to make them peace the other way around. It's like, because as well, something that we talk about off of air is, and you know this, oh, I'm a believer that if I can, anyone can, in that sense.

51:25I don't believe that I have something different or I'm special than anyone. The only thing is I learn to be brave. And I think bravery, every one of us can be brave. I don't think there's no, unless, of course, we know that there are people that probably they're diagnosed with some situations, you know, stuff. But if you are completely healthy in that sense, we all can be brave. Brave is not a quality that I have special. No, it's something that I'm doing that I hope a lot of people could do. Don't bravery of, feel the pain. Yeah, man. Feel the pain. Yeah. Now I'm curious about the difference between the mindset of a champion and someone who never wins a championship.

52:14You've been a champion many times. You've played against champions where you weren't the champion. You didn't win, but you played against other champions. You won championships. But you have a mindset of a champion. What is the difference that you've seen of all the other champions out there and those that never win a championship or just never get the opportunity to because their mindset's not there? What's the difference between that? Wow, very interesting subject, Luis, because I think... Is it? No, no, because I'm trying to put it in these ways more tangible in a way, like more of a process because I agree with you.

52:56The thing is, look, I think if you, first of all, in my point of view, because that's what I live, is the passion about it. Honestly, if it doesn't make you feel scared of what you are dreaming, in my point of view, you could do it good enough. Right. But to get champion, to be a champion, because the passion and the love, you know what love is. It's love sometimes, and most of the times, it's not only love. Love is accept some stuff, let go some other. Feel unpleasant moments. So I think after the passion, it's if you deeply, deeply enough with your consciousness and your inside work, don't feel that it's tough emotionally.

53:55it's tough mentally and it's tough physically have you maintained that that's the thing the road to the championship I think it shouldn't be pleasant it shouldn't be fulfilled you shouldn't find the joy but it's not pleasant it shouldn't be suffering either don't get me wrong it's not about suffering don't go to those extremes but it should be hard most of the time. Hard even of like, I want to go and have a dinner and this fear of missing out, you know, that kind of stuff. Probably don't having some relationships with people because they can drag you down or at least they're not letting you space for energy to just shine because you are not available because of course it's very demanding, man.

54:49It is. It's only one champion. It is. I always said it that I gave my youth and my adolescence, my puberty and a lot of things to the sport. I didn't leave them. I didn't go to too much parties when I was 20, 21. I didn't know how to engage women because I didn't have the practice, right? I didn't have social skills because I was so... Focused, yeah, you were... Men, yeah. So I think, in my opinion, that could be a difference. It's the process, man. It's the process. And don't get me wrong. And I learned this from Canelo Alvarez that I talked with him the other day. And I think he was right. I never looked at it.

55:38Apart from all of that, if you are not completely critiqued by yourself, and if you don't see talent and you're objective with yourself, you don't see talent, don't expect greatness. Right, right. Talent is a part of it, even if it's a small amount, but you need to have talent for something. You need to have some talent, yeah, yeah. Some, as well. A part of all the structure, as well, you need to have the talent to be a champion. Yeah. So. Love that. I think that's it. And I want to keep mentioning it because that's a word that is like a mantra for me, and that's something that I want to say. And be brave, man.

56:11Be brave, yeah. And the bravery, people think, is just the bravery to try to live the good experiences. Now, be brave to be in the stage, right? Be brave to do. Yes, that bravery I'm talking about. The other bravery is like, ooh, heal yourself. That requires bravery. Embrace uncertainty. That requires a lot of bravery. Miss people, love people in ways that probably are not the ways that you want. Like they're not here, like my grandfather is not here. How I'm loving and I feel love to him. The relationship that I have with a person that is not in this world, in this simulation, How? Be brave with those small battles daily.

56:54I don't think you get to be a champion. I think you need to become a champion since day one. And prepare, work, give, pay prizes, sacrifice since day one. Just to put it like that, not since one, but since day one. like what's what's the biggest price you've paid to becoming a champion

57:22oof sorry

57:35I did a tattoo here with my sister that is just with my sister but it requires the biggest price. It says no matter where with her handscript. It's don't be like, don't spend that much time with the people that I love. Don't spend, that you didn't spend that much time. I cannot spend that much time with people I love because a part of my passion, my purpose.

58:12yeah since I was for example since I moved when I was 21 22 years old it was my grandparents I didn't spend that much time with my grandparents even though they travel and stuff I didn't spend in that time for example with relationships with friendships friendships like went away because yeah time we don't spend time you don't procure them even love relationships so they and don't get me wrong it wasn't because more of because I don't want to be alone it's not even like that solitude and even now more than ever I embrace it but it's it's a price to pay obviously that you feel you of course you want to be with the people that you love and now I I broke up like this because regardless that it's not that something that I decide and I didn't like I didn't want to be like this it just happened for different things that I'm not going to enter in in that very small details, I'm not spending that much time that I would love to with my kids right now.

59:09It's getting there, it's getting better, and I will spend that time. And I'm not saying that I'm choosing championship because of my brother and my kids. It's not that way. But because even how everything happens right now, I'm choosing my growth, be a champion, feel a little bit of pain missing them but I know that far away and when they grow this fulfillment that's something that I want them to learn about their father I want them because what I want from them I want them to be the best version of themselves they want to learn to grow to feel all that love and the only thing that I want is I'm going to love them forever but I want them to be competent and efficient so they can enjoy this life because it's their own life.

1:00:09Yeah. And I want them to feel this energy of their father, a better version of himself. And right now, look all of this, you know, and technology is going to help in that sense. But this is one of the prizes that I'm paying right now to become even a champion this season, and not being that close with them, even though they're gonna come in four weeks, they're gonna stay here and wanna spend time with them. Because I don't want them to be mistaken that it's not coming days of like, I choose my career, my kids, it's not like that. It's the other way around. I did everything so my kids could be closer and things out of my control that I want to speak about it, it's like, it happened.

1:00:50And again, I've been more brave to accept some consequences and leave this type of stuff to grow. And like I told you, to experience all of this, to be stronger with the purpose that deep enough, I believe, that my kids are going to be proud of the father that they have. Know about the success and the achievement. Right. About the fulfillment, that energy, that frequency that I want to maintain every day. So I can transfer that to them. This is a really interesting concept because I'm assuming people watching or listening might have a judgment here. Yeah. But for me, there's this idea of creating fulfillment within your life's purpose and being a champion of your life.

1:01:44Whether that's being a champion on the soccer field or not is choosing to be having the most fulfilled version of your life. To me, that's a champion as well. even if you don't win the championship. And you're in an interesting situation because your kids are in another country right now. And I'm assuming that there are some people that might criticize you and say, well, you're playing soccer, a game that you've already succeeded so well at. Why not just be in the same country as your kids right at this time for the six months or this year or whatever it is. But what I love hearing you say is you're choosing to have a full rich life.

1:02:21and there is a sacrifice to that right now because of the situation. It's just right now. The logistics of the situation. But it's not the rest of your life. Exactly. It's just right now. And I did everything for them to stay here. Wow. In L.A. I did everything. So I can, of course, have both. And I don't think it's a bad life living in L.A. and growing over here. But there were situations that I cannot talk about it that they were out of my control, but I did everything. Everything economically, everything in a way of like, I want them to stay close. And I think we both can be here and have a successful and fulfillment life, not successful, fulfillment life, and our kids as well, right?

1:03:11But it didn't happen. So at that time, when it didn't happen... How do you make the decision then to stick with your career about this joy and this love that you have for one thing and not have both together? How do you make that decision personally?

1:03:31Look. Because I think it's a tough situation. It's very tough because I'm going to explain to you. I'm going to tell you like this. First of all, I compromise with an organization that is LA Galaxy. I give my word, first of all.

1:03:51secondly I did the best as I could I did everything that I knew at that time I didn't knew and I act very nice and very loving and it didn't happen the outcome and if you can see it something that I take it and I interpret it like this the stories that I've been telling you if you see it it's about patience right trust bravery man I think no it's not that I think I know

1:04:32my kids and I we're going to have an amazing relationship we're going to heal whatever we both need to heal ourselves and I'm going to be one of the best influences like be a very positive influence for them because

1:04:48they will notice they will feel and they will learn about fulfillment wow for me and it's taking me this because like you said the champion is like that my my championship is not only the lifting the trophy lifting the trophy is the consequence of all of this of the fulfillment of living your purpose of living your passion of like going after what you want as well heal whatever i need to heal enjoy whatever i need to enjoy experience whatever I need to experience but I know

1:05:20look it's like this and it's not even a complaint it's just an example because it happened there were moments with my father even though they're still together my parents I didn't see him that much because of his job so it's just about the perspective that life want to put sometimes everything is going to be figured out the message here I hope it's not stay just in the easiness of judge things that you can judge if you can understand, not understand, if you can see it and feel it here.

1:05:57that those decisions that we're talking about this decision about my kids but in every aspect of anyone's life in every different concept that's when the universe is telling you do you really you're attracting everything what if this is the price that you need to pay what attraction and how I realized that about the gut feeling and about that it's not the pleasant one. The most pleasant one was, of course, being touching my kids every single morning and every single day and every single night. Decisions needed to be made by both of us because we needed to split, and then things happen, and then we are like we are right now.

1:06:42Right, right. And instead of staying as a victim and complaining, be bitter, I love them I decide to love I have another tattoo here That says in Spanish Love is my super power Oh that's beautiful How do you say that? Amar Amar es mi super poder Oh that's cool So It's beautiful man I choose to love man That's good I choose to love And I choose the The hard way That it's Love People think that love is nice And it feels easy Yes It's like That's why I That's why I love love In that way Because of course And you are a pioneer about this right it's like speaking about yourself in a very good way healing your past accept yourself know yourself with with with your shadow right with your things that are not incredible and you need to you need to master yourself right and that's i think when love comes about when it's when it's not pleasant but it's when it's it's it's richful it's joyful joy it's It's not happy, it's joy.

1:07:49It's like, oh, I know that sometimes I do this. Oh, I know sometimes I can do it, you know? Sure. But then, it's not only about learning. It's about that you master yourself so you can control yourself. It's about power. But that's self-power. So that's why sometimes we are so inclined to take the decisions about the safetyness. And safetyness, people think safetyness is being, yes, and that's why the vulnerability is like a paradox, right? Because when you are vulnerable, you feel exposed that anyone could hurt you. Right now, thankfully, because of the times in our lives, to be vulnerable is telling you, man, I'm doing this with you.

1:08:28I'm crying. I'm speaking about my kids. I'm doing it. That's vulnerability. But then, don't take me wrong, you see me play. I could be a beast inside as well. I know, but that's the thing. We all are like that. It's how you master and then you are responsible. of it. So anyway, just to finish like that is these two humans changed my life, Nala and Noah. You know Noah and Nala, my kids, I have the tattoos of them here. And this, I hope people can see about this that, yeah, be a champion of your life requires a lot of bravery, a lot of decision making, a lot of love, a lot of acceptance, a lot of bulldozing,

1:09:19vulnerability, and a lot of like embracing uncertainty, being certain. Yeah, oh man. The lessons your mom tell you for sure and your grandmother. Exactly. I'm curious about this topic of relationships because I don't know, I know one other soccer player. I don't really know much about football, soccer. I played it growing up but then I really didn't follow much, right? But I know it's massive around the world. I know people are crazy. People are obsessive about the sport. I understand in Europe, it's like that's all people watch. It's a matter of life and death and families. It's like the craziest thing, right?

1:09:56And from my observation, again, I follow a few players online, but it seems like there are some soccer players, footballers, who have great relationships. I see Messi with his wife and his kids and Ronaldo though, a few players that I watch, right? And then it seems like other soccer players have horrible relationships. Now, relationships are challenging in general. Of course. It's hard for regular people, let alone people at the top of a professional sport. Why do you think, do you think it's easier or harder to be in a healthy quality relationship when you are a driven man at the top of a sport?

1:10:38What's your thoughts on that? It's easier or harder because I see Messi and Ronaldo. It's an amazing subject, man. It seems like they have good relationships, but who knows? Behind the scenes, I have no idea. People can post something on social media. But you saw these guys every day for the last 15, 20 years. You've seen guys in multiple leagues all around the world. Some of them have great relationships. Others don't. What does it take for a great athlete to also have a great relationship? Okay.

1:11:09I'm gonna look I think you don't have to say names of people but no I don't need it no man I don't need it it's not even no no no I think look and like you said it relationships are hard hard for average people and we can say yeah and you and you brought and you brought a subject about like like partnerships and like and like that that type but even with the friendships and So like relationships are key because imagine if it's difficult to know yourself, accept yourself, master yourself, and then find someone that is in the same time lapse in your life that you can have coincidences in time that I call it, you know, to walk together and stuff like that.

1:11:51It's very difficult. But look, man, I think something that people don't realize, and I'm going to speak about athletes in general. I don't know in USA because of the sports and because the system that they have that you can have college have different like like environments, you know, when you are young. 95, even 98 percent of soccer players around the world comes from from nothing, man. From even poverty, from not even like like I'm going to speak about my father. My father was poor one generation before me. Sometimes he needed to work when he was 10 years old to try to get some sense of a peso to try to eat something.

1:12:43So I think it's just a matter of knowledge. Knowledge. You always try to do the best that you can when you know. How do you know exactly? That's why the word bravery, because when you are as brave as you are, normally you put yourself in situations or experiences that are going to give you knowledge. Knowledge, right? So I think nowadays that's why I believe so much in you and these people that are being like pioneers because, and I want to speak about it. It's like sometimes people say, just man up. and I understand there are moments that you need to man up but if I show you vulnerability it's not weakness man because I'm showing you vulnerability I'm not telling you that that vulnerability is controlling me that's different like what I'm feeling I can show you that I'm sad I can cry that's not controlling me I'm feeling it that's one thing and I show I'm sharing it that I'm human so I think it's just a I think relationships with soccer players it comes about the backgrounds man it's difficult coming from my country, for example, even though that I wasn't in a rich family, because I wasn't, I was completely middle class because my dad, even though he had a very good career, money-wise, he wasn't a brilliant career, neither, even though that he played constant and in the teams that he played, et cetera, I was from a middle class.

1:14:12So it's just about that. I mean, like I spoke, religious is very involved over there. The ways of the social, groups and culture that is in my country brings you a lot of stereotypes, a lot of how you need to behave or not. Exactly, a lot of machismo. But then as well, the other way around, as well there are women that they just are, there are women that they're just looking to the surface as well. Right, it's true. As well, it's, man, to relationships, I always said it, to relationships, to broke up, even though that you can tell me that someone did something, both need to have responsibility.

1:14:51It's true. both man to approach a relationship project if it doesn't work both you did your stuff or you didn't do your stuff you did your stuff or you didn't do your stuff you allow stuff to happen you allow stuff to happen be responsible be accountable man accountability because that's the other thing the other way around speaking like normally like you said it what people hear see there's way more context about a lot of stuff and the situation for a relationship is as much accountability we can have even in the breakups could be in a more loving ways because we are used to speaking of my country about the drama the fighting the and don't get me wrong men do a lot of mistakes and women do a lot of mistakes if we both want to learn about relationships we both learn about relationships and for that you need to know yourself because you need to be completely honest but that's the other thing that i believe that that people are not brave enough, I'm gonna tell you as well.

1:15:52Brave enough to have communication, brave enough to say what you want, brave enough to accept that there are things that you cannot have the perfect situations. They're probably in a project that, okay, these things couldn't happen right now because these other things are happening. You know, agreements, love, but that's why I believe that you need to work in yourself. I believe when people don't agree about this, you work on yourself and then you share it. Yeah, that's true. You're sharing it. I'm curious, of all the teammates that you've had, or all the people you've played against and you're aware of, which footballer, in your mind, had the best family?

1:16:33Like the best relationships, the kids, like they showed and it seemed like they had the best family relationships with their partner and their kids. That you were like, wow, they're really, you know, this is amazing, it's beautiful. A lot of people it was a lot. Even myself and my family for example, the relationship that I still have. I think we all and a lot of players did because I believe as well in something that is the gray areas. We have some guidelines about how relationships should be and of course most of the people like to follow the guidelines and it works for them. But there are others that they don't.

1:17:15Or the small gray areas, they want to add something that is not common. Or they want to take something out that is not common. So that's why I said relationships are, and that's a beautiful part of relationships. That they're two human beings to try to get along. Trying to figure it out. Right? Try to figure it out. Try to figure it out, man. Whatever you want to figure it out. You want to get married, kids, not company, whatever it is. So that's why it's so beautiful. Yeah, it is. because realistically I think that the narrative should be like learn from anyone see whatever you want to see take whatever you want to take and don't take whatever you want to take there's no better or worse relationships but you know why because we were never going to know like I was never going to know what relationship it is or myself even though that I can explain it to you because you need to live it and feel it and then like always happens one person has one perspective the other person has another perspective Yes.

1:18:12And they're both right and true. It's true. From their perspective. Right? Perspectives are right. Yeah, exactly. So a lot of people have a very good relationship with families, with kids, with partners. A lot. Sure. I'm going to ask you some football questions. Best team you ever played for?

1:18:34Oh, my God. You played a lot of great teams. Yeah. I'll say, I'll say, no, yeah. The team seats Manchester United and Real Madrid. I mean, there's no other team above them. Best game you ever had. In your mind, it was your best game. Maybe you didn't score the most goals. Maybe you... This was my best game I've ever played. Look, from 1 to 10, I'll say I played in qualification, right? Sure. Number 9. Because I don't believe in the 10th. Sure. But you're best. Nine, it was like the best, but as well the meaning of that game, the one that I play with Real Madrid and I score the winning goal on quarterfinals to the Champions League to go through to semifinals of Champions League.

1:19:21Because a part of how I play and a part of that I score the winning goal and we win and we get through, the meaning is there's nothing above those experiences. The only thing is you need to maintain it, right? It's just like that's the best of the best of the best of the best of the best of the best, right? I have World Cups, but I haven't played in playoffs World Cups, right? I scored a goal in the round of 16s, but we didn't get through, you know, so this one, the meaning was it's like the dream. That's literally the dream. The biggest championship. And I scored goals with Manchester United that gave me as well like titles for the Premier League as well.

1:20:02But their leagues, this one with the Champions League and Spain, how the story was that I came, that I shouldn't play that much, I was alone. Did he have the capacity or not to do? Spain, they do like that. And then I started, played the whole 90 minutes, and I was subbed in the last minute. Then I scored the goal, and we win. And we won. So that was the game. What's the best performance of someone else you've ever played on a team with or against? Another player. No, I'm going to say it's very difficult, but yes, it comes easy. I'll say a team. It was the team. For me, it's one of the greatest teams ever built.

1:20:44And it was the final that I lost in the Champions League against Barcelona. That team with Messi, but the players that they were, I think they... Of the 11 they played, I'll say the 11 of them, they were almost in the peak of their career. Wow. The 11 of them. Real Madrid? No, Barcelona. I was with Manchester United. Manchester United. We lost the final in London 2011. Wow. In Wembley 3-1 we lost. What's the best individual performance you've ever witnessed? Like playing, no? Against or with? With and against.

1:21:20You were just like, this is unbelievable what this person is doing. Wow. They were just on another level. That's good that I'm thinking, I feel very humble because there's a lot I'm thinking about alone, and I'm just trying to choose one, choose one. I'll say that, look, I'm going to mention players. I don't remember. There were a couple of games that Wayne Rooney, I played with him, and the way that he played the game, it was like a master of all around in his position. You can see scoring goals, making the team play well, assisting, defending, like a very well around Wayne Rooney. Then I played, thankfully, with Cristiano Ronaldo, I saw plenty.

1:22:03But there was one that we played against Sevilla, and he did a hat-trick. It was like, out of nowhere, just boom, goal, and then boom, goal, and then boom, goal. It was like, wow. Like, if he has magic powers to know where the ball is going to come every single time, he's got three amazing goals, you know, with the talent. And the other one was Messi. Messi against us in that final that I mentioned to you. those three players, that was the three players that I witnessed that it was like, wow. What is the biggest lesson you learned from each one of those players? Whether they're, whether personally or watching them or playing against them.

1:22:37One lesson from each one of those players. With Cristiano Ronaldo, personally, that, that everything that is being said, I think it's, it's being underestimated because, for example, this comparison about Messi that, that of course is a professional hard worker but he has more talent than Cristiano. The talent of Cristiano, so imagine how much value he needs to be. If you have a guy who, suppose, because he has, supposedly, he doesn't have that much talent, he's doing the same things as a talented guy. That's not a superpower. Right. Right? Imagine if you are right, because he has, so that about him, the professionalism, the hard work, and the self-confidence.

1:23:21Wow. The self-confidence, I've never felt something like him. His presence. The presence. The way he showed. The belief that he has in himself. It's out of this planet. The way Ronnie, it's like he played his whole career. Like he was playing in the streets of Liverpool. He's from Liverpool. Like with that easiness, like with that freedom, even from everything. Like don't believe in no one, just believing in himself, playing. He's talented, but he was very clever here as well, way more than people think. So that, and then I think Messi, I didn't play with him. I played every single time against him, and it's just like, yeah, his left foot and the talent that he has is just like, yeah, it's artistic in a way, right?

1:24:11It's just like, wow, I play against him and you want to stop him, and there's no way sometimes. But he was in his pick. There wasn't a way to stop him. Really? It was impossible almost, yeah. But you were never defending, right? No, no, no. We cross, but not so many. You just watch him. Exactly, watch him. Yeah, exactly. Wow. And with Cristiano and with Wayne, apart of watching them, because I play against them in national teams, I play with them. Right, right. That's cool. Must be fun with your ups. Yeah. Amazing. You're getting passes, but that's amazing. What is your biggest fear moving forward?

1:24:39Biggest fear and doubt that you face?

1:24:46the fear that I feel constantly it's like kind of not like not being present and conscious being conscious about myself like I believe I believe that we I will say we because I believe in that I am or we are we are not the voice that is here we are the observer of the voice so that's the conscious that when you realize you're listening to the voice it's like you are that you are that's you that's you right so the fear that sometimes like like i don't want to i don't i call it like i don't want to fall asleep in my consciousness i'm being in this automatic automatic but like sabotage mode because you can be in automatic when you have great habits when you are loving you are when you are present you need to think you are in auto mode when you're completely present and feeling everything but it's in a positive way so i call it don't fall asleep in this like sabotage mode right wow that's what you're afraid of that's what you're afraid of falling asleep yes yeah yes in that sense yes this is powerful man yeah i'm inspired what's uh i've got a few final questions for you yeah go for it what is um have all the time of the world what is what is the thing you're most proud of that most people aren't aware of they're aware of all the championships but what's the thing maybe people would think that you know you're not proud of that you're really proud of a three words yeah three words a bravery

1:26:29generous. I was going to say, and like, yeah, like humble. Humble. Humble. Yeah. I don't, people that have met me, and it's very difficult to speak about this because I don't want to like, you know what I mean? It's difficult to say these things because I believe that when you are saying you are and not being like that, and speaking about humbleness. But when you truly, truly, truly know me, it's like there's no evil inside me, man. And I've had plenty of mistakes that I've done. But never with evilness, or I want to hurt someone, or I want to make someone's life difficult. Even though I know how to compete, and in my sport you need to take advantage of someone, and I can see weak spots in the sport to take advantage, and I'm very sensitive and I can see humans never ever have like I wake up I want to make I want to make someone feel like no shows that I'm human and I did these things right so those three words I think like describe me in a way and people don't because of fame and because my sport and my job and the media and etc it's just those three words how brave I am how humble I am how generous I am yeah it's beautiful man well I gotta acknowledge you have before we've hung out a few times now.

1:27:54It's been, what, a month or two since I've got to know you? Thankfully. We've hung out, I don't know, five times? Five times. Yeah, something like that. I've seen a couple of your games. You've been to my home. You know, we've hung out outside of the studio, and it's been beautiful getting to know you, getting to know your heart. And I want to acknowledge you for showing up fully for yourself, even under challenging circumstances. You know, I met you when you were injured. I know what it's like being injured playing a sport. It's not fun. No. But showing up, doing the work, recovering, following a healthy routine, you've done that.

1:28:26Showing up the best way you can for your club. Showing up the best way you can for yourself, for your family, for your kids, even though they're not here. I acknowledge you for showing up with a positive light, even under challenges and breakdowns and stuff you're going through, man. It's beautiful to watch you show up with passion, with love, and positivity. I appreciate that. So I acknowledge you, man, and I'm excited for our friendship and hanging out more, and hopefully we can... Yeah. Well, likewise, man, you are a pioneer about this, and not only about myself, about millions of people, you know, about this self-work that we all have to, not have to do, but literally, I never use those words, but yeah, we have to do.

1:29:08We want to just enjoy better this life. Absolutely, man. You want to have better experiences, you know, and... just feel better man so I appreciate what you're saying because likewise I admire you and I've been so grateful to be here in this project but a part of that is just start to knowing you as well and be how how authentic you are over here and the same outside because you know people sometimes think yeah like us as well you can see me in a way and then you don't know how real time people are but I honestly I'm grateful that you are so authentic and what you preach you are right that's a beautiful thing I appreciate it Appreciate you, man.

1:29:47How can we best support and serve you? You know, you're playing with the Galaxy right now. Come to a game. Follow you on social media. Where do you like to spend the most time on social media and how can we support you? Look, right now, thankfully, I made a structure and I'm working with a community manager, like company, that they're helping me a lot. Normally, I spend more time in my Instagram, you know, sharing stuff. but then something that I want to speak more about it's my streaming life kind of because apart of the streaming of course I stream on Twitch I play video games I start a project where I'm inviting people in a way just to talk and my intention on your Twitch on my Twitch my intention of that like I told you off air my intention about that and I said it with my first guest that it was Canelo Alvarez it's mostly of course I want to invite Mexican people you know but it's to probably create a narrative like a very positive narrative that for example my eyes have never seen that it's like people who have gone through a lot and they put the name of Mexico on the top and they live amazing and extraordinary experiences you know chat hang out and empower themselves.

1:31:13That it's like that we get happy with the success of someone else. Because I think we lack of that in my country. We lack of feeling happy that someone that you don't even know is doing great, but generally happy and don't feel threatened, don't feel insecure, don't feel reflected or projected about your insecurities of them. Just trying to find the negative or find the lack of something. So that's what I'm trying to do and I'm just saying it that way because the message not only because i'm doing it i don't care if i do it whoever needs to do it it's like i have a culture get used to it of having yeah more fun and happiness with the success of someone else or the happiness of someone else right so yeah those are the ones and then tiktok i don't use tiktok personally that much because what we do is like normally whatever it comes on my streams i have an amazing editor that put the videos of but i love the content you can see very profound content too.

1:32:11You can see very funny content even laughing about myself and then video games and then this project that is called El Olimpo. I think in English it's called what? Olympus? Or something like that. Olympus. What's your Twitch account? My Twitch account is ch14. Gotcha. Same with Instagram. And Instagram is ch14 underscore. Got it, yeah. We'll link it up for sure. Yeah, link it up. Yeah, link it up for sure. I love that, man. We'll make sure to link all that stuff up. If you guys are in LA, go to a game or if you're... I'm in LA Galaxy, of course, obviously. Period. Or if you're in the country and you're traveling to a game, then I'm going to be sure to watch.

1:32:40You like soccer? That's it, man. Oh, you are curious about soccer? Yeah, go check it out. How much is growing up in this country? Because, yeah, I mean, it's the most followed sport in the world, so why not? USA should be following it. What's the popularity of the U.S. compared to football, basketball, baseball, hockey? Is it number five? Yeah, I think it's number five, but getting very close to hockey. Very close. So it's growing a lot. It's great. There's more clubs like... Every year. This year, St. Louis is starting. St. Louis is starting? No, this year is the first. And they're doing amazingly.

1:33:15Because Austin was a couple years ago. LAFC was another one. Exactly. LAFC, the most recent were Austin, Charlotte. LAFC is one of them. You mentioned Austin, too. Charlotte's a new one. Yeah, that's great. Yes, and every year, I think every year, one new franchise comes. That's amazing. So it's expanding. It's blowing up. It's amazing, man. It's blowing up, man. Well, I'm excited for you for the rest of this season. I'm going to have to watch another game or two. This is a question I ask everyone at the end called The Three Truths. So hypothetical scenario. Imagine it's your last day on earth, many years away.

1:33:48You live as long as you want to live. Accomplish all the dreams you want to accomplish. The beautiful family, everything happens. But you have to take all of your wisdom and content and highlight clips of videos with you. No one has access to your content anymore. It's all gone. Okay. All your Twitch streams, all your Instagram, gone. Yeah. But you get to leave behind three lessons to the world. And this is all we have to remember you by. These three truths. Oh. What would be those three truths for you? Oof. Oof. Oof. Okay. The three. ¿Cómo se dice three truths? Tres verdades. Tres verdades. Verdades.

1:34:27Hmm. First truth will be...

1:34:32Yeah, even in that scenario, it's like, be brave. You just have one life. Be brave, for sure. Be authentic. I believe in that, too. Be authentic. And I want to do just a small context about that, because people think that be authentic means sometimes to stand out in different ways, or feel better than other ones, or do different things. when you are trying to do something different you are not being authentic because authenticity needs to be yourself and if sometimes that authenticity looks similar as other ones it's just your touch so when you are trying to do different things you are not being authentic you are just trying to stand out for not like I think pure reasons ah and the third one it's never stop learning for sure in every sense mentally like emotionally like never stop learning even when you feel that you're mastering something you keep learning even at least consistency you need to learn how to learn learning lessons learning two final questions for you one is going to be what is your definition of greatness?

1:35:55We'll start with that one. Oh! Yep. Oh! I love it. I think when you start… I always say start because I think we all have a point when you start doing that, but then it's infinite, right? It's never going to stop because there's no place to arrive. So when I say, when you start loving yourself, accepting yourself, and growing, making yourself growth, that's my definition of greatness. Because then, then, I've been listening to these things from you, from different people, women, and everyone who experienced extraordinary things. is like seeing the things the other way around. Then the outcomes are a consequence of that.

1:36:53Yeah. Of this. That's it, man. Yeah. Love yourself, accept yourself, and growth. If you could leave a final motivational message to everyone in the world who speaks Spanish in Espanol, what would you say? You want me to say in Spanish? In Espanol. Yeah, just a message in Spanish that will inspire anyone listening in Spanish anything you want to share. Any motivational message about believing in themselves, about loving themselves, about going through.

1:37:45that we can grow as a culture in general, we are ourselves ourselves. It's living in a victim mentality. So if you assume the responsibility of your life, but also of your reality, and you start to love and accept, and you're capable, you don't have to find it in there, capable of creating that life that you deserve little by little. That's the message that I would like to say. And that from the deepest deep of my heart, I don't have words for me to believe, but I hope that someone really believes, that I believe in them and that I really feel that any person listening to that can be, that it can be easy and it can be pleasant.

1:38:35It will be very difficult, but it will be worth it.

1:38:48I hope today's episode inspired you on your journey towards greatness. Make sure to check out the show notes in the description for a rundown of today's show with all the important links. And if you want weekly exclusive bonus episodes with me, as well as ad-free listening experience, Make sure to subscribe to our Greatness Plus channel on Apple Podcast. If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend over on social media or text a friend. Leave us a review over on Apple Podcast and let me know what you learned over on our social media channels at Lewis Howes. I really love hearing the feedback from you and it helps us continue to make the show better.

1:39:24And if you want more inspiration from our world-class guests and content to learn how to improve the quality of your life, then make sure to sign up for the Greatness newsletter and get it delivered right to your inbox over at greatness.com slash newsletter. And if no one has told you today, I wanna remind you that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And now it's time to go out there and do something great.