He may have swapped South America for Smethwick but Baggies’ striker Rondon says he’s still shaped by his upbringing: ‘In Venezuela poor people play football’
SALOMON RONDON grew up ready to fight – and is not going to stop fighting now.
Rondon believes the likes of Luis Suarez, Alexis Sanchez and Sergio Aguero have become the world’s best strikers thanks to their upbringings in South America.
West Brom striker Rondon had a very happy childhood in Caracas, Venezuela, but it also taught him valuable life lessons which he intends to put to good use now in his club’s relegation battle.
Rondon, 28, said: “In Venezuela, poor people play football. They are hungry and in South America, people are prepared to fight.
“My mum was telling me to read books but all I wanted to do was to play football. It’s like a passion. You get up every day, all you wanted to do was play.
“I grew up playing football on the streets. In South America, you play on the streets. I started playing at four years old, my father and my mum took me to a football camp and I played a lot.
“My mum wanted me to go to a university, but I said. ‘Mum, I don’t want to go to university, I want to play football.’ My dad wanted me to play as well!
“It’s what I have always fought to do.”
Rondon has had interesting route to the Hawthorns, leaving
Venezuela aged just 18 to join Las Palmas, he moved to Malaga and then went to Russia to play for Rubin Kazan and Zenit St Petersburg.
But it is Birmingham he now calls home after joining West Brom for £12million in 2015 and his family – wife Valeria, son Rodrigo, six, and daughter Raffaella – have found a special connection with the Midlands.
“My son speaks with a Brummie accent,” he smiled. “And he speaks so fast! It’s good for me, when I arrived here I was scared, he spoke Spanish, some Italian, a little bit of Russian and now he speaks brilliant English.
“My daughter is the same and she’s only three. I pick my son up from school, he always speaks English – and I have to tell him to speak slowly!
“My son says: ‘No, no, no Spanish, I live in England – we must speak English!’ He tells me not to speak in Spanish.
“It’s very important, if you are to succeed, to speak the language. The first year was difficult to settle in England but we enjoy it and enjoy our life here.
“My mum was worried about me moving to England, she said: ‘It’s always raining and what about the food…’ But
the food is good, I like the food – and I love the baked beans!”
It has not always been easy as Rondon admits he needs to score more goals, West Brom are yet to win under Alan Pardew – they have also managed just one goal in his four games in charge – and face a huge clash with fellow strugglers Stoke today.
But Rondon has shown glimpses of his potential, scoring the winner against Manchester United last year and the opener at Wembley against Tottenham this season.
There is no doubting the 6ft 1in centreforward’s power and yet it can be tough pleasing his dad Rafael and brother Gerardo even if his mother Maitana remains his biggest fan.
Rondon said: “My brother is my toughest critic, along with my dad. My mum tells me that I have played well, and yet my dad just tells me that I should have scored and I missed a goal!
“I like English football, there is a certain style, it’s long ball but also to feet. My physique means I’m well suited to play here.
“The style of play suits a centre-forward who is big, can get on the crosses in the box, and score headers.
“The central defenders here are so big, they are massive, it’s a big challenge. I think the toughest is Wes Morgan at Leicester. Whenever we play against each other, we fight!
“He’s massive and strong. Venezuela played Jamaica and I saw him: ‘Oh no, it’s you again!’
“I think we need just one win – that will change everything. We were 2-0 up against Newcastle, it finished 2-2, we really need that win to lift us. But we need to keep working and keep pushing.
“The supporters are fantastic, they support the team so well and they are great. We need to reward them with a win.
“I want to score more goals, I know I need to score more and it’s always the same. I work hard every day to score more, when one goal comes then it will be easier.” Venezuela reached the under-20s World Cup final in June and, even though they lost to England, and Rondon added: “Our generation is very strong so I hope there will be other Venezuelan players in the Premier League.”
My son speaks with a Brummie accent and he speaks so fast
Wes Morgan is the toughest centre-back I have faced