Villarreal's Brazilian-born Spain international Marcos Senna says that he is delighted with his club and with his adopted country.
The 32 year-old joined Villarreal in 2002 and since then has helped his side play twice in the Champions League, while earning himself a regular place in the Spain national team.
Senna has qualified to play for Spain thanks to his residence in the country, but after forming part of the squad that won the 2008 European Championships, he has no conflict of interest with his native Brazil.
"Every kid who plays football grows up dreaming of playing for the national team and I was no different," he told GolTV.
"I always dreamed of playing for Brazil, but it wasn't possible. I had no idea that I was going to play for Spain."
"Everything happened really quickly. I got here and I started to play. Villarreal began to grow and then the opportunity to get dual nationality came up, so I accepted," he said.
Senna explained that his beginnings in the sport were similar to many of the greats of the Brazilian game.
"In Brazil, kids normally start playing football in the street. I didn't have shoes, I played barefooted and that's how it all started," he explained.
"At the age of 12 I went to a club called Sao Paulo and I was there for three years. Then I went to Rio Branco and that's where my professional career really took off."
Senna helped Corinthians win the 1999 league title in Brazil, but admits he was surprised to get the chance to sign for Villarreal, a team from a town of just 50,000 inhabitants, that seven years ago was struggling to adapt to life in the Primera Liga.
"I was at Sao Cateano. We were about to play in the final of the Copa Libertadores and I found out about Villarreal's interest in signing me."
"They asked me if I knew about them and the truth is that I didn't know about them but I wanted to come and play in the Spanish first division. I had always dreamed of playing in Spain," said Senna.
Those seven years at Villarreal have seen the club's fortunes change drastically. In Senna's first season, the team struggled to finish 15th in the table, but two years later finished third, while last season Villarreal finished as runners up behind Real Madrid and ahead of FC Barcelona.
"When I arrived we were fighting to avoid relegation but the whole mentality has changed. Now Villarreal's objective is to win things and to be near the top of the table, fighting for a European place."
"I fulfilled a dream and I carried on growing at Villarreal. I think the club has carried on growing too. We're making history now and hopefully that can continue," concluded the midfielder.
(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2009)
