Faustino Asprilla was a legend of 1990s Calcio and looks back at some of his wildest antics at Parma, why he remains a flirty grandpa and is not impressed by Lautaro Martinez or Romelu Lukaku. ‘I do like Victor Osimhen and Rafael Leao, but…’
Now 53, the Colombian visited his old haunts in Parma for an event and spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about his well-earned reputation as the wild man of football.
He had two different spells at Parma, from 1992 to January 1996, returning in the 1998-99 campaign after a brief sojourn at Newcastle United.
“I could never become a champion because I didn’t have the right mentality. I hated training, struggled to understand what coaches asked of me tactically and I didn’t exactly live like an athlete. I went to bed late, almost never alone, would wake up late, liked to go to parties and nightclubs.
“Basically, football was not the primary interest in my life. That was my limitation, but at the same time I had a lot of fun and I think so did many people around me.”
It wasn’t always enjoyable, such as the incident when he got himself injured just before Parma’s Cup Winners’ Cup Final.
“I kicked a bus and gave myself a 10cm cut on my calf. We were in the street celebrating something, I can’t even remember what it was now, and the bus driver wanted to get by at all costs. So I kicked his bus.”
He was even arrested for shooting his gun into the air to celebrate New Year’s and Parma had to pay his fine.
“What, three shots at New Year’s, it’s nothing! If I hadn’t been Asprilla, the famous player, the cops would’ve left me alone rather than try to get publicity. But I forgave them and we’re friends now, I don’t have time for resentment in my life.”
Despite becoming a grandfather, the 53-year-old has not changed and has no intention of doing so.
“My life is much the same, I go to parties, dance, drink, eat and meet women. Many women. I will never change. Joy is my destiny – and it’s a good destiny to have.
“Grandpas can have fun too! If I see a beautiful girl, I cannot resist flirting with her. I enjoy life, I don’t take it too seriously. We’re not on this earth for long, let us at least enjoy the time we have.”
However, Asprilla tells La Gazzetta dello Sport that he is not impressed with the current crop of football stars or their coaches.
“I watch it, but it doesn’t entertain me, it’s all sideways passes, nobody dribbles anymore. And those coaches who go crazy on the touchline screaming what the players need to do. If they’d have tried that with me, I’d have said look here, you are the coach and sit on the bench. I play football and I know what I’m doing. I hate those coaches who act like they invented the game and can’t even control a football.
“It’s crazy seeing those assistants with their maps and diagrams telling players where to move, what to do, who to mark. Let the players enjoy themselves and you’ll see that we enjoy ourselves more watching them too.”
There are a few exceptions, as Asprilla is impressed by current Serie A leaders Napoli and their Nigerian centre-forward.
“Napoli are a team that I like and Osimhen is really talented. Is he better than me? Don’t be stupid… I played in Serie A when there was Van Basten, Gullit, Baresi, Maldini, Del Piero, Roberto Baggio… To score a goal, I had to get past the likes of Baresi, Costacurta and Vierchowod. There’s no comparison between the football I played in and nowadays.
“Of the others, Rafael Leao has some good moves, but needs to be more effective, you need to score a goal after going past two men. A cross or pass into the box won’t do for me.
“Lautaro Martinez is good, but hasn’t got one hundredth of the class of Crespo or Balbo. Romelu Lukaku is all muscles: my football is about freedom, creativity and invention.
“The World Cup in Qatar was so boring too, apart from the Final. Now Kylian Mbappé, there is someone who could’ve played in the 1990s.”
Yeah, this man is living life. He is using short life the best way possible.