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 Saturday, June 24, 2006Riquelme's birthday wishSaturday 24 June is not just another day in the life of Juan Riquelme. The Argentine, appearing at his first ever World Cup finals, will be spending his 28th birthday in the place where he feels happiest – in the middle of a football pitch. The playmaker is gearing up for a date with Mexico, the next hurdle facing his side as they look to bring home the World Cup Trophy for the first time in 20 years. With his mind firmly set on celebrating his big day in style, Riquelme spoke exclusively to worldcup about the importance of having survived the dreaded Group C, his feelings on the tournament so far, and Argentina’s next opponents. "We have absolutely no margin for error," he warned. Señor Riquelme, having just missed out on selection for previous FIFA World Cup finals how do you feel about finally making it? It's just wonderful to be here. Naturally, I'm very happy about fulfilling one of the biggest ambitions of my footballing career and I'm trying to enjoy the experience as much as I can. A lot was said about the difficulty of the group you were drawn in, but the team passed the test with flying colours.The group was really tough and there were some very competitive teams in there. That makes qualifying all the greater an achievement. It was a shame we couldn't beat the Netherlands, despite our best efforts, but we’re delighted about achieving our goal and the way in which we did it. What was most impressive about Argentina in the first phase? We were faithful to our style, which is what we’re known for. We always try to take control of games and we always try to win, no matter who we’re playing. We are very pleased about how things are working out and I just hope we can keep it going. What has been the best thing about the team so far? I couldn’t tell you. I think the team’s doing exceptionally well. The game against the Netherlands was an opportunity for some of the guys who haven't played yet. The fact that they did so well is very important for us. That shows the team has a gameplan and is capable of sticking to it even when new players come in. You have always said you need to be happy in order to perform out on the pitch. Do you feel at ease in this team? Very much so. As long as I’m playing I’m happy, whether it be for Argentina or my club. In fact, every time I run out onto a football pitch I feel happy. It’s all I need. Your next game is against Mexico in the second round. What do you know about them? They’re a hard side to play against. They usually perform very well and they play attractive, open football. They made life hard for us last year in the Confederations Cup and we need to be very focused against them. We have to make sure we don’t make any errors because if we do, we’ll be on the plane home. We’re confident we can get it right though. One last question. What is your main objective at this moment in time? My biggest dream is to go all the way in the World Cup. I hope we can reach the Final in Berlin. That would be just wonderful.
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