Asnières-sur-Seine (France) (AFP)

"I can help futsal and French players to develop, to give them more visibility," Ricardinho, world star of the discipline, who has just signed a three-year contract with the French club ACCS Paris, told AFP. 92.

The arrival of the Portuguese (34 years old), elected six times the best futsal player in the world, has already caused its first effects: people in the hall of Asnières-sur-Seine even before his arrival, and an agreement to come between the French and Portuguese Federations to broadcast their matches in their country, he revealed in an interview.

Q: Why did you leave Madrid, the benchmark in Europe, to join a still amateur championship?

A: "It was a matter of necessity. I always said that a player should not spend his whole life in the same club because motivation can be lost over time. I wanted to give back to futsal what he gave me, and for that, a start in France was a unique opportunity: I can help futsal and French players to develop, to give them more visibility. But we will need the help of other clubs and the French Federation (FFF), to really strive for professionalism, for example via professional contracts for players. "

Q: How could "Cristiano Ronaldo du futsal" be seduced by a club still in the 3rd division 3 years ago?

A: "I understand these questions. I had many offers, from Russia to Portugal, but before accepting the offer from ACCS, I said to myself: + Why not? + Neymar is off to a good start at Barça to go to PSG. He believed in the Parisian project, as I believe in the ACCS project. I am convinced that it will continue to be great: we will attract even more players, fans, broadcasters, sponsors , and put the name of ACCS in the mouths of people all over the world. Tomorrow, everyone will watch the championship of France. "

Q: Did you increase your salary to join the club?

A: "No, it was impossible to increase my current salary. I made a financial effort to come but people must know that the club made an even greater effort (estimated at more than 50,000 euros monthly, note) , not only to get me signed, but to develop the whole team. "

Q: Beyond the financial aspect, what are the arguments that convinced you?

A: "One thing I like is helping. Advancing others, making those who want to learn even better. ACCS leaders told me they needed my help. to let the general public know that futsal exists in France. If the FFF started to support the selection, it was necessary to move up a gear at the club level. "

Q: The sporting objective is also to bring the Champions League back to Paris?

A: "We all want to join, in the first place, the + Final Four + (semi-finals, note). It would already be a giant step. It's a very long way but we give ourselves three years to climb on the roof of Europe. "

Q: Do you think ACCS can achieve this goal before PSG in football?

A: "I think it's very possible. I really dream of it."

Q: Did the prospect of living in France, in Paris, also play a role in your visit?

A: "Ask him (by designating his wife present during the interview, Editor's note)! In Paris, there are all the major fashion brands, the art of living ... It is also another language to learn , which I really like. During my experiences abroad, I learned a little Japanese, Spanish. Today, I will try to learn French even if it will be a little difficult (laughs ). "

Q: What do you think of the potential of French futsal with regard to the number of talents that flood traditional football?

A: "Out of the few matches I have seen, there are really a lot of talents. Nelson (21 years old, French international) for example, is Mbappé du futsal. The same thing happened in Portugal We had excellent street players in one-on-one games, but they weren't used. We didn't take advantage of it for a long time because only traditional football counted. And then we started to value and help these talents to become better. The problem here is not a lack of talent but a lack of sports and professional culture. "

Interview by Yassine KHIRI.

© 2020 AFP