Rodrigo Corrales, the party of the unexpected hero: "What more can I ask of life?"

• Chronicle The bronze they deserved as they deserved: Spain overcomes Sweden to return to the podium

So many consecutive celebrations have created a routine.

In all the celebrations of this Spain there are moments that are traditions, that all the players respect, that it seems that they will never disappear.

For example,

putting on a sarao to the rhythm of some song, this time with the Flying Free, the classic 'mákina'.

For example, the walk to the stands to look for the children, now few because the team is getting younger.

For example, the desperate search of some veterans like

or

for a little corner where they can sit down, finally sit down, and rest for a while.

But there are also unique moments.

And the protagonists are usually the newbies.

This Sunday, after hanging the bronze in the World Cup, nobody jumped like

or

and no one was as excited as

.

His companions saw him so happy that he ended up in the shower.

After the victory against Sweden all the players were protagonists, but there was one especially required by the rest.

In fact, just after the final whistle the whole group ran to hug him, to form a group around him.

It was

.

was

expected to be a great match, even from

.

Odriozola's work was excellent, as was

's approach in the second half.

But the one who changed the game was Corrales and that is how his people thanked him.

"70% of the medal has been his," proclaimed Figueras, highlighting especially the three saves that allowed Spain to come back and pounce on victory.

Jessica GowAP

«I am proud of what Adrià says, but there have been nine games.

Today it was my turn, but to win a medal there must be moments of brilliance from everyone, "exclaimed Corrales, a close guy, used to his role in the national team.

Despite the fact that in his club, the Hungarian Veszprem, present in the last Final Four of the Champions League, is the owner of the goal, in Games, World Cups and Europeans he is usually second behind Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas.

The coach Jordi Ribera usually rotates them, he has played important games, but he has never asked for more.

«Sometimes they ask me: Don't you want to play anymore?

And what am I going to say?

I have eight championships with Spain and I have won six medals.

What more I can request to the life?

I am delighted.

I come here, I prepare the games and if I can play, fine, and if not, too",

The relationship between goalkeepers

In the lower categories of the Barça club, he precisely coincided with Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, with whom he came to share a flat and with whom he still shares summers.

They are not partners, they are friends, close friends and possibly that is one of Spain's secrets.

In the first half of yesterday's match against Sweden, nothing came of Pérez de Vargas, he only stopped four of the 26 shots he received, a disappointing 15% success rate.

Despite this, in the second half he was the one who celebrated the successes of Corrales the most.

“Seeing how it was going I thought that my moment could come in the second part and at half-time I talked about it with Gonzalo.

He had to go out and make me big, step up, make things difficult for them.

When the first stops arrived, I already saw that it was affecting them, that they no longer pulled the same.

He has turned out well, I am very happy », commented Corrales who came to handball through another friendship.

From Cangas, he played soccer as a child -he was already a goalkeeper-, but the son of the then president of Balonmán Cangas sat at the desk next to him and that changed his life.

In the national team he does not have the minutes of Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas, but Rodrigo Corrales already has his bronze, his celebration, his match.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• Handball World Cup