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Report nowRubén Vargas grew up between Swiss order and Caribbean joie de vivre. His father dreamed of playing baseball, but Vargas opted for football - and is now a regular in the national team.
Rubén Vargas' father played baseball and was a golf teacher, while his mother competed in trampolining at the European Championships. "I grew up as a sporty child and came into contact with a lot of sports as a result: I played golf, played baseball, played football. But I knew that at some point I would have to decide what I wanted to do," he explains in an interview with blue Sport editor-in-chief Andy Böni.
Vargas: "Football was the most fun and simply grabbed me. Also because everyone always played at school - especially at break time."
His father, on the other hand, would have preferred his son to play baseball. But in Switzerland, unlike in the USA or Canada, it's not so easy to get far in baseball, explains the now 26-year-old. "I discussed it with him and said that I wanted to play football."
He used to go to the Dominican Republic almost "every year". "Of course, it was also an experience that I was able to gain. The culture, I still have my family there. It's a beautiful country. I would love to go again," says Vargas.
He was particularly impressed by the joie de vivre of the people in the Caribbean: "Everyone is very happy and positive. They are also very keen on sport, baseball is the number one sport," says Vargas, adding: "It's different to Switzerland."
Great support in Qatar from the whole family .
Screenshot Instagram/iamrubenvargas
In terms of mentality, he has taken something from both parents and cultures: "I got the joy of playing on the pitch from my father. I got the disciplinary things from my mother - including the calmness."
His parents separated when Rubén was still young. His mother found a new partner, who also quickly took him and his brother Manuel to his heart. A large patchwork family supported him at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: father, mother, brother and stepfather with daughter and son from his first marriage.
"It's great, of course - for me too. When I'm at tournaments like this and the whole family is there, it gives me a lot of strength," emphasizes the Sevilla pro. "I think it's very good how my parents manage it so well. It's just nice that we're all still very connected," summarizes the national team star.
