Nico Gaitan, the first thing I want to ask is whether you still consider yourself a footballer, whether you are still training and whether you would be ready to join a club immediately.
"It is very hard for a footballer to say that he is no longer playing. I have seen reports saying that I retired, and some people say that to me, but those words have never come from my mouth. I never said I had retired. So if an offer had arrived in January - something that interests me and appeals to me - of course I could play straight away.
There are players who are fortunate enough to step away for a while and return quickly, as you did a year ago when Sarmiento called.
"It is partly about the body and partly about discipline. Damonte called me and made me feel like Maradona - and when someone does that, it is very difficult to say 'no'. I am very grateful to him, his coaching staff and Gaston, his assistant, who were fundamental.
"First, in helping me take the step to join Sarmiento, and then, because after just 15 days, I was playing against Argentinos Juniors. I think I played nearly 80 minutes. The next day, I felt good and recovered well."
Boca years and the return that never happened
Why didn’t you return to Boca?
"Perhaps people thought I did not want to return to Argentine football. But there was a key moment. I was in the United States, in Chicago, and my contract was running out. Boca had been interested two or three times when I was at Atletico Madrid, and again when I was in China, but nothing happened because of financial issues - my rights belonged to an owner, and I could not decide freely.
"When my contract in Chicago was ending in 2019, the club wanted to renew. I spoke to my agent, Jose, and told him I wanted to play for Boca. I felt it was the right moment. I was 30 or 31, I was a free agent, and I felt I was at my peak.
"It did not happen. There were presidential elections in December, and I was in advanced talks with Nicolas Burdisso, which were meant to be finalised after the vote. But Ameal won, Burdisso stepped aside, and I never received a call. There were later transfer windows with some contact, but never a formal offer. The truth is that there was never any negotiation."
But you wanted to play for Boca after the elections. If Ameal or Riquelme had called you, would you have returned?
"It was not even me who spoke to Burdisso - it was my representatives. Boca had been trying for three years. After the elections, Burdisso contacted me to say he was stepping aside and that it was now up to the new leadership. But in that December window, I never received a call. I did in June, but by then I already had a club. The following year, when I was waiting again, nothing arrived.
"It was always what I wanted. Many people know that I never wanted to leave Boca, but 22 million euros was a great deal for the club. I do not regret it. I did very well at Benfica. It was a great decision - a huge club that treated me brilliantly and helped me grow as a person. Moving country at 22 forces you to mature."
You had a good relationship with Riquelme. Did he ever call you as vice-president or president?
"There was no negotiation, so there is nothing to say. Just as I did not negotiate with Boca, I did not negotiate with Manchester United or Real Madrid. People know I always wanted to return, but sometimes it does not happen because of the coach or because the position is already filled.
"I tried for as long as I could. But there comes a point where, as you get older, you want to feel right. At a club like Boca, you cannot be at 80 per cent - you must be at 110. If you are not, it becomes very difficult."
Did it hurt?
"Yes, because I wanted to play for Boca. But I understand how football works. I have nothing against the president, Roman - he is the greatest idol of my club. He helped me enormously when I broke into the first team. I have nothing but respect for him."
Portugal, Benfica and a love affair
There is often a taboo about playing for a club’s biggest rival - River in Argentina, Porto in Portugal.
"In Portugal, that situation arose. My agent knows the details. There was talk of something strange, but I could not do it. When I feel a connection with a club, I cannot join its biggest rival - no matter how hard I try."
Did Porto approach you?
"I cannot really explain that now, on camera."
You also had a chance to play in Mexico, at Monterrey.
"That was in December. I could have gone to Boca on loan, which I considered, but it did not happen. Atletico needed to sell me because of Financial Fair Play (FFP). There was a club in England with a Portuguese coach who wanted me, and another big club in Italy looking at a loan. Mexico was not on my mind then - but looking back now, maybe it would have been a good option."
Tell me about your European journey - Benfica and Atletico. What was it like arriving in Portugal?
"I left Argentina in 2010. There was no WhatsApp then - only BlackBerry. When I arrived, Benfica gave me two phones already set up. Small things, but important for someone arriving in a foreign country. The club’s structure was immense. They looked after the player and his family completely, which meant they could demand everything from you on the pitch.
"On matchdays, they collected your family from home, seated them properly, and after the match, they were there waiting for you. That did not happen in Argentina. These details add up. For me, Benfica is a giant - and it keeps getting bigger."
And what does that do to your heart? Portuguese fans are famously passionate...
"Incredibly passionate. Football dominates everything. People still recognise me and are grateful because we won trophies. Winning creates memories."
Time with Atletico Madrid
How was your time at Atlético?
"Personally, it was different. The attention I received at Benfica did not exist at Atletico. I found myself searching for housing through contacts rather than the club handling it. At Benfica, that level of care felt normal - and I missed it.
"That said, Atletico is a huge club with incredibly passionate supporters. I was fortunate to play for Boca, Benfica and Atletico - clubs with intense fanbases that give you energy. I played at the Vicente Calderón and later the Metropolitano. The Calderón had its own magic."
On a scale of one to ten, how big is the difference between European and Argentine football?
"Argentine football is extremely physical. European football is faster - the ball moves quicker. By the time contact arrives, the ball is already gone. There is still strength and physicality, but it is more tactical, with far less space, especially at big clubs."
Maradona, Messi and Argentina
Do you regret not playing in a World Cup?
"Of course, I would have loved to. But I eased that pain with the 2016 Copa América Centenario. It was my first international tournament, and I enjoyed it enormously. Argentina has always had extraordinary players - simply reaching that level was special."
You seem like a child again when you talk about it.
"I never played in youth tournaments. Seeing Diego Maradona call you up is a childhood dream. I played under Batista, Sabella, Martino and Bauza. Not under Scaloni. I owe Benfica a lot - sometimes I travelled injured just to represent Argentina, and the club respected that."
What is Lionel Messi like as a normal person?
"When you are there, he is just another teammate. Mate (the drink), chatting - normal life. We are not close friends, but if we meet, we will embrace. We shared many years together."
Did losing that final (in 2016 to Chile) hurt?
"Very much. The dressing room was devastated. After two previous defeats, we felt that one might finally be ours."
Messi later retired from the national team. Did that surprise you?
"Yes. He was still young. But emotions were raw. Thankfully, he returned."
Any anecdotes about Maradona?
"The first time I met him, he hugged me and knew my name. That alone meant everything. Diego always wanted to play - even in training. He was different. You see it even now in videos."
Getting to know Nico Gaitan
If you had not been a footballer, what would you have done?
"I never imagined anything else. I come from a humble background - my father once took me to work in textiles. Maybe that would have been it."
Your greatest achievement?
"My family. And playing for Boca and Argentina."
The best coach of your career?
"Jorge Jesus. Extraordinary. He changed my mentality completely. He saw football differently - concise, precise, and brilliant."
Something that embarrasses you?
"Nothing, really. Fame embarrassed me when I was younger."
Have you ever hit someone in a dressing room?
"Only when I was young, in the neighbourhood. It was about survival."
The best thing about being a footballer?
"Continuing to feel like a child on the pitch."
The worst?
"Being held to higher standards than politicians."
How did you end up in the Kings League?
"Through a friend. I had not played in a year and thought, why not?"
The best goal of your career?
"My first for Boca. A right-footed strike from a Fabian Vargas pass against Argentinos Juniors."
