Nayim: “What moved the Recopa, not even Trump can move it in the United States”

Like every May 10th, Real Zaragoza celebrates its Cup Winners’ Cup anniversary. And this one is special because it marks 30 years since the feat in Paris. Nayim’s goal and the victory over Arsenal left their mark on world football history. “What the Cup Winners’ Cup did, not even Trump could do in the United States ,” says the hero Nayim in an interview with Aragón Digital.

Question: Does Nayim’s goal change your life?
Answer: Completely. In every sense. I can tell you a thousand anecdotes.

Q.- Tell me one.
A.- I got married that year, in 1995, after the goal. There were 1,500 guests at my wedding, and 3,000 showed up.

Q.- Another one.
A.- Then I went to New York, and when I got off the plane, the first guard told me, “You’re the one who scored the goal.”

Q.- It changed completely…
A.- Not just for me, maybe a little more, but for all of us, it changed our lives completely. It put us in a privileged position. We’ve also earned it: if you do your job well and earn the money you earn… it’s a radical change.

Q. What does Nayim think when he watches a match at the Parc des Princes?
A. It’s special. Hundreds of memories, images come back… greetings to Ian Wright, to Merson… the fans, who were spectacular. They’re memories of happiness.

“There were 1,500 guests at my wedding, but 3,000 showed up.”

Q.- You’ll also remember the Zaragoza fandom…
A.- When I arrived at the pitch, all I saw were Real Zaragoza flags and scarves. I wondered where the English were, and on the pitch, I understood: We ate them up with potatoes! That’s Zaragoza fandom.

Q.- The feeling of the city, a street with its goal, remembering every May 10th… it’s impressive .
A.- I’m handling it well. Life is about experiences, some are good and others less so. You don’t have to take it as if you’re untouchable; always keep your feet on the ground.

Q.- You take it as normal…
A.- I know how to enjoy this moment, eating and drinking this coffee; and being with the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I , greeting me and him calling me ‘Muhammad’, by my name, in perfect Arabic.

Q.- What’s football like?
A.- It’s a way out for many people, the most wonderful sport there is, all due respect to others. But what drives football and what drove the Recopa, no one else can. Not even Trump in the United States.

“The King of Spain called me Muhammad, my name in perfect Arabic.”

Q.- Your recognition here comes from scoring a goal…
A.- The emotions of football lead you to have a street, a park… people are excited to name a stadium after you. And I’m delighted. Even a street, which is usually named after someone who’s already in the other neighborhood.

NAYIM’S GOAL

Q.- At that moment, are you aware of what you’ve just done?
A.- At that moment, you’re not aware of anything. First of all, because you’re just doing your job. I’ve scored that kind of goal before, in the youth and youth teams. You realize you’ve done something strange in a European final, but you don’t realize it until much later. The people give you that awareness.

Q.- They’ll remind you of it every day…
A.- I don’t take a step without being reminded of the goal, and in Zaragoza even more so. On top of that, they thank you, but it was part of my job. It’s nice. People had a great time. I doubt anyone who experienced that will ever experience it again.

“I don’t take a step without being reminded of the goal.”

Q. Did anyone from Arsenal say anything to you?
A. The only one who approached me was Paul Merson when I was going to the drug test. He said, “Congratulations, great goal.” He liked the way we handled the ball, the good football; he was the brains of that team, he controlled Arsenal’s attack. I met a few others, but we didn’t speak.

Q: And you to them?
A: I wanted to avoid conflict. A loser, if he’s not a good loser, is a conflictive one. I didn’t know almost anyone personally. It’s the loser who has to say “congratulations.” You’re not going to tell them you’re sorry, because you’re glad you won…

Q.- I knew a few others.
A.- Ian Wright. We were friends. A down-to-earth guy, he liked to talk. He got really angry later; he had a difficult personality. But he was a good guy. Before the match, we chatted outside the tunnel, still in our tracksuits.

NAYIM’S DREAMS

Q. Did you ever imagine scoring a goal like that in a final?
A. You dream of things, like being a footballer in the First Division. You want to be the one on TV. That’s more than enough. To be the star of a European final like that? You can’t even imagine it.

Q. Nobody can say they scored that goal in a top-flight final except Nayim…
A. I’m a lucky guy. I’ve won titles in every team I’ve been on. But imagining that situation… they tell me Nayim’s goal… but I would have liked it to have been the goal of the heroes of Paris.

Q.- It eclipsed Esnáider’s…
A.- It was crazy. What a genius! I’d also like to see more recognition for the teammates who were there and gave me that opportunity. Especially those who played less, who kept us all on our toes.

“I would have liked it to be the goal of the heroes of Paris”

Q. Could that team win La Liga?
A. It had a chance, and we fought until the end, but it’s not easy. The budgets of Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​and, at the time, Deportivo, were incredible. They brought in stars.

Q. Who was the star of Real Zaragoza?
A. There wasn’t one; the star was the team. It wasn’t Esnaider, Nayim, or Paquete, but all of us. We shone together. It was a puzzle that formed a star, and if one piece failed, it vanished and stopped shining.

Q.- Can you sleep the first night after Nayim’s goal?
A.- I can’t. Because of the adrenaline, the joy, everything. But football has a short memory. You have to sleep because you have the next game. And I remember that one.

Q.- Returning to La Romareda …
A.- Where they booed us for a draw at home. Look at how demanding Real Zaragoza was. They booed us for a draw at home with one man down! (Poyet was sent off). After winning the Cup Winners’ Cup, celebrating, not sleeping for three days, being at City Hall, at the Delegation, having dinners and parties…

Q.- Against Racing Santander…
A.- Everyone was celebrating, we ran around the pitch… but you draw because you’re exhausted and they whistle at you. Football has no memory. You have to keep winning.

THE CURRENT REAL ZARAGOZA

Q.- How do you see this Real Zaragoza team ?
A.- Bad. I’m talking about the team. They don’t give the impression of winning games. I’d like to sit in front of the TV and think they might lose, but they’re controlling the game, the matches, that they’re dominating… but I don’t see that.

“Everyone was celebrating, we ran around the field… but you tied the game because you were exhausted and they whistled at you.”

Q.- The other way around…
A.- They dominate us, they get to us easily, they create opportunities for us… it is difficult to watch Real Zaragoza.

Q. And you still see it, like all the fans.
A. Because we’re Zaragoza fans. Loyalty is non-negotiable. We’ll be suffering, struggling, seeing how hard it is… but we’re hoping for a lucky goal, a stroke of genius from someone.

Q.- From whom?
A.- From someone. From Adu Ares, from Aketxe, from Bazdar… or a save from Poussin. We hope so. Not a fluid game that would lead you to believe Real Zaragoza is playing well. It’s a bad time.

Q. Will the relegation process be on track on May 10th?
A. I hope so. If we win, it’s on track. But we have to win.

Q. Does the Real Zaragoza shirt weigh you down ?
A. You see players who were different at other teams. I don’t know if it’s responsibility, history… but they’re different. They don’t perform as expected.

Q. What should be done now?
A. Hopefully, we’ll be safe and plan the new season again with the same enthusiasm as always, choosing the right players with a high percentage of success and being patient. You don’t get promoted through miracles, but through hard work.