The human and professional trajectory of Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, Baby, it is an exemplary, unique story that breaks clichés and molds. It’s the life of a poor boy, son of natives from Cape Verde, a former Portuguese colony, who was born in Loures and who triumphs in football despite having all the odds against him. Player tall, powerful, with a great shot, today he is measured against Real
Ancelotti’s Madrid with the desire to hit the table. After years of playing in England, Turkey, Portugal and Spain, he found in Rayo Vallecano “the family” he was looking for.
His life experience is exciting. Living in an orphanage is not exactly the ideal plan for
to be someone important in the world of football or in any other field of life.
We live in a world full of stereotypes and stigmatized things. I was born in Loures. My parents separated and I lived with my grandmother, who was my great support and the one who made the right decision.
Why was he right?
Contrary to what anyone might think, my grandmother rightly analyzed that the best place to be would be in the orphanage. She there she would study and learn the things of life. So it was. I lived in it from the age of nine to nineteen. And you know what I’m saying?
What?
That the orphanage formed me as a man and made me a footballer.
How did he train you as a footballer? Because you excelled as a player in the Homeless World Cup.
I played in the Homeless World Cup in 2008 because, in effect, I didn’t have a home, I lived in the orphanage. It was in Bosnia and I played with Portugal. I scored forty goals in six games. There were national and international scouts there. And Estrela da Amadora signed me.
That age had?
Seventeen years. I still lived another two more in the orphanage.
His first salary was 1,300 euros.
Something like that, but then Vitoria de Guimaraes signed me.
The Guimaraes coach, Manuel Machado, said that you were a world-class “top” footballer. Real Madrid took an interest in you, as did Queiroz, who was at Manchester United and advised Ferguson to sign him.
That’s what they told me, that Real Madrid saw me, but they didn’t speak directly to me. My agent was Jorge Mendes and he told me that the best place I could go was Manchester United, who were determined to sign me. And I signed for them in 2010.
And the following year, on loan at Besiktas, the cruciate ligament injury in his right knee arrived.
I went eight months without playing. But I recovered fine. And some time later Benfica signed me. I felt comfortable again, to play well.
Then came the transfer to Córdoba, his time at Eibar and finally Rayo Vallecano, where he has spent many years.
After so many experiences I decided that I wanted to settle in a team. And Rayo Vallecano became my home, my family. I’ve been here six years now.
It is clear that it is his family. She today she is 31 years old and renewed until 2025.
At Rayo I feel very loved, by the fans, by the players of the past, by those of now and by the president (Raúl Martín Presa), with whom I have a great personal friendship. I tell you the best demonstration of it. Three years ago I tore the other cruciate ligament, the one in my right knee, and the support of my teammates, the fans and the president meant everything to me. I felt and feel very loved. Rayo Vallecano is my home.
A Ray that makes history. Dispute the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. A few years ago this was unthinkable.
We are one goal away from leveling the tie (Betis won 1-2 in Vallecas) and writing the best history of the club. It would be ‘handsome’ to be in the Cup final.
As ‘handsome’ as beating Real Madrid tomorrow. The best of the rival?
We can beat them if we know how to use our weapons well and if we are correct, because we are up against the best team in the world. The best thing about Real Madrid is everything, you can’t highlight one thing, it’s nonsense. Let’s hope they don’t have a good day because we prevent them.
Iraola believes in you, in your shot, in your strength, in attacking efficiency.
The coach asks me to get the best of me, he tells me to shoot on goal. He knows that I have experience in these games and I hope to play and score.
Did you have a huge first round and now you are paying for that great wear and tear?
People say that we have sunk now and that is not true. We had a magnificent first lap and now we have had some results that are not good and that is logical. You cannot be well all season, they are moments. We want to beat Real Madrid and we are qualified.
What is the best thing about Lightning?
The best thing is that individualities do not count here, but quality plays for the collective. We are a team on and off the field, we are partners, we know that our strength lies in unity and friendship. That’s why I say we are a family.
