In an interview given to our colleagues at Olé newspaper, Fernando Belasteguín spoke about his plans after the end of his professional career, scheduled for the Milano P1 next DecemberThe legendary Argentinian player talks about both his personal emotions and his ambition to contribute to the development of padel.
A career marked by emotion and sacrifices
Looking back on his career, Belasteguín shares a more intimate aspect of his journey:
"When I was younger, I felt a lot of loss and I cried alone many times. But since I became a father, it's even more intense, because I'm starting to understand what my parents must have felt when I left."
An ambitious project for young talents
Belasteguín does not intend to remain inactive after his retirement. He plans to put his network of contacts serving the new generation:
"I'm going to use my network of contacts to create a school for 20 or 30 young people who want to develop their professional careers. I feel the need to do this to offer a chance to other boys like me, who perhaps didn't have this opportunity at the beginning."
Argentina, a hotbed of talent
Belasteguín also highlighted the potential of Argentina in padel, a country he describes as a " talent pool "Despite limited infrastructure in the past, the country has seen the emergence of exceptional players. Today, thanks to investments from theAPA (Association Padel Argentine) and the creation of modern training centers, this pool of talent is better supported:
"Argentina has always been a great seedbed of talent, even without the infrastructure it has today. Take Tapia, for example, who comes from Catamarca."
A page that turns, but a strong commitment for the future
Alors que le Milano P1 will mark the end of an exceptional career, Fernando Belasteguín is about to begin a new chapter. That of a mentor, committed to training and guiding young players in their professional aspirations. A legacy that, like his career, promises to leave a lasting mark on the world of padel.
Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.