After discussing his career, his injuries, his rivalries and his regrets, Juan Lebrón confides in The Snack   In a final, more intimate section, the Spanish number 1 returns to what really matters to him: his Andalusian roots, his family, his academy project... and his still-intact dreams. 

“Success is not necessarily happiness.”

Behind the trophies, titles and spotlight, Juan Lebrón maintains a critical distance from the idea of success.

“When people tell me that success is happiness… I don’t really believe it.”

For him, happiness comes from something else: the  health needs , the  inner peace , And especially  the right people around you .

“Happiness is being surrounded by healthy people who bring you positivity. And being at peace with yourself.”

A simple philosophy, inherited from its origins.

Strong roots in El Puerto de Santa María

If Lebrón now lives in Madrid and travels all over the world,  his heart remains Andalusian He recalls with emotion the memories of his childhood, and in particular the times spent in the family cellar with his friends.

"There were fifteen of us in there, laughing for hours. My father would come down and ask us what we were doing, then he would stay and chat with everyone. He was a genius."

This father,  Matias , he speaks of it with pride and gratitude. Respected by all, he embodied honesty, generosity and simplicity.

"He sold cheeses and hams. He even left products and said, 'You'll pay me next week.' And people did. He had people's trust."

"Today, I am Juan Lebrón. But in my town, I remain 'the son of Matías'. And I am proud of it."

A renewed ambition: reinventing your game

On the sporting front, Juan Lebrón doesn't want to settle for the past. He's aiming for a new cycle with a new mindset.

"I want to continue to  progress in  reinvent myself . Create moves that no one has seen before.

Under the direction of  Carlos Pozzoni , his new trainer, he is working on new sensations, with the ambition of  compete again with the two best pairs on the circuit .

"With Franco Stupaczuk, I think we can do it."

A popular and festive vision of padel

Beyond the high competition, Lebrón recalls what makes padel unique in his eyes.

“It’s an accessible sport, very social. You book on an app, you play with three strangers, you have a beer afterward, and you end up playing in a tournament on Sunday to win a ham!”

The Juan & Ale Academy: between dream and wink

In the long run, the player wants  open your own padel academy  in Madrid. And when the journalist asks him if it will bear his name, he replies with a smile:

"Juan and Ale's academy... Maybe it will make reconciliation easier!"

Even if the project is still in gestation, the desire is clear:  transmit, train, innovate .

Confidences, family and flamenco

The end of the interview takes the form of a more personal portrait. We discover a Lebrón  attached to his parents , admiring of  Vinicius Jr.  — which he often defends publicly — and faithful to  Andalusian culture .

"I love flamenco. At home in Jerez, all the parties end with songs. You're invited whenever you want."

Among the players, he admires Belasteguín, Chingotto, Coello, Tapia, and even Galán - "a person," he breathes, without rancor but with distance.

Finally, when asked what he excels at most, he replies:

“I was the best in  pure padel talent . For four years.

His final dream? To return to the top.

Despite everything he has already accomplished, Juan Lebrón keeps his desire intact.

“I have achieved all my goals. But becoming  global 1 number …that still makes me vibrate.”

To watch the video in Spanish:

Franck Binisti

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.

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