Agüero backs Atlético to work wonders

Sergio Agüero helped Club Atlético de Madrid reach the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League with a string of excellent performances. The 20-year-old Argentina forward took time out to answer uefa.com readers' questions – explaining why he hopes to stay with the Rojiblancos for a long time, why Gabriel Batistuta left such an impression on him, and why "having a kickabout with friends is as important as playing a World Cup final".

What do you think Atlético can achieve this season?
Raul Alvarez

Sergio Agüero: We're well-equipped to do well in the Liga and the Champions League. We would love to win one of the two and we are confident we can do it. I think this is the season for reaching our objectives. The team, the club and the fans deserve some joy.

Do you think Atlético can reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League?
Alvaro, age 18, Madrid

Sergio Agüero: In my country, Argentina, there is a saying 'step by step'. We have started the Champions League very well and we want to go a long way this season. We don't think it's going to be easy to progress because some of the best teams in Europe are in this competition, but at the same time we know we have a very strong team. It's not hard to imagine us reaching the semi-finals or even the final. It would be a dream. It's not simple, but it's possible.

Who are your best friends in the football world?
Nicole, Jordan

Sergio Agüero: I have loads because I'm a very sociable, good-natured person so whenever I join a team, I make friends. Leo Messi and Maxi Rodríguez are the first ones that come to mind, but I have lots of others who I played with in youth teams, who aren't famous, but are great friends.

How did you handle the transition from the playing grounds of Buenos Aires to those of Spain's Liga?
Curtis Williams, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Sergio Agüero: For me, football has always been everything. I couldn't live without having a ball around. It's the best sport in the world and it has been special to me since I was a boy. I enjoy playing football just the same, whether I am in my old neighbourhood in Villa Domínico where we used to train with Independiente, at the Vicente Calderón or at the Camp Nou. I swear that, for me, having a kickabout with my friends is as important as playing in the final of the World Cup. The same emotions drive me whatever the setting.

Will you stay with Atlético for many years and return the club to greatness or will you leave?
Jesus Gonzalez

Sergio Agüero: The club reached an agreement with IMG, the company that manages me, to extend my contract until 2012. I know they will work together on the exploitation of my image rights – there's a good understanding between the parties. All the signs are that I will stay here for a long time, and I'm really happy about that. I'm enjoying it here and I never want to leave, because Atlético was the first club to welcome me in Europe.

Who was your striking idol when you were growing up and why, and who do you think is the greatest striker ever?
Sharad H, London

Sergio Agüero: When I was a kid, the striker I used to watch was the phenomenon that was Gabriel Batistuta. I used to score imaginary goals and commentate on them as though I was 'Bati'. He was one of the best I ever saw. Now I like Thierry Henry and Hernán Crespo, but the striker I admire most is Carlos Tévez. I love the way he plays and his feel for the game.

What do you think about Lionel Messi?
Oula, 16, Finland

Sergio Agüero: He's a star. There aren't many footballers in the world with his ability to dribble as though the ball was tied to his foot. If you give him space, he'll murder you. I enjoyed playing with Leo in the Under-20s and now we play together for Argentina, but I hate playing against him, like in the last game between Barcelona and Atlético [a 6-1 Barcelona victory on 4 October in which Messi scored].

How do you deal with pressure?
Keith Ferrante, 21, New York

Sergio Agüero: I honestly don't feel pressure. Football comes to me so naturally it's more like having fun than a job. I don't feel pressure playing football – I love it and it makes me feel alive.

When did you first realise you wanted to play football for a living?
Joe Todd

Sergio Agüero: I don't know. I always played football. There was never a particular moment when I felt it was becoming a way of life. It was always like that. I just kept on playing until one day they started to pay me for it. As I said, it is not a job for me, even though I'm now making a living from this profession.

Why are you known as Kun?
Frank White, 17, Sydney

Sergio Agüero: It's because of a Japanese animation I saw with my friends when we were children. I was a little boy who was always getting into trouble. Because I was very naughty and badly behaved, they started calling me Kun. The original character was called Kum Kum and they told me I was like him. There isn't much information about this cartoon on the internet, but the other day I saw some of it on YouTube which took me back to my childhood.

I think you are an exceptional player and always try to model my game on the way you play. Do you have any tips for me that could help me become a better striker?
Michael Hand, Essex, England

Sergio Agüero: You should try to make the most of your qualities, Michael, and take things from all the best players. Copy a few things but always be yourself. Hang on to what makes you different from everybody else.

Why have Argentina not won the World Cup in 20 years despite having such talented players?
Bashar Qwasmeh

Sergio Agüero: We haven't had much luck in recent years. We always come close, but we just need to take that final step. In 2006, if we had got past Germany, then we would have had a great chance of reaching the final and winning the World Cup, because we had a great team. Hopefully we can do it in 2010. With the great players we have, we have every reason to be hopeful.

You have spoken of your love for Atlético, but if you had the chance to play for another of Europe's leading clubs, which would it be?
Omar Campos

Sergio Agüero: For now, I am only thinking about Atlético, it's the best way to repay everything that the club has done for me. There's been talk about Real Madrid, Chelsea, and many more, but I am comfortable here and I am happy. You can't ask for more than that, can you.

This article was first published in October 2008.