Visibly happy for being back at home, Sergio León did his first interview as a Real Betis player on Betis TV. The striker from Córdoba made an overview of his career and the long way he has gone to finally fulfil his dream: playing in LaLiga with the Green-and-White shirt.

Return to Real Betis: “The feeling is a bit strange. After all this time, returning here as a new signing and that the Club has paid for my transfer is weird but emotional at the same time.”

Had you dreamt of this moment?: “It’s not like I’ve spent many sleepless nights dreaming about this, but it’s true that when I left this place, my focus was to get as far as I could and fight for playing in LaLiga as I promised to my father before he passed away. I hadn’t given up but life hasn’t made it easy for me. I had to overcome many obstacles and I’m very happy for having followed that path.”

Way to the top: “The only thing I bore in mind was that I had to take a step back so I could take two forward. It has been just like that since I left Betis B and went to play in Third Division. Then I went to Segunda B. I’ve played in many different divisions and made long trips by bus, up to 12 hours! It’s been a long way but now I’m happy and proud of it.”

Did you ever think that it wouldn’t happen?: “I’m quite stubborn, I don’t stop until I get what I want. I don’t give up, regardless of the critics and praises I receive. It’s the way I am, I only look forward. I was also lucky to meet my wife when I got to Reus. That made me focus on sport, football, and my family. When my son was born, there was a mouth more to feed and that made push even further to keep growing until the day I arrived to Betis.”

Your father was a Betis supporter: “My father went through a lot, he made many kilometres from Palma del Río to Seville and back. His dream was to watch my debut. He saw me in Second Division but he never saw me getting to LaLiga. When I left here, he passed away when I got to Reus and I couldn’t make my debut because I had to come back. After the funeral, I called the coach and told him I was ready. I knew there were many players injured and that I was going to be in the starting eleven because he had told me so. I told him that, even though my father had just passed away, I was ready and that it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Promise about playing in LaLiga: “I promised it to him when I got my luggage to leave for Reus. I did it the night before. I left home at 7 a.m. and I told him before going to sleep. I promised him I would get to First Division and I left in the morning. It was the last time I saw him.”

Debut in LaLiga: “I remember my first goal. Also the game of my debut, I was pretty nervous on the bench. In that first game against Real Sociedad, I was ill, with fever. I started to warm up and I told the doctor to not say anything about it. The coach told me that I was going to play about 25 minutes. I was eager to set foot on the pitch in First Division and I didn’t want to say I was ill. After the game, I was feeling terrible, shaking and with goosebumps. The team went out for dinner and I couldn’t.”

Why are you a Betis fan?: “Because of my family, especially my grandfather and one of my uncles. I arrived here being 15, the first top division stadium I saw was this one. Here is where everything really started, I felt Green-and-White. I always liked this Club but I supported Real Madrid before. In the small town in Andalusia, you support Betis, Real Madrid, or Barcelona. All my friends were Madrid supporters and I used to watch the games with them but I always liked them both: Betis and Madrid. When I got here to train with the team and watch the games at the Stadium, the feeling began to grow on me. Even if I was in the Academy, I felt like another fan. I was passionate about it. I remember the day we played against Chelsea FC in Champions League. Those feelings go with you wherever you go. Even if you are away for a long time, the feeling remains.”

In your presentation, you said that you have rejected better offers so you could be here: “It’s hard to make that decision because they put a good offer in front of you and it’s hard to say no. In the end, the feelings played an important part because here you are at home, happy, and your family is close. I had important economic offers but I can live with I got here, I don’t need more. Being here three or four years earning what I’ve signed, I don’t need four or five million per season. I know that those are savings for the future, but me and my family, we are not big spenders. We like to be at home, we don’t spend much. My wife has always supported me. She has never lived abroad either and these things play their part. You have to look at the pros and cons. Not only my happiness for coming to Betis, also where my family is going to be better. If you go to England, you have to adapt, and also your family and children. I don’t care too much about money. I’ve decided based on feelings and happiness. That’s why I chose here since the moment they called me, even though I also had better offers in LaLiga.”

Number of goals: “My target is to score 15 goals every season, regardless it is in Segunda B, Second Division or LaLiga. That’s my target every year. If I get it, great; if not, I’ll try to help the team as much as I can. If I can’t score I try to offer other things such as hard work, excitement and fighting spirit. I’ll give everything I can.”

Dressing room: “I’ll try to introduce Green-and-White feelings into the dressing room. If new players come, I’ll try to teach them what Betis is, what this crest and these fans mean.”