GUADALAJARA.- Antonio Briseño admitted that when he was younger he had great opportunities in European football that he let slip away; despite not regretting his decisions, he acknowledged that if he could change something in his career it would have been to make the decision to go play for Real Madrid or Manchester City, clubs that offered him their hand after Mexico's title in the 2011 World Cup with the U-17 category.
"I think what I would have done at the age of 17, what I would have changed, is to have gone to Europe when I had the opportunity, because after being World Champion, I had the possibility of going to Europe with the Real Madrid Castilla in the Second Division, I had the opportunity to sign with Manchester City, I had the opportunity to sign with Mallorca and a Russian team," said Briseño in a video chat with Chivas fans.
At that age, he had the opportunity to leave as a free agent, but due to misinformation and fear, he did not make the decision that he now believes could have radically changed his life and career.
"At the age of 17, I was released, I had to pay the training fee, and I think I was a little scared because I didn't know, to see the examples... very bad on my part because I was not informed. I talked to important people who told me to stay, to consolidate myself, but I never imagined what was going to happen here in Mexico: that there would be an influx of foreigners, that there would no longer be a 20/11 rule. Maybe I would have left and I would have liked to learn more abroad," explained 'Pollo'.
Even three years later, he had another opportunity in European soccer when a newly promoted team in Serie A offered him a pre-contract, which he also did not sign.
"I had the opportunity to leave at 17 and I didn't leave; I could have left at 20 and I didn't either, although I had a pre-contract that I didn't sign with Sassuolo in Italy, a newly promoted team in 2013 and these are decisions that are made," he said.
Despite all of this, he does not regret the path he took, which has him now in Guadalajara, the club he joined after an experience in Portuguese soccer fighting against relegation.
"When I went three years ago to Portugal, if I had arrived earlier it would have been a completely different story. The only thing I would have changed would have been to go at 17, it would have changed my whole story, my way of experiencing soccer. I don't regret anything, maybe I would change it but I don't regret staying to make my debut in Mexico and consolidate myself," he concluded on the subject.