Ale Rodriguez: 'I just want to score goals'

As England men's under-17s prepare to continue their UEFA U17 EURO campaign in Albania, we caught up with Young Lions striker Alejandro Rodriguez ahead of their second game against Italy on Friday 23 May.

The Olympique Lyonnais frontman bagged his first goal of the tournament in England's opening game with Belgium and admits he's keen to add more to his tally while helping the Young Lions into the knockout stages.

And Caracas-born Rodriguez also reflected on his unique football journey so far which has taken him from grassroots football in Hampshire to representing England at the EUROs.

So Ale, how has the EURO camp been so far, now you’ve been here for almost a week and played the first game?

“It's been very good, I’ve enjoyed my time here so far right from the training, the food and whatever else we’ve needed – it’s been very good and very positive.

“We had the first game which was good too. 1-1 was obviously not exactly what we wanted, but it's still a very good result and we're still in a good position to go and qualify.

“Belgium were very strong. I think they're going to be one of the strongest in our group so I think we did really well.

“We’ve just got to go and beat Italy and beat Czechia now and we qualify to the semi-finals so we’ve just got to carry on.”

This is the first major and competitive international tournament for your age group, so how are the group all finding the experience so far?

“Coming here, we didn't know how it was going to be and we were all very excited but it's been very, very positive so far. Whether that’s with all the matches that are on, through to the kit - everything has been very good and we’re enjoying it all now.”

It was a good start for you on a personal level too, with the opening goal against Belgium…

“As a striker you need to score goals to shine, and I took my chance. I only really had one chance in the game and I managed to take it, so that was great. I just want to get more now and be the top goalscorer.

“In the qualifying round [in March], I scored three goals in three games so I was happy with my performance there so I think that’s why I’m here again. That’s my job really and probably why the coach picked me, to help the team out and that’s why I’m here.”

Have you always been a striker?

“Yeah, I’ve always been a goalscorer growing up, and I’ve played there this season with Lyon. Before that, I had been playing on the wing for Southampton but I said to myself that I want to be a striker, and I told Lyon when I moved that I wanted to be a striker and I want to score goals."

How has it been for you playing in France this season?

“It’s been great for me in France this year. I didn’t know how it was going to be when I first arrived as I didn’t know anyone there. I can speak English, Spanish and Portuguese, but didn't speak French but the people have been great and they talk to me everyday about how I am and how I’m feeling, so it’s been very positive and I like it over there.

“It's obviously a different kind of football from in England, but you get used to it in and that's what I’ve managed to do in the last six months.

“When I come back to England, to play with the national team, I need to make that switch in my mind around how I'm playing and working on those specific things that we might do differently.”

Whereabouts in England did you grow up?

“Well, I was born in Venezuela and I came to England when I was ten after living in Venezuela for the first ten years of my life.

“I've really enjoyed it since I came here, and I probably wouldn’t have chosen anywhere else to be than England, it’s a very good place to be, apart from the weather!

“When we first came to England, we moved to Southampton because my uncle had been living there for six years already.”

Tell us about your football journey and how you’ve progressed…

“When I was a young kid, I always wanted to be a professional footballer and I while played football in Venezuela mainly through school and that was one of my goals, to move to a European country. My uncle helped to move me and all my family over to England, and I’ve just gone through the ranks of football since then and it's all been very fast for me to be honest. 

“I first joined Eastleigh Football Club, which was near where we lived and after I scored a lot of goals there, Southampton had a look at me and took me on trial and they signed me after one week.

“After two months there, I got a scholarship with them and soon after that I got into the England MU15s squad and in my first camp there, I scored two goals and everything for me has been very fast since.”

Next up in the EUROs, we have Italy and Czechia in our group games. How do you see those matches?

“I'm really excited for the next two games now, we’re confident that we can win both of them and yeah, we're preparing ourselves very well. We’re sleeping well and eating well so we're doing everything right to get the maximum we can.”