"Winning the Bundesliga is Our Main Goal"

It's been little over a month that Diego Ribas da Cunha, transferred from Portuguese FC Porto to Werder Bremen for a reported 7 million euros ($9 million). The 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder, who scored Werder's opening goal at the 2006/2007 Bundesliga season, has already seized the imagination of the Germans. German media have hailed him as the hottest new star on the Bundesliga circuit. This week, the midfielder adorned the cover of Germany's top sports magazine, Kicker, who called him "Lord of the Ball."

DW-WORLD: You had a very strong beginning with Werder Bremen. How do you see your debut in German soccer?

It's been marvelous so far. We reached our first objective, which was to start the Bundesliga with victories. The first game was not easy, we won in Hamburg and then won at home. We reached six points in two difficult matches. Before the beginning of the Bundesliga, we managed to win the League Tournament, beating strong teams like Hamburg and Bayern. So, I feel good and very comfortable here, I'm satisfied with Werder's performance and with my personal performance as well.

What's the atmosphere like among the players at Werder?

It's very good. The group is very united and most of the players have been playing together for a long time. We also have some more experienced players, which is very important. All in all, it's an excellent group.

What is it like playing together with Miroslav Klose, the World Cup's top scorer and a huge idol in Germany?

It's been great. Klose is a very efficient striker with exceptional qualities. So far he has scored two goals in two games. It's very easy to get along with him on the pitch. I have tried as much as I can to serve him with good passes because he is a player who definitely uses the opportunities he has quite well. He will always score goals if he gets good passes.

Media in Germany are already calling you the newest star of the Bundesliga. How do you deal with this sudden success in Germany?

I'm very happy that I have been able to please the public. However, I make sure that I have my feet on the ground, it's not the first time that such a thing has happened in my career. It's happened at Santos FC (the Brazilian side) and also at Porto. These compliments give me a lot of confidence and satisfaction but I know that there is still a long way ahead. The difficulties tend to increase during the competition, but it is important to say that the compliments are a very good motivation for me.

What are the Werder fans like ?

The fans here are fanatics. They're completely crazy about Werder. They're glued to news of the club, our stadium is always full, there are always lots of people watching our practice sessions and asking for autographs. It's been a very close and positive relationship with the Werder fans.

It says on your Web site that you weren't happy at FC Porto. What happened?

At FC Porto I was the same player I have always been at Santos FC. The motivation was the same, the dedication during the practices and matches was the same and I never had any disciplinary problems there. But what happened in the last 10 or 15 games was very weird, nobody could understand that. Until then I was always a starter, normally played the full 90 minutes. And suddenly, I was not even a substitute anymore. The coach gave me no explanation whatsoever for this decision. It made me very sad. However, I have to say that I left FC Porto with my head held high, I was always very well treated by the fans and I had many happy moments there, and we won titles. Only during the last months, I was disappointed. But now the most important thing is that I have found in Werder Bremen everything I expect from a football team and I'm happy about the decision I took to play here.

What do you think of German soccer?

German soccer is very fast, the passes are quick, the connection between defense and offense is very fast and normally the teams play to win. Werder Bremen too have a very offensive tactic, that's why I feel so comfortable playing here. Werder feels very much like Santos FC when I used to play there.

What's the biggest difference between German and Portuguese soccer?

It's difficult to compare the two because I could be misunderstood by the Portuguese. So I would not like to compare soccer in both countries. What I can say about the German league is that it has surprised me in a very positive way.

Does success at the Bundesliga increase your chances of going back to the Brazilian national team?

Yes, definitely. I'm playing in a very famous league which has a solid reputation in the world. To play for the Brazilian national team has always been my main goal. Dunga (the new Brazilian national coach) has called many players in order to test them. So, I have high expectations of going back to the Seleção.

Is Werder going to win the Bundesliga?

I can't guarantee that we are going to be champions, but I can guarantee that we have chances and that we are going to fight for that. We know there are difficulties, but it's possible. Werder won the Bundesliga three years ago and last year the club was only five points behind FC Bayern, the champions. To win the championship is our main goal.

Bruno Taitson interviewed Diego Ribas da Cunha (sp)