Mario Kempes on Julián's exit: 'fenomenal' if it suits both sides
Mario Kempes told Diario AS that if Julián Álvarez wants to leave Atlético Madrid and a transfer is best for both club and player, he finds it "fenomenal." The 1978 World Cup winner weighed in as Argentina's World Cup 2026 campaign continues, defending the striker's honesty while urging Atlético fans not to read his words as disrespect.
The headline quote — "Si Julián se quiere ir, fenomenal..." — landed as Julián's transfer saga dominated talk around the Albiceleste. For readers tracking how elite athletes manage career pivots under pressure, the exchange sits at the crossroads of club loyalty and personal longevity — a theme we cover regularly in our Longevity & Biohacking section.
Key Takeaways
- Mario Kempes told AS that if Julián Álvarez wants out and it benefits both sides, the move is "fenomenal."
- Kempes asked Atlético supporters not to treat the striker's honesty as a personal rejection of the club.
- In Clarin, Kempes praised Lionel Scaloni for teaching, communicating, and keeping a united dressing room.
- Daniel Bertoni told Radio Rivadavia that stars like Messi and Maradona helped make Argentina one of football's most beloved nations.
- Both 1978 champions weighed in as the Albiceleste navigates World Cup 2026 amid club-level transfer noise.
Why did Mario Kempes call Julián's exit 'fenomenal'?
Speaking to Diario AS, Kempes addressed the storm around Julián Álvarez's public transfer request. "If he wants to leave and it is the best for both — for Atlético Madrid and for him — I think it is fenomenal," the Matador said.
Kempes acknowledged why rojiblanco fans were stung. "It hurts that a player who represented Atlético de Madrid so well says these things," he admitted. Still, he insisted the words were not meant as an insult: "He did not want to disrespect anyone, let alone all the colchoneros."
Kempes framed player happiness as a practical club decision rather than a personal slight against Atlético supporters.
What is Kempes saying about Scaloni and squad longevity?
In a separate interview with Clarin, Kempes turned to Lionel Scaloni's management style. "Scaloni is a great coach, because he does not only direct — he also teaches and makes himself understood," he said.
Kempes noted there are "no rotten apples" in the current Argentina setup. Players respect Scaloni, he argued, and the coach respects them back. Drawing parallels with César Luis Menotti and Carlos Bilardo, Kempes added he hopes Scaloni "will be more than Menotti and Bilardo because he will win two World Cups."
That praise matters for longevity thinking. A coach who communicates clearly and protects squad harmony gives veterans room to perform across long tournaments — the kind of environment where careers stretch rather than snap.
Why do Argentina's 1978 champions still back this team?
On Radio Rivadavia's Vamos Rivadavia programme, fellow 1978 champion Daniel Bertoni spoke with host Nelson Castro about his career and the state of the game during World Cup 2026.
Bertoni linked Argentina's global affection to its iconography. "Thanks to the great players we had, like Messi and Maradona, Argentina is one of the most loved national teams in the world," he told Radio Rivadavia — a line that places Kempes himself inside the lineage of names that shaped the Albiceleste's worldwide appeal.
Together, the two Matador-era voices sketch a through-line: honest career choices off the pitch, disciplined leadership on it, and a national side whose reputation was built across generations of elite performers.