Derby County forward Ben Brereton Díaz has spoken at length about his return to the Chile national team, offering some pointed reflections after being left out by Ricardo Gareca earlier this year.
The striker has now scored in consecutive matches for La Roja, finding the net against Peru in October and again in the 2-0 win over Russia.
Speaking to the YouTube channel Kenotrotamundos, Brereton explained that his commitment to Chile had never changed, even during the period when Gareca dropped the Derby County from the squad. The comments were relayed by local outlet La Tercera:
“I definitely want to play for Chile. So when I didn’t come, obviously… I want to play. I’m very happy to be back with the boys. I’ve enjoyed the last trip and this one as well. It’s been fun and we’ve got good results. We are all very happy and excited for the future,” he said.
He stressed that the priority remains performance, but admitted that scoring in back-to-back matches has helped restore his confidence.
“Obviously it’s about the team and we want to win games and have good performances, but I’m very happy to have scored in the previous trip against Peru and last night with Russia. My family is very happy, in England and in Chile.”
Brereton also highlighted how smooth the reintegration has been inside the squad. According to him, the atmosphere within the group has been key in turning the page after missing out on the World Cup.
“They’ve been incredible. Every time I’ve gone to Chile, the boys have been incredible. It’s a very good group, as you can see, on and off the pitch, well connected. And now it’s about taking a step forward. Obviously, we’re all disappointed about not qualifying for the World Cup, but now we’re forgetting that and focusing on what’s ahead. I feel the last three games have been very good.”
He reserved special praise for the technical staff after his previous fallout with Gareca. “The coaching staff has been brilliant. Since I came back to Chile, the people have been brilliant. There’s a good connection with everyone. We’re very happy to represent Chile.”
Looking ahead to the next clash against Peru, he kept the message simple: focus on performance. “We know they’re a good team. They have good young players and also want to win, but we have to focus on our performance to get another victory. Hopefully we win again.”
