Crystal Palace have only had Darío Osorio for a couple of weeks, but the winger is already settling into his new life in London.
That comes from someone who should know. His mother, Alicia Osorio, has spoken at length to Chilean newspaper
Crystal Palace have only had Darío Osorio for a couple of weeks, but the winger is already settling into his new life in London.
That comes from someone who should know. His mother, Alicia Osorio, has spoken at length to Chilean newspaper Las Últimas Noticias about how her son is getting on.
There are some nice little details in there. Osorio speaks to his family every day, still plays PlayStation online with his brothers and is enjoying London so far. His wife Catalina Díaz has also been crucial throughout his European adventure.
‘He tells me London is beautiful’
Osorio spent three years at FC Midtjylland before Palace came calling. His mother says leaving Denmark was something he wanted this summer, even if there was some sadness involved.
“Very good. He always wanted to move in this window, although I know he misses Denmark,” she said when asked how she had seen him during this move to England. “It was three years, he became very fond of it, but changes are for the better.”
The weather has already given Osorio something to get used to. Las Últimas Noticias points out that London has turned colder. His mother is getting regular updates anyway.
“I speak to him every day on video call. In the short time he’s been in London, he tells me it’s beautiful,” she said. “God willing, we’ll go and see him at the end of the year. We’ll go with my husband and my mother, because we take her everywhere.”
“Darío loves his grandmother very much because she’s the one who cooks for him.”
Alicia laughs when asked whether she’s as good in the kitchen as Chilean legendary striker Iván Zamorano’s mother.
“No, I didn’t know her, to be honest. In fact, what Darío loves most are chips, but the one who cooks them for him is my mother. When he comes to Hijuelas [their city], he always asks her to make them.”
Wife has been a ‘fundamental pillar’
Osorio wasn’t alone when he made his first big move to Europe. His wife Catalina went with him to Denmark and, according to his mother, played a huge part in making it work.
“Yes, six years ago we went. It was very quiet, zero noise and very clean. But it was freezing cold,” Alicia said of Denmark. “I think his wife got used to it more quickly, Catalina, who is his life.”
She believes Catalina has been particularly important because of Osorio’s naturally quiet personality.
“She has been a fundamental pillar in my boy’s career,” Alicia said. “When he went to Denmark, for example, he didn’t speak a word of English and Cata was the one who helped him adapt.
“Also, you know, my son is very reserved, he doesn’t talk much, and thanks to her he’s been able to come out of his shell.”
His mother thinks the three years in Denmark changed him in that respect too.
“Darío grew in Denmark because he was able to develop a bit more character,” she said. “He was very quiet and there he developed more personality, which has helped him with people.”
PlayStation keeps Palace signing close to home
Moving to London hasn’t stopped Osorio keeping up his routine with his family in Chile.
“Darío connects every day to play PlayStation with his brothers,” Alicia explained. “They have tournaments and play online, apart from Saturdays and Sundays because we go to the football.”
The family has been around football for years. Alicia herself has worked in a school canteen for 42 years. She says everyone in their hometown of Hijuelas knows her because of Darío’s career.
“He’s the same boy who left at 10 for Universidad de Chile. I remember people would tell me what a shame it was that I let him go so young. They criticised me a lot on social media.”
‘Imagine the pride’
Alicia says she initially read plenty of what people were saying about her son online. She eventually decided enough was enough.
“Yes, a lot, honestly. At first I read loads on social media and questioned myself when they treated him badly,” she said. “Then I spoke to a friend who is a psychologist, who told me: ‘You know what? Don’t read any more’. Because I replied and argued with people when Darío was playing badly.”
She also believes people sometimes forget what a footballer’s family goes through behind the scenes.
“Yes, you see the sacrifice now being worthwhile,” she said. “But nobody asks about everything footballers go through along the way. He missed all his family’s birthdays. How many Mother’s Days has Darío’s mum not been there? There are things which won’t come back.”
For now, though, the family is enjoying what Palace represents. Alicia even thinks her son may have another move in him eventually.
“To be honest, I feel there’s another step for him,” she said. “But for now we’re all enjoying his arrival at this team. Imagine the pride we felt when he made his debut and the commentator mentioned Hijuelas on the broadcast! It’s a source of pride for the whole town.”
His mother says even the local mayor, Verónica Rossat, wants to arrange giant screens in Hijuelas to show his matches.
“She told me and I’m sure she’ll do it,” Alicia said. “She’s always very good with us. Even when he was little, she helped me with travel costs to take him to Universidad de Chile.”
“Now she’s still involved because he has already arrived in England.”
Osorio has come a long way from those childhood journeys. Crystal Palace is the destination everyone in Hijuelas is enjoying for now. His mother, though, clearly doesn’t think this has to be the end of the journey.
