In what follows, Zalazar also talks about taking advantage of the Christmas season to hand out a few gifts to his teammates and to the club president, Antonio Salvador.
Flashscore: You arrived in Braga with the reputation of a star and have shown that on the pitch, after spells in Spain, Germany, and Poland. You joined in 2023, and a lot has happened since then: a coaching change, injuries, a call-up to the national team, and then missing out on the squad. From 2023 until now, what have been the main challenges in adapting to Portuguese football and becoming the important player you are for SC Braga today?
Zalazar: "I think I’ve always been treated well since I arrived. They made it easy for me to settle in quickly, but whenever you change teams, there are always challenges, and I think German and Portuguese football are quite different.
"At first, it was a bit tough to understand the way football is played in Portugal, but thanks to the club and everyone who helped me, I improved, and I think I’ve raised my level season after season. A big part of the credit goes to the work the club has done with me to help me reach the level I’m at today."
You’ve had several coaches and are currently in great form. The stats speak for themselves. Do you feel like a freer Zalazar on the pitch, with a different dynamic under Carlos Vicens? Do you feel more useful and comfortable in the system the Spanish coach has brought to Braga?
"I’ve learned a lot from all my coaches. As a player, you try to take as much as you can from each one, and I’ve picked up things from all of them. But it’s true that this year, Carlos Vicens’ style of play really suits me as a player.
"This season, I’m playing closer to the box, and our style involves a lot of movement, which I really enjoy. The team is doing well, and individual stats are always linked to the team’s work. Of course, someone has to score the goals, and this year I’ve been lucky to get more goals myself."
'We knew we’d need time to adapt'
We’ve seen you play on the right, the left, in more attacking and more defensive roles. Where do you feel most comfortable on the pitch?
"I think I adapt well to any role. Whenever I’m needed, I’ll be there to give my all for the team. Obviously, I prefer playing as I am now, in the middle, close to Ricardo (Horta), someone I have a great understanding with, and I think that’s where I feel most comfortable.
"But, as I said before, I can play wherever the coach needs me, and I think that’s also a help for the team."
This Braga side are now playing great football, but the start of the season was shaky. The results weren’t good, the performances didn’t suggest anything positive, but then there was a moment when the team responded on the pitch. What was that moment, and when did you feel, in the dressing room, that it was time to react?
"From the first day the coach arrived, we knew we’d need time to adapt to the way he wanted us to play. We knew it was a completely different style from previous years, but I remember talking to him and saying that, in the end, what’s needed is time for the team to get the ideas clear.
"Once we started to understand how we wanted to play, you could see it on the pitch, in the recent results - the team feels good, comfortable, and is always causing problems for opponents, which is important, and scoring goals."
But it was almost from one game to the next that we started to see a different Braga. Did you feel that shift? Was there a conversation with the coach, among the team, the players, to make that change happen?
"Yes, definitely. We knew we had to step up because what we were doing wasn’t enough, especially with the level of Liga Portugal, which gets better every year. We had a team talk in the dressing room and said we had to take responsibility, especially the more experienced players.
"We’re a very young team that’s still growing, and after that talk, we changed our mindset - we knew we had to give more to win. We took a huge step forward, and we’re getting better all the time."
Is this the best Braga we’ll see this season? Is the team already at its peak?
"There’s always room for improvement, but I think we’re in a good place. We’re not satisfied with just this; we want more. We know we’re playing well and getting good results, but for us, that’s not enough - we’ll keep pushing for more."
You’re under contract until 2028, and in a good mood in the dressing room, you showed off tattoos of Braga’s name on your back and chest. Is it still a long way off before we see you declare Braga as the club of his heart?
"I have a lot of affection for the club, of course. Since I arrived, everyone- from the fans to the staff - has treated me really well and shown me a lot of love. In the end, with my work, I also earned their trust, and these are things I do to create content here (laughs).
"I’m very happy here, it’s a club that will always have a special place in my career, where I’ve had some of my best years. But obviously, I also come from clubs that made me very happy, like Schalke 04, which, for me, gave me everything as a person and a player - it’s a club that will always be in my heart. But I think Braga can share that space with Schalke. Both clubs are close to my heart."
'Playing in the World Cup would be a dream for me'
But do you see yourself staying at Braga for more years? Or are you looking for new challenges in other leagues? Where does your ambition for the future lie?
"I’m very happy. Of course, in football, there are always opportunities to leave, to try something new, but I haven’t really thought about that. I’m happy here, focused on playing, and whatever happens in the future will happen. I’m content here, fully focused, and I want to keep winning and stay in good form."
Your future could depend on a national team call-up. Bielsa arrived, called you up for his first game, and you scored twice. In 2024, due to some injuries, you were out for a while. Now you’re being called up more regularly. Do you see the 2026 World Cup as a goal? Are you working towards that, knowing the competition for places in Uruguay’s midfield is fierce?
"Playing in a World Cup is every player’s dream. We all work to have the chance to represent our country. I’ll be 100 per cent focused and ready so that, if I get the call, I can give my best and help the team however I can.
"It’s a national team with top-level players and a lot of competition. It depends a lot on how things go for me at Braga. Of course, it’s a goal, and it would be a dream come true for me."
Do you think that Bielsa might give preference to players in European leagues or competitions over others?
"No, I think it depends more on how the player is doing physically and football-wise, not whether they’re playing in European competitions. What matters is playing well - he’ll look at what you can bring to the team."
Would you be disappointed if you didn’t make it to the 2026 World Cup? Would this be your golden opportunity as a player?
"Yes, of course it would be tough, but that’s football, and I’m not the one who makes that decision. If it were up to me, about 200 Uruguayan players would go to the World Cup (laughs).
"It’s a dream everyone has, and having already been part of the national team and shared moments with my teammates, it would be a disappointment. But you have to keep working - you never know when another chance might come, so I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and keep working hard."
Have you started studying Spain, Cape Verde, and Saudi Arabia, who are in Uruguay’s group?
"There’s no need - everyone knows the players in those teams, and they’ll be great games."
On a more personal note, who is Zalazar? The calm guy we’ve seen playing piano and eating fried chicken with almonds, or the fierce, intense player we see on the pitch?
"Above all, I’m a very happy person. I have a very peaceful life, a family that means everything to me, but outside of football, I’m also someone who always tries to make others happy. That’s what life is about: being happy and making others happy.
"I’m a very simple person, but sometimes a bit crazy. I have some hidden talents I haven’t shown yet, but the club’s Golden Gala this year might be a good time for that."
Flash Questions
If you had to give a present to Carlos Vicens, what would it be?
"A box of tea, he drinks a lot of tea."
And to Ricardo Horta, who you’ve already mentioned and is one of your partners on and off the pitch?
"A hair transplant."
To Bright Arrey-Mbi, another of your teammates?
"A diamond chain."
To forward Fran Navarro? And why?
"A tractor, because he’s a farmer."
And to President Antonio Salvador?
"A trophy would be nice."