Santiago Munez Goal
Santiago Munoz has paid thanks to Club Santos fans for their support – with the hope Newcastle United fans can show the same backing. The 19-year-old has joined United on an 18-month loan deal and in an emotional goodbye to Santos supporters paid tribute to them.
Santiago Munoz said: “I’ll carry the Santos Fans in my heart. I’m very thankful to them. From the moment I was moved into the first team, they supported me. I have Club Santos tattooed inside of me. The fact that I’m going there is like a Guerrero going there, a Club Santos player. All the values and the things that they showed me here, I’ll takeover over there and wherever I go.”
His arrival is not too dissimilar to that of the storyline of Hollywood blockbuster GOAL! in which a young Mexican makes the trip to Tyneside, and Munoz is well aware of the comparisons being made.
Santiago Munoz said: “I remember when I was a kid, I watched the GOAL! movie and got excited and I still do! It’s a dream come true. I don’t know the city but it’s a great team and a great institution – I think I’ll fit in well over there.”
Munoz will initially join United’s youth academy but those who have watched him closely are confident he can make the step up to the first team. The forward impressed in his debut season for Santos and with Mexico in the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Speaking about his development,
Santiago Munoz said: “I will never forget the opportunities that Club Santos and the institution has given me – they had a big impact on my life. I lived a dream. I left home and it isn’t easy to leave so young, but I think that it helped a lot to come to this club and to know that here they don’t just help you as a player and a professional, but also as a person and I am very grateful for that. I went through a lot of good times and laughs with my teammates living in the youth academy. We formed a family in Club Santos and I’ll hold on to the memories and I’ll never forget them. A unique thing about the club is the ‘Ganar Sirviendo’ (to win and to serve) philosophy that helped me a lot as a person. On the football side, the coaches really helped me develop.”
