하비 시먼스: 나는 축구를 위해 태어났고, 진정한 MVP는 내 어머니입니다

According to The Athletic, Harvey Simons returned to Rojales, Spain, to unveil the Cruyff Foundation pitch.

It was a hot day in southeastern Spain, with about 100 children queuing up to meet the local hero.

Harvey Simons was born in Amsterdam but grew up in the quiet village of Rojales in Alicante. The Tottenham attacking midfielder returned here to unveil a football field next to the school he once attended. He left for the Barcelona youth academy at the age of six, and his life changed from there.

Despite the scorching heat, Harvey signed every jersey and took photos with members of the Cruyff Foundation. Since 2003, the Cruyff Foundation has been awarding the Dutch Talent of the Year, and subsequently builds a pitch in the name of the winner at a location of their choice. Simons won the award three years ago, and this is the place he chose.

Harvey is only 23 years old, but it feels like he has been in the public eye for a long time. Even before his teenage years, videos of the small, curly-haired boy dribbling the ball had gone viral online. Harvey was part of a strong generation at La Masia, which also included Alejandro Balde, Fermín López, and Gavi, who later joined the Barcelona first team. At 15, he appeared in a Nike ad alongside Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo, and Kevin De Bruyne.

A year later, he joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he worked with Argentine captain Messi, Brazilian star Neymar, and rising world football star Mbappé. After an impressive loan spell at PSV Eindhoven, he made his Netherlands national team debut at the 2022 World Cup at the age of 19. Following two successful years at RB Leipzig in Germany, Tottenham signed him last summer for 60 million euros.

Harvey was supposed to play a key role for the Netherlands in the World Cup this summer, but he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April, which means he may not return until 2027. This setback gave Harvey a rare opportunity to spend more time with his family, including his grandmother Riny, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease about five years ago.

Harvey speaks six languages and has lived in some of the world's most famous cities. Rojales may not be glamorous, but it holds a special place in Harvey's heart, even though his family faced difficulties while living there. His long-term goal is to buy back the house he once lived in, but for now, he lives in a multi-story apartment about a 30-minute drive away.

Harvey said, "When I come back here, I get away from reality. People see me as the little Harvey they've always seen, not the Harvey from Tottenham or the national team. They are proud of me, and that makes me happy. I can walk on the street without any problems. I feel very calm here."

Harvey was born on his brother Faustino's 7th birthday. Originally, the family was planning a Barcelona-themed birthday party, but the location changed at the last minute.

Harvey's mother Peggy told The Athletic, "I felt something the night before. I called my mom Riny and said, you'd better take everyone to the amusement park. I gave birth to him in my room."

Peggy said, "I had a name in mind for him, but when we saw the baby, I said, this name doesn't fit. He was too white, bald, and not good-looking. Faustino was a very beautiful baby. Everyone was a bit shocked. I said, I'm going to change the name, so let's call him Baby Simons for now. He didn't have a name for five days. Later, I watched a Barcelona game and saw Xavi Hernández on the screen."

Harvey Simons quickly proved that he deserved to be named after the midfielder who later won the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain.

Peggy said, "When he went to kindergarten, he would wear a full kit, shoes, and bring a ball. I have a video of Harvey when he was two, explaining the technical details of a match. How could a two-year-old understand these things? He also recognized the badges, players, and coaches of all Dutch clubs."

Peggy's parents, Riny and John, were born in Suriname, a former Dutch colony on the northeastern coast of South America. They later moved to the Netherlands to study and work. Peggy grew up in the Netherlands and worked as a check-in agent for Surinam Airways, but after visiting a close friend in Barcelona several times, she decided to move to Spain.

Peggy tried to buy a house in Barcelona, "but it was too expensive," so she turned her attention to Alicante, where prices were "five times cheaper." Although Rojales "had nothing but orange trees," Peggy and Riny bought a small apartment. When Harvey was three, Peggy officially moved there with Riny, her sister Priscilla, and her two sons. Five people slept in the same bed. Peggy wanted her children to experience a new culture and language, but the economic crisis of the late 2000s hit them hard.

Peggy said, "It was complicated. There was no work. I thought maybe I needed to go back to Amsterdam, but if I went back, it would mean I failed, and I don't fail. My mom helped me a lot, and my family would send money because I wouldn't ask for it."

Harvey didn't know about the family's struggles. He went to school until 3 p.m. every day, came home for lunch, and then rushed to a concrete football field around the corner. He would play with friends for hours, eat a few scoops of ice cream, and train at the Tadell Sports Club in the evening.

Harvey said, "I spent all day outside, happy with the most basic things in life. Over time, I realized that kind of situation wasn't normal, but my mom had to make sacrifices. I just want to thank her for not letting me see how difficult it was. It means a lot to me to be able to give her what I have now."

Harvey said, "My mom never envied anyone. That's her life, and she's always been happy. My memories of her are only smiles, even though she didn't eat, she made sure my brother and I had something to eat."

Harvey's father, Regilio, was a professional player who played for Eredivisie teams Fortuna Sittard and Willem II. Regilio was not involved in his son's life, which is why Harvey prefers to be called by his first name. In his childhood, Harvey looked to his brother Faustino for guidance.

Harvey added, "From a young age, he took on the responsibility of being the man of the house, and he still feels that way. I'm the one seen on the pitch and on TV, but the real MVPs are my mom, brother, and sister Kenza. I'm really grateful for everything they've done for me."

An important figure in Harvey's early life was his first coach. Marcelino, who played for Tadell's senior team, coached some youth teams in his spare time.

Marcelino said, "From the first training session, I could tell Harvey was different. The way he touched the ball, his vision, and understanding of the game were outstanding."

Marcelino said, "He got along well with his teammates, but in any training exercise, he wanted to be the one who scored the most or had the best dribble. He's a winner. He always wants to improve. If he did something wrong, he would do it over and over until he got it right. If we were behind, he would say, give me the ball, and I'll help us win."

Marcelino said, "I just tried to keep Harvey humble. I made him play the same amount of time as others and taught him how to be a team player."

It wasn't long before others noticed Harvey's abilities. Elche, Alicante, and Villarreal were interested in signing him, and Barcelona arranged a week-long trial. Peggy kept the trial a secret until she took her son to the Barcelona training ground.

Harvey said, "After one training session, they said, Harvey, you can stay. So I completed my mission that day."

Harvey moved to Barcelona just before turning seven, but his relationship with Marcelino didn't end there. Harvey called his former coach every Monday to discuss his weekend performance. They still keep in touch. In February, Marcelino, as Harvey's guest, watched the Tottenham 2-2 draw with Manchester City live.

Harvey said, "He's one of the people who always tried to provide me with boots and help my family. He bought me shoes, so I said I owe him for life, because he also saved my mom in different situations."

Harvey returns to Rojales every summer. For the past two years, he has organized a festival event here, involving families in various activities. He hopes to give back to the community permanently, so he asked the Cruyff Foundation to build a high-quality artificial grass pitch here.

Harvey said, "What are the chances of a little guy from Rojales becoming a professional player? Really low. That's the message I want to convey to the kids, even if you live here, you might not have the same opportunities or infrastructure as big cities like Barcelona and Madrid. With that mindset, you have to work hard and believe in yourself. There will be people who tell you, it's impossible, why are you going there? If you have a dream, go for it."

Marcelino, who describes Harvey as his "little brother," says it makes him "happy and proud."

Marcelino said, "Some people get carried away and forget the people from their hometown when they become famous, but Harvey is not like that. It's surprising, but in a positive way."

Barcelona helped Harvey and his family leave Rojales. A month before Harvey joined La Masia in 2010, his grandfather John died of a heart attack. A few years ago, Harvey gave his family necklaces with John's photo inside for Christmas.

Harvey said, "It was a blow, especially for my mom. He played an important role in our lives, for both me and my brother. I know he's protecting us and is with us. When I wear that necklace into a game, it gives me strength to be here and work hard."

Harvey grew quickly at La Masia, but it came at a cost. Videos of him playing gained millions of views online, and he was labeled a "prodigy." He signed with Nike and received 10 pairs of shoes in different colors. Peggy made sure he shared the shoes with his teammates. By the age of 14, he had about a million followers on social media.

Harvey said, "No one teaches you how to deal with fame. I had a lot of positive things, but I couldn't go out and play with friends because people always wanted something from me or wanted to take a picture. It's not normal. I probably had more followers than the first-team players, but we handled it as well as possible."

Harvey said, "I missed a lot. When I talk to my sister, who plays tennis and hopes to become one of the great players, I tell her to enjoy the time she can go out, have a drink, and have fun with friends, because I never had that."

Harvey seemed destined to become a Barcelona star, but he left the Camp Nou at 16 without making a first-team appearance. In the summer of 2019, he joined Paris Saint-Germain and reunited with Neymar. During their time together in Spain, the Brazilian forward took care of Harvey.

Harvey said, "You have good days and bad days, but I never felt like I lowered my standards. Those standards are non-negotiable, and I knew my brother would kill me."

Harvey said, "I was with Messi, Mbappé, Neymar, Thiago Silva, and Marquinhos every day. I realized this is where I belong, and I understood what I needed to do to stand alongside them. Seeing them train in the gym every day, not skipping any steps, including diet, sleep, and recovery, made me realize a lot."

Harvey left Paris Saint-Germain in June 2022 to join PSV Eindhoven, and he quickly reaped the benefits. Under PSV manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, Harvey excelled, scoring 22 goals in 48 appearances. He made his national team debut in the 2022 World Cup round of 16, where the Netherlands beat the United States 3-1. He then spent two years at RB Leipzig before seizing the opportunity to join Tottenham and play in the Premier League.

Harvey's first season in North London was not easy. Under Thomas Frank, he initially played as a left winger, and it took time for him to gain trust and play in his preferred 10 position. He was sent off for accidentally kicking his national teammate Virgil van Dijk in a match against Liverpool and missed three games, but he was one of the few players in form during Frank's final period. Under Igor Tudor, Harvey's playing time decreased; under Roberto De Zerbi, he only played three times before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League for the second consecutive season, with Harvey contributing 2 goals and 5 assists in 28 top-flight matches. The club spent over 250 million pounds on reinforcements this summer, breaking the club transfer record twice to sign midfielders Matheus Fernandes and Tonali.

Harvey said, "This season taught me a lot, especially when things aren't going well. I've never experienced this before. It's a wake-up call for everyone, and everything must get better. There are better things waiting for us in the future."

Harvey suffered a torn right knee anterior cruciate ligament in a challenge with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno. He tried to continue playing but was stretchered off. He said he cried when the diagnosis was confirmed because he knew he couldn't help Tottenham avoid relegation and would miss the World Cup.

Harvey said, "I called my mom and said, maybe it's like Cristian Romero's injury, just four or five weeks. But the next day, I couldn't walk. I got a call from the club, and at that moment, everything sank."

Harvey has a target date for his return, but he is trying to stay busy during his rehabilitation. After the interview, he went to the Tadell Sports Club for strength and conditioning training. He missed France's 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals while watching a local youth match. He started taking latte art classes and also meets with childhood friends in Rojales to play dominoes.

He plans to watch the summer blockbuster "Odyssey" directed by Christopher Nolan. Before every game, Harvey calls his mother and listens to the theme song from Nolan's 2014 Oscar-winning film "Interstellar," composed by Hans Zimmer.

Harvey said, "She only tells me to smile. Deep down, I still have that kid who loves football, and that fire keeps me going. The theme song helps me relax before I step onto the pitch. With my playing style, if you put my highlight reel to that song, it would fit perfectly."

Most importantly, he spends more time with his family. His family was present at the unveiling of the Cruyff Foundation pitch. In early July, he appeared on a Dutch TV show with Riny to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease.

Harvey said, "She forgets a lot of short-term things. She doesn't know what she ate today or yesterday, but she still knows who we are. It was hard at first, but now we're in a good state. She's happy, and she can be with her grandchildren, which is beautiful."

Peggy said, "If you ask me about this, I almost cry because he's the most considerate one. He's very polite and loves people. Everything is the opposite of what people think, they think he's arrogant, but it's actually passion."

Harvey is enjoying his time surrounded by friends and family in Rojales, but when he fully recovers, he should play a significant role at Tottenham. Earlier this year, De Zerbi called Harvey a "leader" because he "has the right character to receive the ball in difficult situations." Harvey attributes this to his experiences playing with Faustino and his older friends as a child. He was tackled and fouled by opponents twice his size, but it made him stronger.

Harvey said, "De Zerbi told me he wanted to buy me when he was at Brighton. The trust he gave me from the first day is exactly what I need to perform at my best. I know under him, I can really reach the heights I want."

Harvey said, "I'm not afraid of who stands in front of me. I'm not afraid whether we're leading or trailing. I always want the ball. I never shy away. I always want to make that pass, score that goal, and help the team."

Harvey said, "I used to be scared when I played with my brother, but now I feel this is what I was born to do. The real pressure is what my mom endured in her life."