Javi Martinez has revealed how he never expected to be a professional footballer when growing up, let alone win the World Cup.
The Bayern Munich defender was part of the Spain squad that won the country's first World Cup title in South Africa.
Now, 10 years on from the final against the Netherlands, Martinez has been speaking to MARCA about an achievement beyond his wildest dreams.
"The boy from the butcher's is a world champion," he says, referring to his family's working roots in his hometown of Ayegui, Navarre.
"All I wanted to do was play, enjoy myself and be with my friends.
"I never even thought about being a professional one day, so imagine going to a World Cup and winning it.
"From the day of the final in South Africa, I have a hug with my loved ones recorded.
"My whole family was at the World Cup in South Africa and five of my lifelong friends came too.
"They were shattered.
"They'd travelled together 10 hours both ways, watched the match and went home.
"It was very emotional for me to see them there."
The motorways of Navarre
Martinez has also credited the success in his footballing career to his family.
While his father would leave the house early and arrive back late, his mother, Fortuna Aguinaga, would drive Javi across the motorways of Navarre so he could play at La Rioja and then Osasuna.
"I always say that family is everything for me," Martinez says.
"I'm actually the youngest child.
"My sisters take 10 years off me.
"It was like having three mothers.
"They had me under control."
Memories of the World Cup
When MARCA was preparing a series for the World Cup in April 2010, we included Martinez in the running for a spot in the Spain squad.
"Do you really think I can go to the World Cup?" he asked us then.
When Vicente del Bosque announced his 23-man travelling party, Martinez's name came out alongside that of Xavi Hernandez and David Silva.
"It was the biggest thing that could've happened to me," he remembers now.
"I went to represent my country in a World Cup.
"I couldn't have been prouder."
Although he didn't feature much in the tournament itself, Martinez certainly enjoyed his time in South Africa that summer.
"We won the World Cup as a group of friends," he continues.
"We laughed a lot.
"Meals on days off were very fun and very important after what happened in the first game."
Unleashed against Chile
Martinez's only appearance in South Africa came as a substitute in the final group fixture against Chile in Pretoria.
At the time, he was in good form in front of goal for Athletic Club, but Del Bosque didn't want him going forward much.
"It's not that Vicente got angry with me," Martinez recalls.
"He just told me to calm down, to stay in my position and not to go forward so much.
"[Going forward] just came out from inside of me.
"It was the season where I'd scored the most goals in my career, where I was the biggest goal threat."