The first Uruguayan in the history of Chelsea was Gustavo Poyet. He himself points this out at the start of his exclusive interview with Diretta.
It's no coincidence that the former Blues, Tottenham and Real Zaragoza player still lives in London, where he became a world-class footballer and sealed his reputation with a historic Super Cup win against Real Madrid.
And with one of the most important goals of his career.
Flashscore: Do you remember that Chelsea-Real Madrid match as one of the most important days of your career?
Poyet: "Individually, without a doubt. Beating the European champions and scoring myself was unforgettable. Chelsea wasn't yet the club it is today, and that victory was the result of great preparation.
"And do you know with whom? With Antonio Pintus, who is now at Real Madrid. I trained with him during the English summer, but it was winter in Uruguay! He really put me through my paces."
On the bench that day was Gianluca Vialli...
"An extraordinary person. I remember when I arrived at Chelsea, the manager was Gullit, and I used to get changed next to him in the dressing room.
"I didn't speak English yet, so I naturally bonded with him, Gianfranco Zola and Roberto Di Matteo. And then there was Dan Petrescu, Romanian but practically Italian. So with them I spoke a mix of Italian and Spanish, and we formed a close group. Even our wives became friends."
Then, suddenly, Gianluca became manager.
"It was unusual and tough. Especially for him. Because when we trained, we talked about everything, even about the boss (laughs). And he definitely remembered all of that.
"At first, I thought I'd be a starter, but I got injured and had to start from scratch. I used those months to learn English, which helped a lot because Gianluca gave his tactical instructions in English."
Q: How did you cope with his passing?
A: "We humans don't realise how lucky we are to have our health, to be alive, to enjoy life, until something so terrible happens. Sometimes, personally, I give a football match almost supernatural importance.
"It feels like the world is ending, but it's just a football match, nothing is really wrong. Luca's death was a huge blow. I always remember him fondly because, well, we shared so much together.
"Above all, winning brought us closer. Winning makes all the difference. Always."
Q: You joined Chelsea two years after winning the Cup Winners' Cup final with Real Zaragoza against Arsenal. Did they sign you for that "favour"?
A: "(Laughs), actually, the funniest story is another one. In the summer of 1997, my contract with Zaragoza was expiring and just before that, they'd sold me a used car as a demo model for half the usual price. They brought them to Spain from Germany.
"It was all legal, and the intermediary who delivered it told me he had a friend with good connections. One day, this person knocked on my door and said Chelsea wanted me. And that's how I ended up in London."
Q: Two years earlier in Paris, your Zaragoza side had beaten Arsenal in a legendary Cup Winners' Cup final, decided by Nayim's goal from almost the halfway line.
A: "There were just seconds left in extra time, and I remember we all felt the pressure of possibly going to penalties.
"Me especially, because even though I wasn't a regular penalty taker, I was one of the most experienced and felt I'd be called upon.
Then came that impossible goal.
"It was incredible. Even now, I struggle to explain what happened that night. And to think, Nayim usually played on the left, but a substitution had just been made in case we went to penalties, so he moved to the right.
"There have been great goals in finals, like Zidane's against Leverkusen, but there were still five or ten seconds left. This was unique."
That same year, 1995, Uruguay also won the Copa America.
"That's why I always say it was the most important year of my career. With that Zaragoza team, we even have a WhatsApp group and still keep in touch. We've created a special bond."
In that Copa America, played at home, the best player was Enzo Francescoli.
"Up to that point, I thought no teammate of mine would ever be as good as him."
And then?
"And then at Chelsea I met Gianfranco Zola. A magician. The only difference, and I say this honestly, because I'm not one to flatter, is that I trained with Gianfranco for four years, while with Enzo I only played five matches together in that Copa America. Zola made me a better player."
That Italian-influenced Chelsea was a revolution at the time. And there was also Roberto Di Matteo, who would go on to win the Blues' first Champions League as manager in May 2012.
"Look, in my life I've celebrated titles won by the team I supported as a child, and it was even more special winning with Zaragoza.
"But I've never cheered as much as when that Chelsea side won the Champions League with Roberto in charge. Even now, when we talk, we always greet each other by saying 'great manager', in Italian."
Afterwards, other Italians managed Chelsea, like Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte. And most recently Enzo Maresca.
"We all know the first two, and they worked during the Abramovich era. Which meant if you didn't win, you were out. And that's exactly what happened to both.
"Now, though, things are different. And with Maresca, honestly, what happened seemed strange and hard to understand."
You know Chelsea well. What do you think happened?
"Someone who wins the Conference League and then the Club World Cup and gets sacked... honestly, I really can't explain it.
"I think the person at the top of the club, whoever it is, whether it's the owner or the CEO, should clearly state what the team's objective is, so everyone understands it, both the manager and the fans."
Did Maresca pay the price for his honesty?
"Usually, it's the manager who takes the blame. And after signing so many young players, they went back to wanting instant success.
"But that's not how it works, especially if you buy young players. Some managers keep quiet and bottle everything up, but Enzo was honest and made it clear he was fed up.
"In the end, whether you speak up or not, you get sacked anyway!"
At Manchester United, things seem even worse.
"United's problem is they're still living in the past, Chelsea isn't. Chelsea have won European trophies and the Club World Cup.
"Since Ferguson left, the Red Devils haven't been the same. If I were a young player and had another option, I wouldn't think about United the way I would have in the '90s."
Finally, is the Premier League really the centre of the footballing world?
"Let me just say that when I was coaching Sunderland, and we beat Pellegrini's City 1-0 at home, more than 12 years ago, I got congratulatory messages from Hawaii, China, and Australia.
"When you win a match in another country, nobody writes to you, or only people from that country do. The Premier League, though, is global. So the impact, for better or worse, is worldwide."