Sebastián Cáceres joins Celta after six seasons in Mexico

Four hours of sleep and his mind somewhere else. That's how Sebastián Cáceres played his last match with América de México, while negotiations with Celta dragged on without quite closing. In the end everything worked out, and this Wednesday the Uruguayan sat in front of reporters as the Vigo club's newest player.

The Uruguayan defender, arriving after six seasons in Mexican soccer, made no secret that jumping to Europe was something he had been chasing for a while. And when the opportunity showed up with a name attached, Celta, there wasn't much to think over. Word of mouth from teammates and friends who already knew Spanish soccer played a big part.

Matías Vecino, Néstor Araujo or Álvaro Fidalgo, who plays for Betis and is one of my best friends, all spoke very highly of Celta. Playing in Europe was something I was after, so with this opportunity and so many good recommendations, it wasn't a hard decision. I think I'm in the right place.Sebastián Cáceres

The Uruguayan, a national team player who's on the list for the 2026 World Cup, also drew comparisons between the two leagues he knows firsthand. As he explained it, Mexican soccer features more transitions and more chaos, with open matches and plenty of goals, while Spanish soccer demands something different from him.

"It's a pretty different game. In the Mexican league there are a lot more transitions, partly because there's a lot more disorder. Here the matches are more tactical, more organized, harder to break down defensive lines, which is also why the results tend to be tighter," explained the center back, who arrives hoping to get minutes as soon as possible.

A signing that wasn't easy

Cáceres didn't hide that the process had its tense moments. There were days when everything seemed to be moving forward and others when it seemed completely stuck, something that weighed on him especially in the final stretch.

"The last week was the one where I felt the most anxiety, because I had a match and I was playing on very little sleep. Talking with Marcos, with Claudio, I felt like it was going to happen despite how things looked, because we all wanted it to happen," he said, referring to the conversations he had while the deal remained up in the air.

Asked how you compete for a club you already know you're leaving, he was just as direct: "Once you step on the field you have to flip that switch and compete with everything, without holding back on any effort or any play. It all comes down to each player's professionalism and the respect they have for the club they belong to."

Among the reasons that convinced him to choose Vigo, he also mentioned Claudio Giráldez's style of play, built around ball possession, which he admits is exactly the part of his game he most wants to sharpen.

Physically, he says he arrives "in full form" thanks to the competitive rhythm he brought from Mexico, though he's aware he'll need time to adapt to the team's concepts. He described himself as a competitive player, used to defending in open space, and wrapped up his presentation with a message of thanks for the trust placed in him.

"If they trusted me it's because they believe I have the potential and that I can do well. Having everyone give me that confidence has meant a lot to me," said Celta's new center back.