Mark, the 2010 World Cup must bring back great memories - especially facing a Spain side that went on to win it. What was that experience like?
"It was special because it was the World Cup, but also because I was coming back to my country. I was born in South Africa and lived there until I was 10, and I hadn’t been back until then. I still have family and friends there, so that made it even more special.
"Going into the game against Spain, we knew that if we won or even drew, they would be out. So we were very motivated. We weren’t scared - we knew the pressure was on them. But they won the game, and from that moment on, I would say Spain became a different team. I always say now that the group stage and the knockout stage feel like two different tournaments.
"It was a bit like what happened with Argentina in Qatar - Spain beat us, and their mentality completely changed."
You scored a very important goal - the winner against Switzerland. What did that feeling give you, and what do you think it meant to the country?
"I can’t fully explain what it feels like to score, but I always say it’s like all the happiness and madness coming together in one moment, in one scream of 'Goal!' Scoring in a World Cup is the best thing that can happen to any football player.
"At the time, you don’t realise what you’re creating for a country. But when I watch videos of that goal now and see the celebrations, it’s something very special. I’m sure the country would love another moment like that soon."
What do you think of the national team right now? There has even been some talk of Manuel Pellegrini potentially taking over - what’s your view on the situation?
"It’s a sensitive topic because we had an incredible moment - a golden generation. It’s very difficult to reach that level again. I’m not saying another golden generation won’t come, but it’s very hard to produce one. Today, everything is easier, but back then, there was more hunger. To reach that level, you had to fight for it. Now, you have good players, but I don’t see the same mentality.
"With more mentality, maybe more players would be playing in Europe. We can talk about coaches, but you could bring in the best coach in the world, and if the players lack mentality and hunger, the coach will end up leaving anyway.
"I’d also say the federation doesn’t do enough to develop new generations - find the young talent and give them opportunities. They should organise more friendly games. Right now, we mostly play against teams like Cuba or the Dominican Republic, which is not enough. When Chile face strong teams, the players struggle. That’s exactly what needs to change."
Are there any Chilean players you see with potential to make the leap to Europe right now?
"I think there are a few with the quality to get to Europe, but it just depends on their mentality. They have the skills and experience, so it’s up to them to push themselves.
"For example, people talked a lot about Lucas Cepeda, saying, 'He’s like you, physically and in football'. I said, 'Yeah, he’s actually better than me, he is more skilful'. But I was in Europe at 19, that’s the difference. I was at Liverpool at 20, 21."
"Today, many 21-year-olds play their first games in Chile’s first team only because they have to meet Under-21 requirements. But Cepeda is now in Spain, so great. That's what I wanted to see - a good player in Europe, challenging himself.
"I run a podcast on YouTube called 'Legends', and I interview legendary players worldwide and talk about the 'B side' of football - the sacrifices, struggles and journeys to success. Everyone has a story. Success can come from perseverance, sacrifice and consistency. These are life lessons.
"For example, Alexis Sanchez talks about perseverance, whereas I focus on mentality because I left home at 13. I was away from my family, crying every night, but I stayed strong because I wanted to achieve my dream. If I wasn’t mentally strong, I would have gone back home."
That is a very strong mentality you had at 13 - that is tough to achieve...
"It was. I have my own son now, who’s about to turn 15, and when he was 13, I thought, 'I can’t imagine letting him go away'. That’s really tough as a parent. I value so much what my mum did for me back then. She didn’t have to give me permission to go, and it must have been very hard for her.
"One of the things I’m doing now in Miami is working on guidance in leadership, mentorship and parent education."
How do you feel about people comparing other players to you?
"People love a comparison, and that's the problem. They want to compare one person to another, and I don't know why. You have your own skills, I have mine. You have your weaknesses, I have mine. We are all different. I think this comes from the press.
"Comparisons put pressure on players and can bring them down. What's the point of it? The press in Argentina has always been different. They protect the player, which builds confidence. It is easy to tell players not to read the press, but they do it anyway, because they want to see what is being said."
When you look at the current state of the team, do you believe there is talent to reach the next World Cup?
"The federation needs to take action, not just with a coach but with a long-term project, like what Marcelo Bielsa did. He was with us for years, and during that time, he worked with what would become a golden generation - though at first, we were just young, talented players with hunger. His methodology changed our mentality. He changed the Chilean approach to football.
"Take Alexis Sanchez, for example. As a kid, he would dribble past five players, come back, and dribble again - he rarely passed. But later, you would see him win the ball and pass it. Similar things happened with other players from the golden generation. It benefited everyone.
"With Bielsa, I think we lost the first games, but no one fired him. They continued the process, and we started learning his training methods. He was very strict. Every exercise had to be perfect before we could finish training. We would end up training at night with no lights on sometimes, because the drills were not perfect!
"If you bring in a good coach with a clear project, you respect it. Losing a couple of games doesn’t mean you have to fire them; that only confuses players. They have to understand what the coach wants. Let's try doing something to get to the World Cup. If it's the next one, great. But if it's not, okay, it will be the one after."
Chile won the Copa América in 2015 and 2016. Do you think people would trade one of those to be back at a World Cup again?
"I don’t think so, no. It’s still incredible that Chile won two Copa Américas in a row and qualified for two World Cups consecutively. My son grew up watching Chile as champions - that was insane. When I first joined the national team, we used to celebrate making it to the second phase!
"But I don’t think Chile would trade those victories just to be back at a World Cup. We might get there again someday, but I don’t know when.
"It was an incredible era. Leading up to 2016, Jorge Sampaoli was in charge, continuing Bielsa’s methodology. We remained extremely physical, but when we gained the ball, we started playing with more control - like Pep Guardiola’s teams. That approach strengthened the team and made our football more beautiful to watch."
In terms of leaders, what do you see right now?
"It’s personal. Players have to take inspiration and create their own motivation. Players like Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal had strong personalities and stories.
"Sanchez has his story, his achievements. With Vidal, I have seen him play many positions. In fact, I just needed to see him play in goal, and I think he would have played them all! This guy is totally unique. No matter where you put him on the field, he adapts naturally and excels."
Tell us more about Vidal and what his legacy could be…
"Oh, as a person, he's a funny guy. He's a great guy. Maybe he is a person you need to know on the field and off the field. I know him as a teammate, and I know the kind of person he is. I hope that after retirement, players like him can give back to the national team. We need to help the younger generation develop, showing them how to take on advice and fight for their dreams.
"It's a different generation today. It's very tough for us, as we lived in a time when we could just play in the streets all day. My mum would just call out at 10:00 pm, and say it’s time to go to bed! Today, kids are on phones and PlayStations. It’s a new world, and we have to think differently and adapt."