Dani Alves has been called up by Brazil for the World Cup despite being 39. He explained his role, weighed in on his teammates, and looked back at his stay at Juventus in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I’m here to help on the pitch and not outside of it. I prepared myself to play, not just to be a locker room leader. My passion keeps me going. Football remains a game to me, and the more you control it, the more power you have. I love the happiness it brings to people. I’ve always intended to break schemes.”
The veteran didn’t work out in Turin.
“That side was built to defend, while I liked to push, and that collided with their concept. You have to pick players that fit the team’s necessities. I had incredible offensive potential, but they didn’t need me. I wasn’t used to launching long balls, and I couldn’t possibly start at 33. They made the wrong choice.”
Dani Alves dished on Brazil and the World Cup.
“We adapted to modern football without losing our essence. We have no equals talent-wise, but we are also balanced. I’ve played with the national team for 16 years, and this is a great time for us in terms of quality. We are always the favorites for our history and tradition. This group has a thick skin and is the best one in ages on a human level.”
“Neymar and Lionel Messi are unique, and Kylian Mbappé is great but hasn’t realized that his teammates are better. He has to exploit their potential and give the ball to them, so he can score even more.”
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |