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Here we are, the Big Man. Oh, I just picked it. You good? Yeah, I did. Nice to see you, man. You good? Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for giving us a time. We appreciate it. Thank you. I like you so much. How's it going? I was like, the horse on. You know what? I arrived this morning. I came this morning, landed, and I'm here now. I didn't see nothing, but I've been before. Oh, he's a son, man. I can't believe it. I've got a ton, I'm burnt. Let's talk about watching football. I love watching football.
Are you one of those that just love to get the games on? Sometimes I... Okay, I can watch the highlights, you know, these kind of things. Something like 20, 30 minutes of the game, just to see what kind of teams playing, what kind of tactic, these kind of things. But that 90 minutes of the game, no, I'm not this kind of guy that watching games because we have so many games. So, you know, this is my private time.
I try to enjoy and to be more focused, you know, my family, you know, things that sometimes outside of football. Tintok, don't see me. No, no. I'll see you in a coffee time. I'll see you in a coffee time. It's crazy. So, you know, to be too long at home makes this kind of things. That was like... I love it, man. Because I saw a different side to you. I didn't know you was this jockey guy. Because I always watch you on the pitch. Number nine, goals.
Yeah, but you know, it's like, that's true that I was always focused on football because I know that I want to try and to be the best. The game you've been in there for so many years now, and it's changed over the years. I think at some points, the number nine is the most important player. It seems that the last few years, then, the fullbacks became when they were voting the way Pep done it. They become very important and touch the ball more than most people.
And then recently, the last 18 months, maybe two years, it's like the number six Roderie, this type of position, crews on Modrich, Gundogrand, who you played with before. These guys are most important. Where do you think the most important position is in the pitch right now for the players? Right now, I think position number six. Because you have to find the balance between offensive and defensive. Yeah, the last one, two years, this number makes the difference.
And of course, the football from the side for the fans, they want to see the goals, you know. But if you are in sight and involved in football since years, and in my way, I met so many great coaches, you know, that I am starting from the club. Then later when I moved to Bayern with Guardiola, Henk, I'm Celotti, you know, Nagelsmann, and so Hansi Flicknow, again, you know, even that also in Barcelona with Shavi.
So it's like for me, I'm very, you know, I'm very happy that I could meet this kind of guys. You're lucky man, you're lucky. Yeah, I have to say, I don't know how many players you can find with this kind of experience with the coaches. Shavi Alonzo's only one is close, I think. He has like, he had Maureen, your pep, Antula, he's got, but you think he's gone past. About the coaches, also. I wanted to also always take the best things from every of his coaches, what they have.
Talking of coaches is a great opportunity to talk about someone who seems to have a big impact on your career in Pep Guardiola. He signed you up at Bayern Munich. What was it, take us back to the first time you met Pep and what he left you with? Oh, I'm the beginning with tough, you know, because Pep that time was very, very focused only on the football. As a human, he was difficult for the players. Because he knew that he's so brilliant with the tactic that the players should follow him.
And if the players follow him, they're going to win. And I saw that later he's starting to change. Like, personality, or I say, to be more human, to be more open for the players can help him more than something tactic. I understand him like, if you're playing against the team that they don't have big chance against us, of course, tactic can help us a lot. But if you compare like the semi-final, final champion's league, this kind of, I think there's my mind.
The tactic is important, I don't want to say not, but on this level, I think different things can make that you win or not. You hear a lot of players say that about Antioleus. Yeah. It's not tactically where they say, oh, genius, it's the people's skills. He's like a father, you know, he can come to you and say, why you are not so happy? He's like Uncle, you know? So he can talk with him about everything. So, the completely different.
Like, for example, a club, amazing guy, amazing, you know, he knows when he should be more tough. But also he knows exactly when he should be more like a friend, you know. Did you think he was going to win immediately when you saw Pep? When you saw him on a training pitch, did you straightaway have belief we can win everything? From the first training session, I was very impressed, you know. He was so focused on details during the training session.
Even that before, I never thought that it's so important. And I remember like when we playing like Rondo, you know, before, for me, was like playing here. But for him was so important exercise during the training session that was important. Because it was important that you cannot play like the leg behind the second leg. You know, you have to be open with open body, you have to be open.
You see the three different way to play not only if you close with the left shoulders that you don't see the left side open. So you can only play back on this way. You can open with the upper body that you can play with the three different options. So this kind of difference that I saw directly. And when I came to buy and I remember also that later came to us, Shavia Lanzo. And he was already that time 33, 35 years old, if I remember good.
And before every training, he could go out before we started training session. And he started to play just easy pass. And I saw this and I, okay, have you ever played with you? Well, just for us. But you know, passes of Shavia Lanzo is not like quick and strong. And on the beginning he played like 10 passes like perfectly on the pitch. And my passes like every three passes was like, Papa, Papa. And I have to be more focused. I have to train this.
And after, I remember exactly after two or three months, we could play like 10 from him, 10 from me like perfectly passes, you know. And he was already 35 years old, 34 years old. He never stopped learning. Yeah, he never even that time before, all the 10 minutes before the training session, every training session. And on the beginning for me was, okay, I take this. I want to also do this next step in my, you know, with my technical things, you know.
And after two months, I remember exactly that I was so impressed with myself that I could play like him, you know. 10 passes and that was like, wow, okay. What, what, what, what instructions like from somebody like PEP? Was he asking of you as a number nine? He never asked me about nothing. No, he just tell you. No, no, no, yeah, he tell me. Levy, I cannot help you because you are better than me. You know better than how to finish the situation, how to finish the action.
But I can help you, how to bring the ball to you. And there's only things that he tell me. But we talk a lot around football and he explained me a lot about the tactic. How to write, write back, should to go there, why the left back should go more high, why the center of the fender has to go with the ball. And when he should to play on the right, we talk about because for me it was very interesting. And even that for the so many players, PEP was like, they're afraid to go to him.
I was this kind of guy that I, if I didn't know something, I had the question I'd go to him and ask about. And he, if he see that I want to know, I want to learn that he was more open to me also as a human. And you know, it's like sometimes he explained me a lot. I was so impressed that he gave me this advice that he also analyzed after the game, or before the game. So for PEP was so important to be prepared well for the appointment. He had some time. I love the story.
No, the story was amazing because I remember that all week we prepared from that we're going to play like that. We want to play with the pressing, we're doing like that. And we are on the stadium before the game. We go to World Map. We're coming back to the dressing room, to locker room after the World Map and he came to us. Boys, boys, boys, sit, sit, boys, boys, boys, sit, sit, listen, listen, listen. And we are, what's going on? You know, we are here, okay? We are just...
Forget everything we did last week. And what? We played like this and he showed us, you know, and for us was so easy to change the tactic. Not even before the game, but during the game. That was like easy, easy way, no problem. Okay, we changed.
One of the things when I speak to any player that plays him, one of the key things that they always talk about positively around him and makes him separate from everybody else is that he makes these players understand all the details clearer than anybody. You trust him. If he prepared some kind of tactic, you take this even from the first things you saw. It's crazy, but after, I don't know, a few weeks you didn't think about this.
Because you know it, that you can trust him and you take this because in the end it's going to be exactly that he won't. Did you ever go against the Sena? No, I don't believe this. I'm going to do my thing. Robert Lewandowski knows what to get the goals. I know how to shoot and score. In my position, yeah. Yeah, I have to say that, you know, it's like I'm trying to listen a lot of people. I can take some advice from someone if it's good, but in the end I have to find the best solution.
Nobody can tell me because maybe one or two seconds or third advice will be good. But during the game you have so many situations. You don't have time to think, oh, he's giving me advice. I should run like this. No, because you have to feel that. You have to know it from your brain. So in the end I try to find the solution the best for me, you know.
And for the team in the end, because I know that if I give my best, I can have not only myself, but also the team, because my goals had my teammates. So it's like this connection is also important. And sometimes, yeah, I had to think about what I should do. The decision of, for me, will be the best for the team, but in the end also for me. Because it's getting to a stage, I mean, I'm scared for me too strong,
but I think a lot about this. For a lot of players, the system is overrided and more important than it is. And more important than the individual. And it's too much. It's too hard. For some, many players sometimes it's too much tactics, too much videos. You see some players sitting there sometimes like, oh my god. Yeah, but that was and that is still. And I remember exactly that for the play sometimes. Again, we have to repeat this. You have to be focused.
Of course, it's like in the life some people don't want to do this, because they don't have enough mentality to do this. They don't want, because maybe they feel more happy if they don't do this. You know, you cannot judge them because they do what for them is enough. Thomas Muller doesn't like somebody who wants meetings and wants too much information. He looks like he will go crazy with this guy. Yeah, but Thomas Muller is very intelligent guy.
He helped me a lot because always when he was behind me. And I was the press of the defender. Sometimes that striker doesn't see that the number six is on the right. I try to see, but it's easier for me if someone left, left. So I can block the way that the defender cannot play to the number six. So for him, if he blocked this pass, I don't have to run there. So it's better that I try to let him left, and I'll be more focused on the second guy of the number six. You know, so crazy.
But for me, Thomas Muller, in the end, when I was thinking about this, he didn't have the best shot. He didn't have the technique or the speed, but in the end, left. He impacted the game. Exactly. He read the game like nobody else on the football in my career, for example. And always he was so positive. And it doesn't matter how he scored the goal, but he scored the goal. It doesn't matter how he played pass, but the pass was there. So this is exactly Thomas Muller. I love to play with him.
And yeah, it's like the main of this club, by Munich, I think. This club is also a future for him. I love him. Moving on, another manager. You could have had a big influence on your career. Big Sam, Samaradass. You know? Yeah, I heard. Is it true that you almost signed you from, is it Le Kuznán for Blackbone Rovers? Yeah, it was like one meeting. I remember exactly. How was this meeting, please? Competitive.
I remember that the place that I met with him, or I think that also some sport director was, I think, with him. But inside that I have different feeling, you know, that I wanted to go to the club who were playing in the, you know, in the competition, Europe competition. And that time I have some, I have few offers, yeah. I wanted also only to have it to see how looks, you know, training camp, how looks, you know, these kind of big clubs.
But also to get, or to see the difference, experience, experience, not that I want to join to this club. Yeah. Because I know that I want to take the different way, from my career. But I know that maybe I go, oh, I see, from my experience, and I can learn something. And that's all. But in the end, yeah, that I met with him. And I remember that he, they wanted me a lot. But I know that for me this way is not perfectly time to join to them.
Or what could have been, if you'd have signed for Big Sam. What kind of play you could have been. But, you know, looking at strikers now, I think it's the role of a striker seems to have changed a little bit. What number nine would you consider yourself as? Because you've got, for instance, Harlan, he doesn't want to touch the ball, doesn't care to touch the ball, but wants to score. He's happy. Someone like Kane wants to be involved more sometimes passing.
What number nine is Levin Mr. Levin Dowski? I'm between. I'm not, I'm not happy if I don't touch the ball. You know, even that I scored the goal and finished well, that I got brilliant pass. And sometimes, you know, I just touched the ball and is inside the goal. But I'm not with involves in the game, you know. Okay, I don't want sometimes to be too much because then I have too far away, I'm too far away from the box, you know, the area.
But also I try to, even with the movement, without the ball, to take some defense and make the space for my teammates. And so I'm between. I also like to be involved and to build the up, to involve before I scored the goal. But it's always the perfect way when I scored the goal. And I can be more involved and also my teammates can use the space that I make for them.
It's funny you say that about being a bit in between Zerkecy, who, other than Stan, especially the May United fans, who kind of listen and watch the pod. He said he's a 9.5, 9.5. What type of play is he? Because a lot of people are asking the question, what type of play is Zerkecy? You paid him by Munich? He played amazing with the back to the goal, you know, he can hold the ball, he can play with what one touches or two touches and bring the wingers to behind this back.
He has also the good finishing in the box because he's big, you know, he's young but he's big and I think he can keep the ball, hold the ball very, very strong. And of course he needs a little bit of time, it's normal if you join to this kind of club, big club with a huge expectation. He's already a lot of goals in Serie A, so for him that was like the first season that he was involved, now you know, as a typical striker.
But you know, you know that in now, the time for the Manchester is not so, the brilliant time and... I'm not breathing, I'm not that is true, you know, because this is the big team and of course I wanted that he coming back on the bright track.
But he's the striker, he can really, really help teammates and the team if you know how to use him, you know, and also he can score the goals, but also he can... I think he's not typical goalscoring strikers, also the players who can help the teammates to create the space for them.
So it's not typical, well that's good, make sure we start using them in the right way, man. But when you play, I'm interested to know this because I'm a centre back and I look at things from a defensive perspective to play against you, I think it will be difficult because you, like you say, you can do both sides of the game, movement, passing, I also score in devastating fashion. Who have you had some of your most favourite and most difficult battles with?
I always remember when I won the Cologne competitive with the Sergio Ramos, you know, this against him to play was like a huge challenge, you know, as always, like he was playing always very hard, very strong, you know, he wanted to be always close to me.
And that for me was somewhat, that the huge competition. But yeah, remember when one Champions League games when we were playing against Manchester City and the company was playing there and I had to fight with him, like very strong, and you know, he's big.
I'm not so big but maybe I have strong because I'm like they're not very strong inside me and I remember that I was so, be so far in time of him because he was playing very strong and I used my skills from judo a little bit, you know, and I... Yeah, because my father was the judo and when I was young, also I trained a lot of judo, but only at home because he didn't want it that I tried to train judo like the more professional.
And I remember the situation that I was so impressed with myself that, you know, that company, so big guy, defender, I put him down, you know, and that was like for me. So judo helped you physically like in football as well? Not only physically but also flexibility, you know, because in judo you have to be flexible, you have to know how to hand, should to go, you know, it's not like that you are like robot but your body is very flexible to you.
And also when I was young and my father was my physical education teacher and I was very angry because we never trained like the football, always the different sports like basketball, handball, volleyball, because my mother was a volleyball player, my sister also. And we did a lot of gymnastic, you know, and when I was young I did a lot of gymnastic like I tried, you know, I know how to do a lot of, you know, these kind of gymnastic things that for anybody else was so difficult.
I've seen now, after so many years, and I can be thankful for my father, the difference with the new exercise. I can adapt very, very easy for the new exercise, my body also. And probably because of this, because in football now, what do you see that the players from academy, they just play in football.
And you know, if they during the game they have different move like the body is not so ready, you know, and I see that they have so many problems with so many easy things that before we did, when we go out from the, you know, from the apartment of the house and did during the day.
Now you see, yeah, because the world looks, everybody stays inside. Exactly. You go to home, your parents bring you to the train session, then you come back to the home, go to the school, and it's like very the same way. And before we spend so many times outside with friends doing different things. And I think that for the future, for the young players, there's also the challenge to staying not only because of the games, how many games they have.
And also, the subject is very difficult for the future. I think that the quality and the level of the football going down because of this. Too many games. Too many games, because it's not something that's not about the games, but you travel a lot now. You're playing at nine o'clock, so you can go to the bed like three o'clock for a clock.
And you cannot sleep till 12 o'clock. No, just a few hours. And you don't have enough days, because I see the difference. If we're playing that we have only, for example, Wednesday, Saturday. Saturday that you have only two days. But if you're playing Wednesday, Sunday, the one day more is the huge difference. I speak now about the small details, but if you have so many games that are impossible to stay on the top or playing on the top, every, every games.
It's crazy. That brings me to a good point of looking after your body, condition in your body, and the age you're 36 years old now. What changes have you made in the last few years, maybe even recently, to prolong your career, to still be scoring at the rate that you're scoring? I have to say that I was starting thinking about this to playing longer on the top level when I was 22, 23 years old.
Yeah, because you cannot expect that if you change your nutrition, if you change your food, that you don't see difference after one week, two weeks, or one month. That I, that time I say to myself, OK, I take this. Why not? Why don't you last take so? Oh, different from the physical things, starting to work in the gym, that for the nutrition, for the healthy food, and even after four years, I was thinking that I know a lot. So that time, for example, my wife came to me.
I have something new, you have to test, you have to try this because I'm studying now something new, and it's like, OK, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait. Wait, wait. OK, but if I see the different after three or four weeks, OK, we can change it. So this kind of, always I saw the difference, I always I saw that even so many years I thought that I know a lot. OK, something new always. It's still still changing and it's the same as football.
If I thinking now about the football, the same like even five years ago, I will be not in this place for sure, because I know that the football is changing, that you have to adapt. You cannot compare the football what's going on, how it's played today, even the five years, not talking about 10 years ago, because it's completely different. It's like the place you have different generation, have different, like the mental is different. So you have to know it.
And I also learn a lot in Barcelona, for example, that I saw the young players, I see them. And on the beginning, I was asking myself, I should to tell them that the football sometimes looks different. Or maybe I should take what they have good, what they have really, like the positive things from football to take from my side.
And I learn a lot from them, even that they are at 67-80s old, but also like these kind of things that sometimes you have to enjoy what you are doing, but find the balance between, you know.
It hurt me a lot also to feel like very confidence in this team, this city, because you know, the fans, they are amazing from the first day, and I'm very glad that this, I can be the part of this amazing club, because I didn't expect that from the first day they support me a lot, and this means for me a lot, even during the games.
But also I want to give them not only me as a football player on the pitch, but also with my experience, what I saw, what I saw in the football to give, also to the club, what, or how can these kind of things work better. Hey, marketers, are you ready to discover the latest trends in podcast advertising? The podcast post report by ACAS is out now, packed with fresh audience insights into why podcaster must have markets in strategy.
Learn how podcast audiences are more engaged than ever, why hosts are trusted voices for brands, and how niche shows are delivering massive impact. Download the report today at podcastpulse2024.acas.com I'd like to see someone like Leminio Mal. Yeah, 20 years difference in a change in the world. What is that like when you see a kid like this coming in the dressing room? First time when I saw him on our training session, he was 15.
Very 15. And first time in my life I saw someone, because I saw a lot of young talented players, but first time in my life I saw that I have inside this, wow, who is it? You know, I saw the place, oh, he has good disk. What was he on, are you saying on this guy's disk? You know, he's a little bit about, also he had something, you know, but Lemin, the first time he was, wow, this guy is like, how is possible in this age?
He is already on this kind of level, you know, and even that he was 16 years old, that's still like, come on, it's impossible to be so good. So, you know, so clever also in this age, but I always try to give him maybe some kind of advice that from one side is it amazing what he did, what he doing. But also you have to thinking that soon for him will be the huge challenge to stay on this level or maybe do the next step.
And it's not about the next two, three years, we were talking about next maybe 10 years, that he should be thinking about what he should do to be on the top like 28, 29, 30, even longer. And that I think from him is the biggest challenge of his career. Do you think your career might have been different if social media was when he was 18? Probably, yeah, for sure. More like this, do you think, or...
It's not only about the social media, but even the new generation, you know, that they are different. I mean, I don't want to say better or better. Oh, you can say that word. No, no, no, no, that is different because I'm starting to play with the place that now they are... 16 years old, man. Almost 15 years old, yeah, but it's like, I think that for a decade now, I'm playing the football that I'm playing now with the 70 years old players, you know, if you compare.
So you cannot compare, because it's completely different, but I think now for the new generation, that if they want to play football on the high level, playing for the long time, that the social media and also the mentality, I would be very tough. I think that it will be almost impossible to play more than 10 years in the top level.
You played in the youngest ever side to win the Bundesliga with Dortmund, and I'm interested we've been talking about the young players, but what are the differences between playing in a young team and playing in a more experienced team like you've probably played with Bayern? You know, in Dortmund for example, I was also young. I remember exactly that we were very young team.
We had a lot of young players, maybe two or three more with the experience, but we won two times, you know, the German league and the Cup as well. We were playing the final of Champions League, so yeah, but we have the club. So like the coach who know it that has the kids around a little bit, the Kindergarten, you know, and he know it how to manage us.
And in the end, we know that we were so hungry to win something, and he helped us a lot and knew it how to take from the place not 100%, 110 or 20%. And if I think about the players that we are playing at that time, that was like over the limit of them. Was that club's best strength, was that his best strength getting the best out of every player? He can take from the players the things that even the players that they don't think that they can play on this kind of level, you know.
Of course, it's difficult for the long term, but for the short he could do because you see that so many players that time when we were playing the Champions League final, we won that was the high level of them as well. And yeah, at that time to win the titles, two times in the row, like the German, outside the bar, nobody won. Big achievement. Was he playing heavy metal football as well, then? Did he call it heavy metal football? Yeah, it's like the rock and roll.
It's like Sam Nancey the half-time when we were playing bad, he came and he did like completely, you know, like change of the main character, you know. And he motivated us very, very good because he knew that he has young team and also the generation was different. I don't think that maybe in the new generation you have to be different a little bit, you know. The new generation you have to more take care of them, you know.
Like 15 years ago, if you'd been like more stronger that was for me when I was young, okay, I want more. I don't afraid that someone shout on me, you know, I was more motivated later. And now I'm not sure that the young players are ready for this kind of shouting from the coach. Yeah, because it's like, but it's not about football, it's general in the world. You know, you have to be more like more nice, you know. And I don't think that the young players now like if someone shouting on them.
It's like, you know, but not only in the football. Yeah, but general in the world, the life looks like that. So you have to also change that. Sometimes I'm from this generation, from me was like very motivated if someone shouting on us, you know. And now it's like you have to find the balance. I don't want to say that you cannot speak loud or speaking more strongly. No, no, but sometimes you cannot always shout in like sometimes before.
I remember exactly that the players before the game more defender. It was like that, come on, you're going for the game. If I think here we're doing, but the first minutes and you couldn't control the ball because you are so motivated, but over-motivated. Now, after this so many years, I learned also that it's not important what you're talking about before the game, because you already had the time to prepare for this game.
Now it's just to repeat the things that sometimes are very easy, very clear, but to repeat, but most importantly, that you, with your feet, control, with the ball, not only run like, you know, 15 years ago. So this is the huge difference. Just to go back to club, because you really interest me, he's character like, is there any specifics about how he gets the best out of players? Like, give me some examples where you remember ways, done something.
After the Champions League that we lost one game, I think that was a way game. And we were in the hotel and that was my second year in Dortmund. And that time I started to speak German, but not so influenced that I could understand everything, you know. I feel that I don't know what he won from me, what he expects from me.
I have to talk with him, because, you know, also, I lost my father when I was 16 years old, and in my life, I didn't have someone who I could always speak about, you know, my problems or my things. So I was the guy that time very close, you know, and I knew it when I go to him, speak with him, maybe I feel better, you know.
We were speaking like one half hour, you know, even that Santos, I didn't understand him, because he was speaking German, and I tried to, and I said, I understand everything that was, you know, the conversation that he talked to me sometimes, I talked to him.
But, you know, that time, I didn't understand him, everything was he talking to me, but after this conversation, it was important that about what we were talking, for me was more important that he talked to me that way, that for me was like, I was speaking with my father, you know.
Maybe because of my private situation or like emotion, that I needed that time something like this kind of conversation, but when we coming back to Dortmund, on Saturday we were playing in the Bundesliga, and after two days, nothing, what you can change in two days. We were one four zero, I scored a hat trick, and then make the asses. So, in the end, you know, this kind of conversation, make open something, what I had inside. Sometimes you need somebody to unlock here.
Exactly, and you know, it's because I'm maybe this kind of guy that, I needed that time conversation. I saw the way on the career, always the conversation make me more, you know, more confidence that I can support someone even more. Maybe because of my situation that I had in my life, I don't know. But that time, I remember exactly that this conversation changed my career.
It's interesting, you said it because my children lost their mother, free of them, and I worry about them talking and communicating. So, it's interesting to see that you reached out for somebody, maybe separate from your mom, outside of the manager coach, and you had the confidence to do that, it's important. But I have to say, I didn't have the confidence to do that, but I knew it that I have to do, even that I don't feel this confidence.
Now it's completely different, I learned that to broke my, you know, not comfort zone, but broke my habit. I have it exactly, and you know, when you are 16 years old, you lost your father from one day to the next day, that I was also very, very sad for me. One year later, my contract was finished, and I didn't know when I was going to play, so I was in the time, the way that I can do, I have to wait. To say, okay, enough with the football, or to say goodbye to the college, to start to study.
Oh, the second way, I said no, it doesn't matter what's happened, it was not what they say about me. It was like this kind of two-way, you know. I didn't start to think maybe two seconds, yeah, but I didn't know, this way, it's not for me, I never give up.
Yeah, it's tough, and maybe that's why I was very close as a human, as a person, but in the end, this kind of step that I did with the club, make me more stronger and starting to learn, okay, if this conversation helped me, I have to try again. Even that still is difficult to do the first step with someone you need to speak with them, but I'm trying, even that from my, you know, for me, was difficult, but I know it for the long way that can help me.
Brilliant. What would you say is your biggest achievement in football so far? What was playing in the era of Cristiano Ronaldo and Laumassia? Of course, I can talk about the success of the team, like the Champions League, like in the one season we won, like everything, everything, I think the second team in the history. And I was the part, and I was goal scoring in every each of the, I think, the competition. So, you know, it's like...
Top goals, top goals go and I scored, I also, I don't know, in one season 69 goals, it's like, you know, it's like, it's difficult because for me, I scored five goals in nine minutes, for example, and till now I cannot explain how I did this. Did you feel invincible though, because this time you're the best player in the world, arguably the best player in the world, right? So, it's Laumassia Cristiano or you? Was you going on the pitch and thinking, nobody can touch me, nobody can stop me?
You know, sometimes you have this kind of feeling that you are... Only some people have that? Yeah, but from the other way or on the side, you have to stay on the ground, you know? You cannot think that you are like super hero and everything now, you can wherever you want, that will be good. Now, I was always trying to be on the ground. If I think about like, I finished that five goals in five goals in nine minutes.
After the game, I didn't realize that I scored this and I remember that Thomas pushed me to the fence to celebrate him. Wow, okay, I scored the goal, but we won the important game, and when I first, when I came back to the home, that everyone was family, my friends was on this game, and they were so happy. I was like, okay, yeah, I scored five goals, it's amazing, but nine minutes? Okay, but what does it mean? I didn't know. Well, that's a pretty good one. Can you do punkings for me, please?
And I was like, wow, first time, I know, first time when I understood what I did was the Christmas time when I sit on the table with my family. And I think that was the first time that I was more calm, you know, more relaxed, and that was I am more like, okay, now understood. Because you know why? Because after this game, we played every three days, or you know, we had Bundesliga, Champions League and Bundesliga.
And in these three games, I scored 12 goals, something like that. And I don't remember the next one, because that time that for me, that was important that the game already was over. For me, after the game, I am starting preparation for the next game. For you, I can enjoy. No, because I know that I can enjoy later, you know, if I start to think too much about this, that will be for my mentality more weak, you know.
It's normal, if you read so many good things about you, your mentality is going down. I remember, I turned off the phone, I didn't use the intern nothing, because I knew it if I started to read these kind of things. Even that I am brilliant about, everything, you know. I would be reading everything. But I know that for me, it's the better way, because maybe later I can come back to this situation and read, or see this, like what's happened.
But I was with my mentality, I build, I try to build my mentality so strong, that it doesn't matter if it's going well, or sometimes going bad. But my mentality is, or will be ready for everything. And talking about how kind of invincible you was and how driven you was, how many goals you were scoring, I think it's like 55 goals in that season in the COVID year. COVID took away this man's ball and door.
How do you feel about it seriously? That's one of the main things I wanted to speak to you about when I was on the way here to see you. At that time I didn't understand why, because every league was playing, Champions League was playing. And that was like for me, I know it, how football works sometimes, politics also, because if you have football, you have business, if you have business, you have politics and everything working.
Man in the end of course. So... I've got some stats here as well to even just enhance what you're saying, for people that maybe don't know the detail and can't think back. But you look at this, and at the time of recording this podcast right now, you've outscored both Harland and Mbappe, since you all became active in the Champions League. You now share the record of the highest scoring average of 0.79 goals per game in European competition with Leelon Messi.
So we're talking about the standards that are just like crazy, and to think that you didn't win a ball and door in that time, I can't think of any... Only Tyrion Rizzi, only have a player that I look at and go, he should have won a ball and door, he didn't win it. You're the other one, and it's only because of COVID. We've got to start a petition to get you to... Did you think it now after? They give it back if they go with you? Of course he is.
And you've done it with your football after that again. You outscored everybody. I think Messi, when he won it, he got 38 goals, you got 46 goals at year. And you look at it and you go, you must be sitting there thinking, what do I have to do? I know, in the different of you, I was trying to compare with Lomess and Cristiano Ronaldo in my career. Did you need them and use them as inspiration? I used them. I used them for sure, not on inspiration, but to try to drive yourself.
Not to beat them, but to beat some kind of records, goals, the level that I achieved. I didn't want to compare with Lomess and Cristiano Ronaldo as a football player because of course they are on the different, level different worlds. But I'm very happy that I was like some years behind them, or even some years that I could beat them, like the best playing in the world in two years in the row against them.
So for me, I think that I never dream about this to be like Levantoski, Messi and Ronaldo, who's going to win the FIFA best playing in the world? I was there and I won. That was good man, I wasn't there. But let's finish with, we always talk to the guys about their five side team, you've played with some magnificent players over the years. If you could pick a five side team with the best players you've played with, no goalkeepers, goalkeepers don't make the cut.
Which five players would they be? Who are the best ones? We don't need to beat David Beckham. At the moment he has the best team. Oh, it's crazy. Okay. Okay. Oh, okay. Ribbery? Oh, ribbery. What was good to tell me about ribbery? What was good? His prime was amazing. He never liked to score the goals. He never liked to score the goals. He liked more play-pass. Even that he dribbled like eight players, he has like the empty goal to just score the goal. No, he passed.
Why you don't like to score the goal? This is illegal in your life. In your life this never happened. No, it happened. No, it happened. Sometimes, yeah, but of course if I had ribbed eight I have empty goals, of course I score. But he was amazing, also the guy, amazing players. He was so fast with the ball dribbling. The Frank Ribbery was like one of the greatest players in the history. How many defenders I have? What do you want? You can have all the attack. I don't care whether you want.
Your team might get beat, but... Alaba? What didn't think Alaba? What? Alaba? Yeah, top. In the fashion stakes it's very good as well. Good fashion. I can find a better one now in my team. Kunde. This is unbelievable. Do you kill him sometimes? He was at the catwalk the other day with the cream. That wasn't so. The highest. The suit from him, but he loved this. The same as you know, on the beginning it was like a little bit strange.
Later you see so many times that you... I like to see it. I like to see it. I remember one conversation with Alex Ferguson, you know, for example. That was 2012. You were playing that time? You were playing that time? You were playing that time. I decided to join to Manchester United. 2012. How was that? I remember the conversation that was in the... Before preseason we playing some games.
I knew that he was going to call to me. And at the half time I was slapped up because I knew that I was playing 45 minutes. I had the call. And that time you know my English, you know, that was on a different level. Especially if I go to speak with this guy of guy that's Alex Ferguson calling to me and I'm calling to him now. Was you nervous? Very. And the big... Okay, he's going to speak easy English, yeah? And he call, hello, my name is Robert Lewandowski. Yeah, hi, hi, oh, bro, hello.
You know this... This coffee is... Yes, yes, of course. I knew it when I should have taken the look to tell him. You know, of course I want to join to Manchester United. Can you repeat it again? Yes, yes, of course, of course. So why didn't you sign, man? Ask the club, you know? No, I remember that time... Wait, just the wages. No, I remember also the conversation with the president of Dortmund.
He said to me, they need him. They're not going to sell me to Manchester United because I'm so important for them. It's not the perfect time now. But that time I say yes, yeah, that's true. I'm going to join to Manchester United because if Alex Ferguson call you, you cannot say no. Especially when I was 22 or 23 years old and that time I was paying for Dortmund. Even I was happy but Manchester United and the prime of Manchester United. Well, I think we would have had, man. Jesus.
Give me three more players, go on. Okay, some defender. Hello. Shabialonzo. Yeah, I can see also Aryan Robin. But Man and Robin. Ripyrian Robin again, back together. Even he didn't like to play play same. Yeah, he's not selfish, yeah. Everyone knows that he goes on the left foot. You already could be there. And also Aryan was this kind of place that before the training session. He already did the training session in the gym. But sometimes he was so wet.
He was, I don't know, one hour and I was, why are you doing this? If we are already after the game before the next game. And I was so, you know, so confused. I remember one situation that the Pep in 65 minutes take him off of the pitch. And he was, I mean, because he was playing and, you know, the next day, even at 65 minutes, that you need like some ero generation training the next game. No, he was on the pitch.
He was trained so hard that I was, okay, I understand, because I like also sometimes working hard. But this way was like Aryan, that's not this too much. Yeah, yeah, but I'm not doing this for my legs. So, yeah, I have to do for my head. Yeah, but in the end, maybe you got injured. Yeah, yeah, but I cannot find a different way. And you know, it's like Aryan, come on.
That this kind of players on this level, and sometimes, you know, he, he do this because of the emotion, I think, that he had inside. And he couldn't believe, or he couldn't accept that he played better, you know. So, next day, he was more, but every, every training session, even that we were already after the hard training session, the next day was more calm. No, he was already in the gym, prepared for the next, you know, for the next training session. Okay, so last player. Last player.
Last player. Oh, I forgot about someone. Oh, Bastion Spaniards, I guess. So, what, okay, I have Fabio on this, so more forward, some forward. Yeah, Thomas Miller, because I love play with him. Was he all on, does he get in there? Yeah, but I was playing with him a few years, he was very young. You know, it's like, I'm trying to find someone who was playing few years, like, you know, of course, he's amazing, and he is brilliant in the future. But I try to find someone, you know, players of the...
Yeah, lamb. Yeah, lamb, but, you know, lamb, so I'll be alone, so Bastion Spaniards. I got a guitar, a prime of Boateng, prime of Boateng. He had everything, you know, because he was strong, left foot, right foot, with the ball amazing. He was also fast, but this time was, I was very impressed that they won also World Cup. The Boateng, yeah, the prime of Boateng was for me like, amazing. So Boateng is in? Yeah, okay. So your team is Ribbery, Alaba, Shabby Alonzo, Rubin.
Filip Lam, we have that also? No. Boateng or Filip Lam? But without kind of system, yeah, we're playing... Play with you a free football. Okay, Filip Lam. Listen, I like that team, Filip Lam. Ribbery, Alaba, Alonzo, Rubin Lam. Yeah, I forgot team. For sure, I forgot about someone. Yeah, but it's not that long. After five minutes, I came to you back and I forgot about you. Especially at DM, DM me. Okay, okay, I said yeah. Listen man, Rubber, really appreciate your time. Thank you very much.
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