AC Milan's legend, and former director, Paolo Maldini has spoken to Giacomo Poretti in his 'PoretCast' and said the following words, as relayed by our colleagues at MilanPress.it.
"It's difficult for a player to start and finish in the same team. In my time there was no fashion for going abroad. I was lucky enough to find a team and a President Berlusconi who had the same goals as me."
He added:
"In 2006 Lippi came to me to summon me. I said I couldn't do it. I was starting to have some pain and I wanted to be at my best for the last years of my career. Then they won so I would say that after four World Cups the problem was me. (laughs)."
On his start in football:
"As a young boy at Pio X, I had a trial for Milan and they asked me, 'What position do you play?' I replied, 'What positions are available?' It was a free right winger position, so I started there. In the report about me, they wrote, 'He never stays still,' and they took me."
He added:
"The most important thing in players, which is difficult to instill, is discipline. You have to lead a life with very clear objectives. You have to be highly competitive and therefore you need discipline and enjoyment. Never lose the desire to play."
Maldini continued:
"I started with Baresi and Bergomi, and I ended up with Pato and Pirlo. I've lived through different generations of footballers. The generations haven't changed much, but the pressure has worsened due to social media creating many expectations."
Maldini also said:
"Often families create expectations too. In the family, they see you as a raw diamond and expect a lot from you, and maybe sometimes the boy isn't capable or can't handle the pressure at 100%... Football is a team sport, there are players of various ethnicities. You shouldn't just think about yourself but about the team's welfare. Sometimes you have to work solely for your teammate because it's not a positive day for them. Not all players are always aware of the power they have over the fans."
On the support he received:
"From my parents, I received a lot of love, the solidarity of my brothers, things that stay with me. We should try to raise the new generations like that. You need to know which people you can count on in times of need. My father didn't take well to Teo Teocoli's imitation (laughs)."
On the World Cup:
"The 2002 World Cup? I already knew it would be my last experience with the National Team, so for me, leaving meant interrupting that beautiful thing which was the National Team. Playing for Italy, hearing the anthem, it's an overwhelming experience. Ending it with referee Moreno... In 2002, teams didn't shake hands. Tommasi had the habit of shaking hands with the referee, but he refused, and there we understood something... We really gave him a lot of grief."
Maldini on the Brazilian Ronaldo, the phenomenon, and Maradona who were 'impossible' to mark:
"Ronaldo was very likable. Marking him was impossible. He and #Maradona were impossible to mark."
On the San Siro:
"San Siro during the #derbies transmits an incredible tension. Your legs shake. The derby in the Champions League had maximum tension. At a certain age, with a certain experience, you wait only for that match."
Maldini added:
"When they ask me what I miss, I say the atmosphere of the locker room and that mix of fear and excitement before the game, the contact and adrenaline of the people. 80,000 people are a lot. I'm the one who played the most derbies of all."
On the difference between being a player and a director, Maldini said:
"There's a huge difference between being a player and a manager. As a player, you 'endure' the result, but as a manager, you 'determine' it. I suffered a lot and got agitated. Ricky Massara, on the other hand, suffered but in silence (laughs)."
"We players are crazy but somehow manage to control ourselves. Fortunately, the things that happen remain in the locker room. Remembering? In the National Team, Ferrara, Di Livio, Totti, real troublemakers. Ancelotti, on the other hand, truly nice, always quick with a joke."
Will you be a coach?
"I'll never become a coach! I saw my dad who always had his bag packed. Then maybe you encounter some Presidents who are a bit... I didn't feel up to it. When I stopped, I knew what I didn't want to do", said Maldini.
On Arrigo Sacchi:
"Sacchi, despite not having been a footballer, studied a lot to reach very high levels; he achieved important peaks. Guardiola? A character to study, he manages to make an impact on and off the field, shaping you in every aspect."
Maldini on Rafael Leao:
"Leao? He's a great talent, beyond playing football, modeling, or singing; he has something important. Leao asked me to release the album two days before the match; I replied that it wasn't a problem, but he had to score two goals on Saturday. He didn't score but made an assist (laughs). The most beautiful thing in these years is the personal relationships. He came from Lille, a great talent but still had to prove himself. The relationships formed with them are the most beautiful things that remain, more than trophies and matches won. They're always personal relationships; you make yourself available to shape these guys."
Maldini continued:
"I liked spending vacations in Sardinia. After the 1990 World Cup, I couldn't anymore and went to the United States. When I finished playing, before returning to Milan, the fame was fading a bit, and it was beautiful...(laughs)."
"The press? 'You have to accept it as it is; it's part of your role, both as a player and as a manager. As a player, unfortunately, you're often forced to say many trivial things; it's hard to say something intelligent after a game (laughs).'"
Maldini on winning titles:
"The first time you win, you realize you can win. The first Serie A title with Sacchi made me understand that I could win, and it stayed with me."
On the heaviest defeat:
"The heaviest defeat? When you lose a World Cup final or a semifinal against Maradona, it's not easy, even with Milan in Istanbul; I scored after 40 seconds. After the goal, I thought: 'Strange night, me scoring in the Champions League final after 40 seconds...'"
On the future:
"The future? Sometimes I think about it; when I lost my parents, I faced that grief. When I turned 50, I thought: 'You're halfway there,' but maybe halfway...(laughs). But what will come after, I've never seen it as a problem. In theory, I'm retired; I've been on pension since last year (laughs)."
Friends in football? Maldini replied:
"Friends in football? Those I'm closely connected with are Angelo Carbone, former Milan general manager, Ibrahim Ba, Costacurta, and Lorenzini. Vieri? I played with him only for six months at Milan and then in the National Team. There are really many characters, though, whom I always enjoy seeing."
On Lionel Messi and a background with AC Milan, Maldini said:
"I think a player like Messi is a spectacle for everyone, even though it's late now. When I read he could go to Inter, I was saddened. For 10 days, I tried to bring Messi to Milan, but then we realized it was impossible."