Ismael Bennacer, spoke to AC Milan's documentary show 'Roots'. He discussed his beginnings in football and his childhood.
Here are his words:
On childhood and youth in Arles:
"Where everything started, where I was born, where I first touched a ball. There, I did almost everything until I was 17, in my neighborhood. Whenever I come back, it will always be like this: my parents don't want to move to another house, and it's better for me because all my things stay here. My neighborhood was calm, but there were also dangerous parts, even today. I've seen tough and ugly things. I wanted to play with older kids: when I arrived, everyone laughed, then they saw the determination I had for everything, not just for football, and they immediately included me in their group. This made me grow up more."
On his relationship with the ball, Bennacer said:
"I carried the ball everywhere, really everywhere. At school with my classmates, I played football, so I trained with them; then I trained with the team in Arles, and after all that, I played futsal with people from the neighborhood. I did three training sessions. I knew that if I worked harder than others, it was normal that I would achieve something more."
On his roots, Bennacer said:
"I mustn't forget where I come from; it's very important for me and my family."
On Zlatan Ibrahimovic:
"Never seen a leader like him. We have a somewhat special relationship because he teaches me a lot: I see Zlatan as a big brother, he advises me, and whenever I message him, he's always available."
On transferring to Arsenal:
"I didn't want to leave France, but then I needed training because in Arles, I had it, but at Arsenal, it was different: one of the best youth setups in Europe. A very, very good experience. In Arles, where I live, it's a small neighborhood and there's nothing there; in London, there was everything."
On arriving in Italy at Empoli, Bennacer said:
"I think it was the riskiest choice of my career, but I'm a player who likes to take risks, even on the field, and I wanted to play, to show my qualities to everyone. Empoli was the only team that wanted me so strongly. A tough decision, but when you have the confidence to work well and you're patient, in the end, you get rewarded: and I think I was rewarded in the end."
On AC Milan's call:
"When Milan called me, I didn't think too much. I knew they wanted me a lot. I think Milan was the perfect team for me to work well. Talent is something you can have, but it's the work that makes you become the person and player you want to be. Sometimes when I'm on the training field, I look at the logo on my chest and I say to myself, 'But I play for Milan.' Then I think about where I was, where I come from: and when you think about these things, you want to do even more."
On winning the Scudetto:
"Until Sassuolo, I was normal, but then when we won, it was something else: it was incredible to experience it with the fans. I was very happy for them and to have given them this gift, to have written history for this club. I celebrated a lot."
On the experience in Milan:
"I've learned a lot in my job but also in my life here. I've grown a lot in the city. Now that I have kids, I think of doing everything for them as my parents did for me: to be with them, to explain things to them to have the right mentality to never give up what they want.", said Bennacer, "I'm very happy here in Italy and in Milan: nobody tells me anything, and everyone understands me, which is very important for me because my life depends on my religion. When people understand this, it means I've taken a big step: they are very good here. I try to shape my life around my religion, not the other way around. It's tough to wake up at night to pray, but we do it for a goal, not just like that."
On playing for Algeria's national team:
"A choice I made very young, I didn't want to wait, and I wanted to play for one of these two countries: Morocco, my father's, or Algeria, my mother's. My heart is for both. I've learned more about Algeria, a very particular country: football manages many problems in the country; when it goes well, the country is happy. I will never regret choosing Algeria, I'm very, very proud."
On the individual goal he'd like to achieve, Bennacer said:
"Personally, the Ballon d'Or: it's the most prestigious thing in football. I set this goal in my head, so I won't have regrets: I have to do everything to get it, and I have to work very hard. Winning it would mean many things: having done well with your team and the national team."
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