Adrien Rabiot’s impact at Milan has been significant from the start. Since his arrival, coach Massimiliano Allegri has always started him, both in Serie A and in the Coppa Italia. Now in camp with France, the midfielder spoke to French daily 'Le Figaro', opening up on several topics, including his time with the Rossoneri. Here are his statements.
On staying silent after his abrupt exit from Marseille:
“I wanted to focus only on football, on my first weeks in this new club and this new life, it was important. In general, I am not someone who talks much off the pitch, but at that moment the priority was to reset and have my mind fully on football.”
The world of football sometimes slips into madness, excess, and insults. You have experienced it personally, and so has your mother. Is it possible to remain unaffected by these events?
"When it is directed at me or my family, I have a shell. But when you take time to reflect afterward, you realize it goes much too far and damages the image of our sport. When you talk about the image of football to people who do not necessarily follow it, the feedback is quite negative compared to other sports, like the Olympic Games, where fair play is upheld as a standard. People need to understand they are hurting a sport they love with this kind of behavior. As for me, it does not affect me."
On Milan-Como in Perth, Rabiot commented:
“I was surprised when I learned that we will play a Serie A match against Como… in Australia! It is completely crazy. But these are economic agreements to give the league more visibility, things beyond us. People talk a lot about schedules and player health, and this really seems absurd. It is crazy to travel so far for a match between two Italian clubs in Australia. We have to adapt, as always.”
On life in Milan:
“It is a cliché, but true, the food is excellent. The first thing they told me when I arrived at Milanello was that the kitchen is great. To be fair, France is still superior in gastronomy, but Italy has the best pasta in the world. From a football perspective, it is a country of real connoisseurs. Italy lives for football, much more than France. You feel the passion of the fans, who live for their team. In France there are big clubs and strong fan groups, but here it is another dimension, it is a matter of life.”
On having played for Paris Saint-Germain, Juve, Marseille and now Milan:
“It is no small thing to have worn the shirts of these four major clubs. It looks good on a résumé (smiles). When I look at my career, it is incredible to have experienced all this, something hard to picture when I was younger. I am proud of it. I hope to achieve great things at Milan, to win trophies in a historic and legendary club. I want to leave my mark.”
On the 2026 World Cup dream:
“Yes, of course. We must qualify, but it is a dream that can become reality, especially given the team’s potential. In 2026 I will be 31, I feel very good physically and mentally, probably in the best shape of my career. But a World Cup comes only once every four years, you cannot miss the chance because you do not know when it will come again. The goal is to win that star.”
On the 2030 World Cup:
"At 35, if my body holds up, you will still see me on the pitch. Look at Luka Modric, he is with me at Milan and plays at 40! Fingers crossed, but if my body does not stop me, I still have the passion and love for football to continue. So the 2030 World Cup… why not."
On Luka Modric:
"He has really impressed me. Seeing him train with such precision, professionalism, intensity and commitment, at 40, is striking. Truly. He is humble, dedicated, always giving 100%. When I see what he does ten years older than me, I am left speechless."
Do you have passions?
"It’s true that I’m someone really invested in my work. At home, I like to watch players, matches, videos, analyze things. I watch a lot of football, but also other sports. In Marseille, in my free time, I liked playing padel with friends. Same when I go back to Paris. It’s the trendy thing, and it changes things up a bit."
You don’t give the impression of being disconnected from reality. What does the citizen Adrien Rabiot think of the political situation in France?
"It’s hard to follow, isn’t it? (Smiles.) So much happens in such little time, as we saw with the last government. When I say that in football it’s chaos and sometimes you can’t understand anything anymore, it’s also a reflection of our society and politics. In France and in the world. I keep myself informed, I watch the news, I’m interested, even if I’m back in Italy. France is my country, knowing what happens there and what is said there is normal."
What image would you like to leave in the football world? Rabiot commented:
"That of someone passionate, who left a good impression, especially with the people who know me, the staff, the clubs I’ve been part of. Up to now, that’s always been the case, because when I talk with people I’ve worked with, they always mention passion, professionalism, and good human qualities. That I was well brought up, always respectful toward everyone, that’s the base. Then, leaving a mark by winning trophies is what people remember. I’m a competitor and I’d like to be remembered also for what I did on the pitch. At PSG I won, in Turin I won. At Marseille I was only there for one season so I didn’t have time. At Milan I also hope to leave that kind of mark, because it matters. I put myself into it every day to reach that goal, since that’s the ultimate purpose."
