Alphadjo Cisse, who has made an excellent start to the season with Milan (scoring eight goals between the league and the Europa League), gave an exclusive interview to 'Cronache di Spogliatoio':
"My life changed at my father's factory. A Verona executive went all the way to his workplace to ask him to bring me to the club. My father has always worked as a labourer. Every day, he would finish work at 5 pm and be outside our house by 5:15 pm. He would call me and take me to play football. I still remember the first time. It was the afternoon. He came upstairs, walked into the house and said to me: "Come on, I'm taking you somewhere." And we went to the football pitch. He was the one who passed on his passion for football to me, and from that moment on, I never stopped. My parents made so many sacrifices to support me on this journey. When my mother had days off from work, she would travel with me on the bus to take me to training."
On his family:
"My mother is a... very demanding mum. But she helps me stay focused and prevents fame from overwhelming me. So everything becomes easier with her around. They tell me every day that they are proud of me, but they also do everything they can to keep my feet on the ground. Carlos, Milan's assistant coach, often tells me the same thing: "Surround yourself with people who genuinely care about you and help you stay focused." One thing I am certain of is that I have kept the carefree attitude of the child I used to be. I play with a smile on my face. It is difficult not to have one during these first few months."
On the national team call-up
"I was on my way to do the pre-match interview ahead of the Europa League game against Ferencváros when they stopped me and said: "Alpha, you've been called up to the senior national team!" I had the match to think about, so it only really sank in afterwards. I want to prove that I belong there. The call-up had been in the air, people had been talking to me about it for days... but this is my big opportunity. I haven't had the chance to stop and think about my journey. Football moves quickly."
Cisse on his journey and confidence:
"A few weeks ago, I was asked how much of the footballer I really am I had shown so far. I answered 70%. Can I say something? Perhaps I need to lower that a little... let's say 40%, because I have to improve in so many areas, but at the same time, I know who I am and what I am worth. Last season, Aquilani, who was my coach at Catanzaro, told me: "If you don't play at least 10 years in Serie A, then, in my eyes, you will have failed." I took it as positive motivation, a statement that pushed me to keep improving and believe in what I can achieve. One of my friends in football is Favasuli. I met him last year in Serie B. We often found ourselves talking... dreaming about the future. I still remember the day he told me: "Imagine if one day we faced each other playing for two great teams." I smiled. "It would be nice to meet again in Serie A, but perhaps it's a little too late for me..." But he made it too. Milan-Napoli will take place in December, so we'll see. He used to be my driver and would take me to the training ground. He is proof that there is no age at which you should stop feeling young or believing in yourself, regardless of the journey you have taken."
Cisse added:
"During those very months, my life changed again. This time, not at my father's factory. Within a few days, I had gone from wondering how far away I was from Serie A to finding myself facing the most important decision of my career. To be honest, I didn't handle that moment very well. When I arrived at Catanzaro, I had only played two five-minute appearances in Serie A, one of them against Milan. Aquilani and sporting director Polito really wanted me. They gave me the push I needed. It was my first experience away from home. Within a few months, I had scored so many goals and everyone wanted me. By January, I was practically on a flight to the Netherlands, heading for Rotterdam to sign for PSV. But then Milan came along."
On choosing Milan with his parents' support:
"My friends' WhatsApp group had exploded: "Alpha, is it true?!" And I replied: "Yes, guys, yes!" I didn't want to make the wrong choice. PSV wanted me immediately, whereas Milan would allow me to finish the season in Serie B. Two great teams, but Milan... how can you explain it? I was experiencing a mixture of emotions. My parents told me to stay calm and that the best was yet to come. We decided that this was the right choice. And seeing how things are going, I would say we were right."
Joining Milan while injured, and the talk with Amorim..
"The first few times I came to Milanello, it was to recover from my injury. Milan did leave me at Catanzaro, yes, but a few days later I got injured. In fact, I had some serious doubts: "I'm joining Milan after an injury. Let's see how it goes." Amorim spoke to me about exactly that as soon as we met. We focused on the injury, and he explained what he expected from me on the pitch. He is a lovely person who knows how to deal with us young players. And he knows how to keep my feet on the ground. Although I'm not someone who likes to get carried away anyway."
Cisse on the Europa League hat-trick
"Even after the hat-trick in the Europa League, I have to say that everything was already clear to me. It was simply confirmation to myself that I can compete at this level. I didn't experience it as a finishing point, but rather as a promise fulfilled to the child I used to be. And, above all, as a promise that I still have to keep. Even though I was coming back from a lengthy injury, even though I am young and have so many areas in which I need to improve, I never had any doubts about my abilities or how far I could go. I am very demanding of myself, just like my mother."
Cisse on Modric and his idol Pogba:
"Modrić gave me some advice about what I need to improve: I have to read the game better and understand the different moments of a match. He is a great player, a wonderful person, always willing to help you learn and very interesting to listen to. Although my idol was very different when I was younger: Paul Pogba, during his time at Juventus. We do different things on the pitch, and certainly, for a child, his hairstyle was something you couldn't miss... perhaps I'll get that haircut in the future! What I admired about him was the fact that he entertained people. That is what I want to do too."
Cisse on his attitude, time at Verona, and his style of play
"I am very carefree when I step onto the pitch. Whether it is playing in Serie B or walking out at San Siro, I think it feels completely normal to me. I am still the same person I have always been. As a youngster, I was obsessed with bicycle kicks. I scored five or six incredible goals that way... now I avoid trying them! In Verona's youth academy, I had a coach, Paolo Sammarco, who shaped the way I play today. He gave me a lot of freedom and helped me understand how I should express myself on the pitch."
Cisse on Italy's talented generations...
"Italy is full of talented young players, I can assure you of that. It all depends on the opportunities you are given. Many have come through in recent months, myself included, and I am certain that many more will follow in the near future. When you reach a certain level, you can be left amazed. One player in particular who impressed me was Pisilli. He is incredibly good. I knew him, but when I played alongside him, I understood just how good he was. And I understood my own ability during my early years at Verona, when I started training with the senior players. The level went up, but I continued to believe in myself and realised that I could achieve great things if I followed the right path. I realised that I had something special."
Seedorf, Milan and the San Siro ambition
"I used to look up to the player whose shirt I wore as a child: Clarence Seedorf. My mother had given it to me, and it was the one I used to wear when playing at the local pitch. So perhaps it was my destiny to end up here. Seedorf became an idol at San Siro. It is a place where you can feel the greatness, the pressure and the impact of playing in a stadium that represents the dream of every child. Being there now is like saying to the child I used to be: "See? You made it." It is a huge motivation for me. But I am carefree enough not to let it get to me. Once you start playing, you notice it less and don't really think about it. It becomes easier. The fans are incredibly attached to the team. You realise that not only in Milan, but all over the world. And that is when you understand where you are. I was hugely impressed by the organisation here."
On his life changes
My life has changed enormously over the last few months, perhaps more than I can even fully realise yet. There are moments when I stop and think about just how different everything is compared to a short time ago. Football is taking me to places I used to dream about, but deep down, I am still the same boy. I know what my ambitions are. And perhaps that is precisely what helps me stay true to myself, even when everything changes. I try to enjoy every moment without forgetting where I started and all the people who have accompanied me along the way.
Cisse is the name, no accent on top of the 'E'...
"My name is Cisse, without an accent. People pronounce my name in all sorts of ways, but it is pronounced "Sisse". I even had to send a voice message to the commentators!"
