AC Milan forward Rafael Leao was the guest on the Brazilian podcast Podpah, where he also spoke about his future, which hangs in the balance between staying with the Rossoneri and a departure that appears increasingly likely.
Here are some of his comments.
"Joining AC Milan was a dream come true. I arrived at a young age, before I had even turned 20. Milan was always one of the teams I used to play with on PlayStation. It's a club with an incredible history. As soon as you arrive there, the moment you leave the airport, you are greeted by countless fans. I went through a transformation that took some time because I had to adapt to the responsibility of playing for such a big club.
On Winning the Scudetto in 2022:
"It was a journey that, after 12 years, brought the club something truly special. I believe that after that title-winning season we began to gain a certain authority, both on and off the pitch. I feel immense gratitude for everything I have achieved there. Italy is a country that lives and breathes football, and you can feel that every single day."
Leao on his future:
"I had already spoken with the club about the possibility of trying a new experience, so to speak. I don't know if it will happen, but in any case, I have to report back on the 29th and, for as long as I am there, I will give everything I have while respecting the shirt that has given me so much. It's the club where I grew up, the one that helped me enormously in every aspect. But I believe that, just like in life, you always aspire to experience something different. If an opportunity in that direction comes along, I will evaluate my options. For now, though, I am still a Milan player. We'll see what happens."
Leao revealed that before joining AC Milan, Inter had also made a strong push to sign him:
"I said no, I stood my ground. Even though they were playing in the Champions League. I told them, 'No, I don't want to go, man. I don't want to join Inter.' A few days later, my agent told me, 'Listen, Milan will make you an offer in a few hours.' I said, 'What do you mean? Are you sure?' He replied, 'Yes, Milan... and someone will call you.' I said, 'Okay, great,' (laughs) 'I'll keep an eye on my phone.'"
The man on the other end of the call was Paolo Maldini:
"My agent told me, 'Listen, someone is going to call you in five minutes. Stay here because you'll speak on FaceTime.' It was Maldini. He said to me, 'Hi, Rafael. How are you?' and all the usual greetings. Then he said, 'You already know Milan are interested in you. We see a great future in you and we want to bring you here to Milan.' I replied, 'I'm coming straight away.' I mean, of course... even tomorrow if necessary. Damn, I just couldn't say no, you know? When someone like him calls you... that's how it happened."
Leao, would you play in Brazil?
"One day, yes, maybe, because I really identify with the culture, the people and the weather... well, not São Paulo, because it's cold. And in Rio, there's only one club I'd like to play for... in Rio, there's only one. But I really enjoyed my time at Corinthians. Everyone there treated me very well, and the facilities were excellent because I'm training to get back in shape for pre-season. I also informed Milan beforehand because I didn't want to create any friction. Corinthians, thank you very much, we're together, and you never know... you never know what the future holds. I'm already grateful that they opened their doors for me and allowed me to train there."
During the long conversation, he had the chance to talk extensively about his adventure with the Rossoneri, starting from his early days:
"In my first season, I scored a few goals [laughs]... I only started playing in the second half of the season. I scored around eight... eight goals, or six goals. Yes, yes, yes. No, it went well, it went well... And you know, nowadays, eight goals for a player... let's say, a Milan player... you know how it is, right? People start expecting more; it has to be 10, 15 or even more. Especially after the arrival of players like Haaland and Mbappé... those two... 60 goals, damn. You score 10 goals... just 10 goals, it is a lot of goals."
