609 - GILBERTO SILVA - Winning The WORLD CUP, & Crazy Ronaldinho, R9, Rivaldo And Cafu Stories!

30:47if you put bigger clubs you know could compare like Arsenal Arsenal Chelsea yeah you know right one of the top teams then yeah I'd say the top six okay yeah I'd say the top six okay cool so when talk us through the moment you realized you got a call up from Brazil it must have been a proud moment yeah it was you know we were doing very well it helped a lot yeah and but in the moment it was fantastic you know it was something very unique, very special. Being called for the national team to represent your country is something very unique. How did you find out? Was it a phone call? Did someone come and see you and tell you?

31:28Was it like Harry Potter? They send an owl with a little letter and they drop the letter. If he says yes. Is it a phone call? Does the manager call you up? No, I was driving to the training grounds on the time. I had to stop outside because my, the guy, my PR, you know, I had a private PR at that time, called me. I was driving and they said, oh, he was, you know, very excited. He said, oh, you were selected for the national team. I said, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, wait, wait, wait. And then I stopped the car on the side, you know, the road and spoke to him. And I went out. Minutes later, I arrived in the training ground.

32:14everyone was waiting for me when they saw me and they come everyone happy excited and say you know well done congratulations for this this was was there anyone else in your club team that got selected as well or was it just you was just me on that time there was uh before me a few other players had been selected but at this time particularly i was the only one how long how How many games or roughly had you had for Brazil before you got selected for the World Cup in 2002? Not many, to be honest. You know, sometime, you know, when I think about the development of my career, since when I came back to America, things were quite fast for me in terms of if you see the progression.

33:05But then, you know, the first time I was selected was 2001. won for the last two games of South America qualification. Yeah. I played the first game against Bolivia in La Paz in the altitude was terrible. We lost the game. We had to play the last game against Venezuela. If we draw or lose, we had to play the playoffs in Australia. Right. Something like this. But we finally won. And after that, but I didn't play that game. And after that, we know we qualify, we relax a bit. We had, before the World Cup, seven friendly matches because Scolari wants to observe the players from Brazil League. He called basically players from different clubs in Brazil that were doing well in their clubs.

34:03And we played these friendly games. I played the whole seven games. I scored three goals the only three goals I scored for the national team and from that group of players from those seven games it was me Kaká I think Cleberson and Anderson Polgar was selected to join the rest of the guys because the other players he had observed a lot There were some other players who played in Brazil, like Van Peta, Marcos. But they have been in the national team for such a long time. Right. So were you like, do you mean like you were the fringe players? He was seeing if you guys were good enough to come through.

34:53Because Kakar, obviously, we know is now a Brazil legend as well. But he was super young at the time, wasn't he? He was very young. I think he was 20 by the time. Right. Okay. So you fly out to Japan and South Korea. as a squad are you confident that you were going to win that tournament because I can tell you as a young little English boy Brazil were the ones that we were looking at I thought you were about to say we think we're going to win every time no no because but at the time England had a golden generation didn't we I think it I don't know if it if it felt the same in Brazil but over here and I think Tim will back us up on this it was either Brazil or England were going to win that tournament that's how we felt but we always think that as English people did you did you sort of know you were going to win that tournament no not really of course we we were confident but we we didn't believe in those things you know in how we are going to win but then was something you know along the way that made us you know um believe our belief of course we were confident that we could win.

35:58We had this confidence, but we left Brazil, you know, we were the last to qualify. You know, we had a lot of problems in the qualification process, you know, three different managers until we have two managers before Scolari. Scolari was the third manager. A lot of problems along the way, but when we got there, interesting things because listen, this is the team. This is, we rely on each other. It is, on a daily basis, you know, we didn't have any problem. Personal issues, problem with the manager. We grow as a family, you know, we build up a family environment, but a very competitive environment as well.

36:48Right. But then the players start to talk about, you know, the experience from the 98 and some of them start to say I don't want to cry again because they lost the final. Yeah, yeah. Players like Rivaldo, Denilson, Roberto Carlos. Yeah. That was against France, right? Exactly. Yeah. And, you know, for the players that played that game, you know, they knew how hard it is when they lose the final. And at that time Brazil was considered the favorite. Right. But we arrived in South Korea and Japan, we were not the favorite, which was very good because we could work in silence. But on a day-to-day, growing up the confidence, so let's make it.

37:38Let's go to win. Let's win. Let's win. I don't want to cry again. Let's make it. The training, if you see our training session, was unbelievable. We were training against the best, you know, one best team trained against the second best team in the country. When the game starts, you know, I think the confidence was very high. But also, everyone, you know, very humble and understand exactly what we have to do in order to achieve the results. And that's probably why it works so well. I recently watched an interview of Steven Gerrard with Rio Ferdinand and they were talking about the golden generation of that World Cup and it never worked for England because I think you had the players from Liverpool that didn't like the players from Manchester United, that didn't like the players from Chelsea, but all you guys, you're saying now that you were just all just friends from the start.

38:33Yeah, very good friends. You know, some of them, they play together in Brazil, some play, most of them play against each other. But the interesting thing, you know, when we play against each other and coming together for the national team was a pure joy. Yeah, I bet. We always enjoy all being together. It was fun. We make fun of each other. For example, let's say Ronaldo played against Roberto Carlos or when he was at Inter against Madrid, et cetera, or any other place. I say, oh, you see, I passed you. You could not catch me. And they say, oh, Dida, you're still trying to catch the ball. When I score, something like this.

39:15We make fun of each other. But in a very friendly way. it's not like I want to bully this guy no no we were very friendly you know if you see our training session before it starts training because we make the round you know the rondos the rondos you know big rondo big circle play three in the middle but you know it was you know we had fun it was the fun moment you know we were dancing make some funny things laughing if you see the way we we were doing this kind of warm-up say oh those guys are not serious those guys are crazy yeah i think england's team currently gets vilified for that kind of thing whenever like a photo of the current england squad comes out where they're all like in a pool messing around together it'll make the papers like they're not taking it seriously but you're doing this back in 2002 this is the wrong um judgment people do yeah because this is the moments when you you know all the pressures off yeah you put all the pressures off and this moment for us because you know you put all the depression you know because we start laughing you know laughing all the happiness coming and you not think about bullshit about depression anymore yeah and just have a good moment and then but then after that you start a serious job but all the pressures off is you are not heavy you don't feel all this responsibility but uh you don't lose the focus i think this was so important as well that's what we need to see that's what we need to see when the players are getting on and stuff like that does does the pressure feel like it builds the fervor along into the tournament that doesn't just feel that did it ever hit a point where it's like well this is more than i thought it would be is it is it how do you feel going out in on onto the pitch on a World Cup final.

41:11You must be shitting yourself, right? Listen, you know, one of the best things when you are in a team, a team you like to be, play with those guys, you respect them, respect you, they have the same focus, everyone look at the same direction, is to look on the side and trust the guy on your side. You know? For me, as one of the youngest, you know, player from that squad, with not much experience compared to the others. It was lovely, you know, play alongside my idols. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, you know, became a friend of them, but got the respect of them for the job I was doing. Right. But the trust was there because I look behind me, I had Lucio, Ed Milso, Rocky Jr.

42:05On the side, Roberto and Cafu. up front, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, I said, wow. And the Marcos at the back and Clebson later on replacing Juninho. And look to the bench, you have Ampeta, you have Juninho, you have, wow, some other good players. I said, wow, this is a good team. But you have to be, we were grown during the competition. Of course, you know, the confidence, you know, the quality of our games. the intensity of our work on the day to day. Every game was different. We had to do one in a specific way in terms of strategy. But the interesting thing was the music for us to release depression before the games.

42:52We were singing, playing the instruments. What, in the changing rooms? In the changing rooms. At the games? At the games, before the game starts. We were playing the instruments. You know, we, after the escolar speech, left the hotel, inside the bus, played the instrument, played samba, until the stadium. Arrived in the stadium, stopped the music, and on the instrument, go there, put some music inside, but focused on the game. But the pressure was off already. So before Ronaldinho went out and lobbed David Seaman, you were jamming on the guitar? Every game. Every game, before we arrived in the stadium, and away from the hotel to the stadium playing the music.

43:34So you were really that calm. It's crazy. What about you personally, though? Because you weren't actually perhaps supposed to play as much as you played, right? Emerson was the captain, is that correct? And he got injured two days before the tournament, which means a young... One day before our first game. One day. Wow. So you get then called up into the starting position and you end up playing every single minute. And obviously now, we know in 2025, you're a legend just as much as the other guys. But then you even said yourself, they're your heroes. So is that not scary going into a changing room?

44:11And now you'll have to be on a level with Ronaldinho, R9, Cafu.

44:18Well, I could be, how can I describe it to you? So, you know, first of all, it was tough, tough moments. When your captain got the injury, the moment, one day before the competition starts. And later on, a few hours later, maybe one hour, two hours later, we had the news that he would not be able to play. It was a big blow for us. and after the dinner one hour after the dinner two hours later Scolera came to my room and told me that he was not going to play and I was going to replace him myself I was just listening and he gave me all the confidence you know listen I just want you him and his assistant Murtosa Murtosa was so nice you know he just said, listen, I just just want from you what you are doing at Atlético Mineiro.

45:23If you do what you are doing there, we are happy. I said, wow. This I know how to do. This I know how to do. It's okay. But of course, I felt the responsibility. Because once you are selected to Brazil National Team, to wear that yellow jersey, that is something unique and very special. I have seen so many good players, you know, performing well in their clubs, doing some magical things, but going there, don't have the same performance because it's different. And playing with those guys, you know, the next day for the opening game, I knew the responsibility. But for me, I just go back to the basics.

46:12You know, the base for me was just play simple. Just remember my father. He told me this was part of my game. I didn't have to shine. I just need to make my players, you know, the players up front to shine. Do my job, do the hard work, compete, get the ball, back as much as I need and give to them. They are going to decide the game for us. So there's no, like, you walk out, your legs aren't shaking. No, I was not fear. Really? Honestly, I was not fear because I think fear sometimes comes when you are not prepared. I think the preparation, you know, make you confident to face all the challenge.

46:56Of course, I knew the responsibility. This is a conscious moment when you understand the responsibility and understand what is your rule. Because this is so important as well. Because imagine if I want to try to do what Ronaldinho, Rivaldo was doing. That's not going to work. Then I was out. But I think the challenge, my case, is just understand my rule. This is your job. Just get the ball and pass to them. You know, stop the game. You know, protect the back four. But give them the support when they get the ball. Because if they miss the ball, if they lose it, you are close. you can recover and give them back again.

47:41This kind of principle, which is not so difficult to understand, but you have to just to facilitate your life. And for me, it was just, you know, a fantastic, fantastic moment. You see those guys, you know, it was beautiful to watch them from the back when they were playing, trying things. It was beautiful to watch it on TV, let alone to be on your position. But then, you know, it's like the importance of understanding your role, what your job is, is massive, you know, for the results. Yeah. I was going to say, it must feel so like, if you're happy to play simple, you must also feel so good to be like, well, I'm just going to do a simple ball, but Ronaldinho is probably just going to be able to do anything he wants with it once he gets it.

48:28Yeah, he'll flick it over someone. Hasta, no, no, no, we'll score, done. You're all like building blocks. Well, simple for them, not for me. No, but it is. But listen, when I talk about, you know, play simple, for me, play simple is the most sophisticated thing on the field. And the hardest thing to do on the field. Because when you do some tricks like Ronaldinho did, sometimes Neymar, Messi, maybe for some players they will do it once a game. In one game, maybe. But to do the simple things, it's every time. Yeah, right. And it's so easy to get distracted. sometimes the game by doing the simple things because for some people it looks like boring.

49:11But no, this is very effective. For me, this was part of my game. But doing the simple things to be effective, to help your team win the games, this is the key. Yeah, yeah. It's so cool. I love hearing about it. Can I hit you with a few names of your fellow team members at that World Cup? And I just want to hear your thoughts, little snippets on them. So let's start with Cafu, the captain, who I only found out when I was researching this. He is still the only player to play in three consecutive World Cup finals, which is insane. Talk to us about Cafu. Great inspiration, great leader. I was fortunate enough just to be sitting on his side in the bus for the World Cup and listen to his story.

49:58You were sat next to him on the bus? Yeah. I was one of the newest players. but sat on beside him was great because i could listen so many of his stories you know some talk about the experience in the world cup as well in the clubs and um yeah a great leader roberto carlos low energy unfocused foggy you might be dehydrated gatorade zero powders have been scientifically designed to help improve hydration balance in the body with a clinically proven electrolyte blend and no artificial colors or flavors. Great tasting hydration no matter where you're going. Shop now online or at retailers nationwide.

50:40Gatorade hydrates better than water. Is it in you? Symptoms noted are signs of mild to moderate dehydration. Consult a healthcare professional if symptoms persist. Funny guy. But he left a message very important that's sticking into my mind about I don't want to cry again oh that was was that him that said that he was one of them yeah you know right and let's let's win the game and I don't want to cry again this was what stuck in my mind you know yeah that's okay I have to I have to do my my job properly yeah make sure those guys win again win this time Marcos the goalkeeper security safety at the back you know and And he was a fun guy also.

51:29One of the guys we loved to sit close to him for the dinners because after the meal, he started to make some fun stories, to tell some stories. Everyone wants to be surrounded and close to him just to listen because it was very fun and make everyone laugh. It was good. That's goalkeepers. They're different. Yeah, they are on a different level, different mood. Sometimes. Rivaldo. Oh, Rivaldo. The best player of the competition, in my opinion. Really? Yeah. For me, he was the best player of the competition. Rivaldo is a type of guy, you know, he does very introvert somehow, very shy, but on the field, he was a monster.

52:18Yeah. He was a monster, you know, give us the security, you know, he occupied the space, you know. Yeah. You see how Rivaldo is there. It seems like it's not only this, you know, he's here, but he occupies all the room. Right. Because of his personality. His presence. His presence. Yeah, wow. Kaká. Kaká. Oh, he's a gentleman. He's a very nice guy. I was glad, you know, he had his opportunity to become one of the most important players in the national team later on after 2002. was funny because he was going to come. I think he was the only player that he didn't play, if I'm not wrong, in the World Cup.

53:03He was going to come in the final, but somehow the time was over. He didn't get luck. But now Kaká is a lovely guy. He's a lovely guy. Gentleman. Ronaldinho. He's a genius. he was on a different dimension compared to the normal players you know he's on a different level he could do things very simple to do in his action but for us impossible but because it's natural from him but also he's a nice guy you know he's very simple very humble did you know when he hit that free kick against Seaman did you know it was going in straight away I was expecting to cross my head to score a goal Were you in the box?

53:50Yeah, I was there. Right. I saw the ball. For the long throws, I was there, the long balls. Yeah. I've interviewed David Seaman about that moment. And wherever he goes, any day in his life, that's brought up. Yeah. Well, this is somehow sad, you know, people only remember about it. Yeah. I understand that people got frustrated because they got knocked. Yeah. and then this was one of the tough moments for the team. But Simo was a great goalkeeper. Unbelievable, yeah. He was not apart. Apart from this, he's a great man. Yeah. I had an opportunity to play with him afterwards. Yeah. I came to Arsenal just after the World Cup, spent time with him.

54:35He's such a nice guy. Yeah. It was great. I was fortunate enough to share the dressing room and the pitch with him, learn from him, from the culture. But it's quite sad, you know, when people just remember about the goal from the World Cup. It's like Roberto Baggio, for example. Right. Another great player, but people all the time remember, oh, you missed the goal against Brazil. Yeah. You know, people just pick this moment, but forget, you know, the best thing they have done in their career yeah I know what you mean and then finally talk to us about R9 the original Ronaldo wow I think probably the best player I have played yeah with Ronaldo was different you know I think both of them Ronaldo and Ronaldinho but Ronaldo is nothing about the goal scoring you know he got this selfish instinct for the striker you know not to to complicate the team, not to create a problem for the squad, but, you know, he always, his mentality, how can I beat the opponent?

55:44How can I make it easier for me? How can I score a goal? You know, the target was to score a goal all the time, but he was in a different dimension, different level of the way he thinks about the game. And the challenge for the guys, you know, like the playmakers, you know if the guys were not in the same level of him it was very hard to play with Ronaldo because he always forward thinking forward and this guy playing behind him needs to follow his brain but he had two great guys you know Rivaldi and Ronaldinho yeah perfect mix yeah fantastic why did he have that haircut though why did why did he's going to do the same is there a reason behind that?

56:32Yes, there are. People do not know, but after the same final, I think he started to have some hamstring problem. Right. But he stayed quiet, you know, and just him, the doctor, members of the team knew that. And he didn't want to go to training. One day he didn't train. And then he had this magic idea of having his head cut. And nobody talked about it because he missed some part of the session or trying to say something or come back to 98 because he got that big problem. He could have died in 98. And then he had this haircut. Nobody talked about, oh, why do I not do this in training? He missed a part of the training session.

57:23Oh, he is feeling something. Nobody talked about it. Just talked about the hair. It was a distraction. Yeah, distraction. That's clever. If you need any distraction, no. How do you do? See, if I turn up with that soon, I won't be able to play like him. That's genius. That is genius. Exactly. That's what the genius does. Make tricks. Yeah, I love it. So you beat England in the quarters. Who did you beat in the semis? Turkey. Turkey in the semis. And then you beat Germany in the final. what's the moment like when the referee puts his whistle in his mouth and you realise you've won the World Cup and I think you were 25 years old when you won the World Cup yeah what's that like yeah special so cool isn't it so cool very unique you know it's like somehow you know you start thinking about this and when he blew the whistle where to go now oh I can celebrate and suddenly I see Roberto Carlos crying.

58:30I went to him, hugged him, and then some other players came. We hugged each other, jumping, say, champion, champion. But, you know, it's unbelievable, you know, to be in that moment and know that you are champion of the world, the World Cup winner. But it's like we celebrate. we had a very good celebration on the field, you know, later on. I think the moment where you say thanks to everyone, thanks God for the opportunity. We had a big prayer around the circle, the middle circle. Because when you win like this, you don't win for yourself. You win for your country, for the people there, for your family, for the staff, for that group, you know, for millions of people.

59:27You know, in spite of the fact you have done this, you know, as a small group, but you're representing the country. Yeah. It's one of the most special things you can do in life as a sports person. Yeah. Represent your country, wear the jersey, make the people proud. and uh the beauty the beautiful of um all these you know it's uh it's more than 20 years we have one people still talk about it yeah they still remember you were there it's my earliest football memory whenever that's exactly that's where my brain goes the first memory i have not not even that world cup that game england versus brazil in 2002 so i don't know whether to love you or hate you.

1:00:13I'm very complete. It's better you love me.

1:00:18We have a good heart. You have a good heart, I can see. What were the celebrations like after? You said it was like a bit of a party on the way to games. So what's it like once you know you've done what you've done? No, after, we had to stay there overnight, you know, of course, because what the game was in the evening. Yeah. I know we went out, of course, you know, to do some celebration. You know, May, I had a small group where we went to to a club, you know, to celebrate, have some drinks and some dancing. Later on, we came back to practice everything to go to travel the next day. But during the flight, it was a very long flight, you know.

1:00:56We stopped over in L.A. Right. And then to Brasilia, the capital. Yeah. Then it was fun because we have a long parade. You know, we arrived there. On that moment, when arriving close to the airport before we landed, in that moment, I understood exactly what was the feeling of being World Cup champion. Why that, if you ask me, for example. Before we landed, we could see some Air Force airplane on the side. The captain, I think, was four or five aircrafts escorted us to land. And their captain, one of the captains, was talking to the captain of our plane and welcoming us to the country, congratulating us.

1:01:52I said, wow, this looks fantastic. I was very happy to see the aircraft, take some pictures. So they're flying alongside you as you come to land. Like you're the president or something. Exactly. Yeah. Our aircraft was here, you know. They were on both sides. And then we land and we went to a track for the parade. Oh, the parade was amazing. People everywhere, you know, following us on the street with the cars, running in the trees, in the apartments, waving, throwing papers, everything. was millions of millions of people on the street until we got to the parliament, the Brazilian parliament, where we were welcomed by the president.

1:02:37It was fantastic. It was fantastic. I had a celebration for one week. I had a celebration in different places. It was fantastic. Long hangover. Yes. Yeah, sleepy hangover. At that time, I didn't drink. I was not a drink person. Yeah, you're an athlete. But just a few. you know, but not enough. But, you know, during the week, I had a lot of celebration, you know, and then I went back to Belo Horizonte. I went to the mayor, office, you know, I had a big celebration, different kind of schools. And I stayed one week in Belo Horizonte, getting all these awards, et cetera. And then in the end of, after one week, I went to my hometown.

1:03:23This was for me, you know, the most special one. I bet, yeah. Because it was my place, you know. Yeah. It's quite emotional, to be honest, because I was supposed to arrive there at midday, more or less, you know, because I was very tired. But because of that, you know, I was very tired. I just came back, arrived there around 4 o 'clock, 5 o 'clock, something like this. But there was people waiting for me since early in the morning, sat in there. You know, they went by bike, horses, trucks, bus from the region. I don't even imagine how many people were there. But when I arrived, you know, and then I didn't even get into the city.

1:04:13Before, I don't know, one or two kilometers before I got into the town, you know, they stopped me and put him in the truck from the firework, and we start to go inside the town you know it was was very emotional wow and um then it was like um we came on oh make the old parade you know we stopped in front of the factory i used to work they paid me a tribute in front of the factory which was so nice as well what is that the coffee factory no the or the sugar yeah no the oh wow wow oh my god the caramel factory okay right right and we stopped there when we were supposed to go to the main square to have the the main party my father just before my father said to me listen in the road we live they made a big you know a lot of drone for you on the floor, on the street.

1:05:25I said, wow, let's go there. I spoke to them and they went to the road where my parents used to live. We drove there. I saw everyone there. People were there waiting. And then we went to the main place. It was very special. Wow. Yeah. Because I guess you're from such a small place. Yeah. You say 60 ,000 or 6 ,000. that there can't be anyone who has ever done anything in sport that great from there. Did you know a lot of the people that you'd look out on? Would you recognize people that you knew from before? The same places? Many of them I recognize, but some people I've never seen them. But people came from the region around because before I joined the club America, at the beginning of my career.

1:06:22I played the region, you know, against, you know, I played the region, the amateur competition, and they came, you know, to see what, I was very happy to know that, you know. Yeah, wow. It was, it's some kind of thing, you know, that you feel happy and feel proud of, do something that, listen, I just want to play football. Yeah. When I came back to America after working in the switch factory, I just wanted to go back and have a career in football and make my life and try to help my family somehow. But then I believed that God gave me something very unique, very special, gave me more than what I expected, basically.

1:07:08So a young Gilberto, as a kid, never imagined winning the World Cup? No, of course not. Listen, when you come from a very small place where you don't have many opportunities, it's very difficult to imagine having a big opportunity in life. Yeah. You know, as I have a good school education or work on a big company or have a fantastic job or create your own business. It's not easy because the only thing you see is that world. And the world I grew up until 12 was so small. maybe in a village of 2 ,000 people, maybe, maybe less. And this was the only thing I knew until 12 years old. And then I moved to Lagoda Prata, it was a little bit bigger.

1:07:57But to go from there to the capital of the state, Belo Horizonte, which is three hours, for me, it's like crossing the ocean. Right, different place, yeah. Yeah, because the condition, that it was not financial condition to go there. but somehow we appreciate what we have you know appreciate to to have a family to have my my father my my mother my my sister to have people around that they could somehow support us when we need to we could support somebody else we have friends to play appreciate what we have you know instead of complain about what you want yeah right final few questions how heavy is the world cup oh it's quite heavy yeah and how big is it is it bigger than this water bottle yeah it's more or less the same size and there is this but it's heavy like uh 200 million people on your back that's a cool answer that's a very cool answer do you do you still have your medal yes what did you do with it no it's it's very safe yeah yeah he's very safe in my collection yeah unbelievable because this is nice to be able to say you've got a collection as well yeah with a load of other things so we're running out of time today but this is only like the world cup is obviously the biggest thing in the world but that's only a small part of Gilberto's story after that he goes to Arsenal part of the invincible team win the FA Cup twice first player to score a competitive goal at the Emirates I think for a short moment in time you scored the quickest premier league goal champions league champions league goal yeah 21 seconds 20.7 i'm wrong at 0.4 something like that i was fast yeah don't slow it down let me ask you i'm a west ham fan was there ever a chance that you were going to play for west ham well maybe after the arsenal if you had that they have come you know why didn't we come in for juba this couch was not not ready and uh now now we're here today you're um you're the co-founder of a new app an app uh a brilliant app social media app made for fans with footballers on um we know about it stevie and i know about it because of two great events that you guys have put on down in sort of bright and worthing way and lewis and we were we were honored to play in your in your tournament in your charity game so thanks for having us down personally and can you tell us a bit about Stryver.

1:10:28Yeah, me and Tim Chase, my business partner, have been working this project in the last few years to build Stryver and our fun engagement platform for football. Right. In my case, as an ex-player, look for the players. How can we help the players? Because it's been quite tough, I think, for many of them, especially the younger generation, the younger players, to deal with the amount of hate they have been received on like twitter and yeah instagram yeah but you know it's like um you know it's like um not became like a free speech yeah it became a free hate right on many occasions you know which is sad because uh now some of them become afraid of do something on social media right My opinion is that, you know, the players, they should own their voice.

1:11:25They have lost seats in their own channel because they are concerned if they lose the game, if they don't have a good performance. We strive, the idea is to give them a support by moderating the content and stop the hate comments, you know, for them to own their voice and talk to the real fans of football. that they're real fans. Yeah. Fans of the clubs and the football fans. Yeah. Because this cannot continue, you know. No. I have seen some, many players getting anxiety because of it. Depression. Mm. And some information we have even worse. Right. Which is sad. Yeah. See, I think social media was supposed to unite people, you know, to get us close.

1:12:15But it's put people aside far from each other because of these hate comments. I think the idea of Strive is to bring people together and I hope that with a lot of hard work we have been putting to get the app ready, now the app is in store for an English version and very soon in different versions as well for different countries to support the football community on the players, fans, the clubs, and eventually it will be not only for football, but for other sports too. So are there players on there? Can people go on and speak to players and stuff like that? Well, if they behave nice, we have a good conversation as always.

1:13:02I think the players are welcome to talk to people as long as they got the respect. It's like, for example, cannot shout on the street. Imagine on the street. If you speak to people nicely, they listen to you, they reply to you, they answer, they have a conversation. But if I come to you and start shouting on you, you don't want to. Maybe in real life you punch me, right? Right. But this is what has been happening in the social media over the last years. Yeah. And the people just come with a shout on people. Nobody likes that. Yeah. and the idea is that you know we can have interaction with the fans you know I have response so many people you know even though when I used to use more the acts on Instagram I still doing it but you know having this this this platform we are we built at Striven we hope to give this this support for the players where they are not not going to be frightening or scared or talk to people.

1:14:15But at the end, I think this is the idea, for them to engage each other. Can I ask, how are you able to moderate it? Through AI. Through AI? Yeah. Yeah. Right. AI, because it's quite impossible to do it manually. I have done it manually. I said it right, Tim. Yeah. Yeah. yeah through ai you can uh moderate the content you know which is the the the text messages the videos etc right what what is the aim there is it are you trying to get more players to join to get more fans to join or like are you going to players to speak to them about striver no we have been speaking to to many players already some are going to join us you know ex-players, as ambassadors as well, content creators.

1:15:06The idea is to build a fun engagement, this platform, where the people can have, let's say, a good conversation. Yeah. Not, I don't want to be like trying to prove that I'm better than you. Right. We live in a world where we can support each other. It doesn't matter which team you support. You are West Ham, I'm awesome, but we can have a good conversation about football, about life, about everything we want. But if I don't respect you, you don't respect me, it's impossible. You know, the idea is where we can have a safe space. You know, I think we call Strive as a safe space where we can interact with each other, talk, have fun and talk about our teams.

1:15:50You know, this is the idea. And eventually, if we do it properly, let's say my idol will come and say hi to me. Yeah. You know, maybe somebody admired what I do. Oh, hello. How are you? Okay. Yeah. You know, this is what happens if you behave properly. Because it's going to be a nicer platform for the footballers to be on. So that's where they're naturally going to gravitate towards. Yeah, but we have been speaking to players, ex-players, you know, clubs, federations. The idea is to build up the community for football, a safe environment for football community. Yeah, and I'm on there as well. Fantastic.

1:16:27Thank you. It's a bit annoying because I can't abuse you. That's my favorite thing to do. But I just have to do that on X. yeah I'm great cheers I'm only joking I'm only joking and so it's out now on the app store exactly yeah perfect so download Stryver today Gilberto thank you very much it's been a pleasure thanks to you this has been Jackmates Happy Hour podcast with me Jackmates Stevie White and the brilliant the legendary the iconic Gilberto Silva Gilberto we always finish with the same question we would like to know what is the meaning of life the meaning of life

1:17:03living responsible you know just live with responsibility and help others if you live that life and look back you didn't help anybody else i don't know if worth living what a good answer and if you ever need a distraction get a funny little haircut see you next time thank you that was great thank you so much for coming in thank you Jack makes happy hour