Dimitar Berbatov: I never told my team mates about getting kidnapped | Sesko needs more ANGER!

0:00When everything is moving all at once, your workforce, your tech stack, your business, you don't need more tools. You need one solution. That's why Paylocity built a single platform to connect HR, finance, and IT with AI-driven insights and automated workflows that simplify the complex and power what's next. Because when everything comes together in one place, growth comes easy. Experience one place for all your HCM needs. Start now at paylocity.com slash one. 18 years old. He was kidnapped. The guy who brought me, they was like, go over there, sit, I'll see you later. Oh no, that's not a hula.

0:40People around me, big guys, you know, I was talking really fast and he's like, calm down, breathe. Just calm down and just breathe. And I'm like, what the fuck? They're going to kidnap me here and I don't want to go home. I was thinking to myself, this is it for me. Dimitar Berbatov, one of the most graceful footballers I've ever played with. Why do I need to sprint when I will get there and I will look good? Elegance, poetry in motion. And when I hear the fans go, wow, while I was doing this, the best feeling. Sometimes not the goal, this feeling. Yeah. So when the ball comes out of the air, you should do that touch.

1:24And then I hear the crowd. Ah, man. When you go home after the game, you'll be like, I want to try this, that Verbs did. I shared a dressing room with him for years, but during this recording, I learned so much more about my former teammate. It's very difficult for me to say it. It pains me to say it, but you're not playing today. And I'm like, in my mind, all right, I'm on the bench. Am I on the bench? No, no, you're not playing. You're not in the squad. and then it's like you know like this not stop but stop and then twist and turn and then again bam one more time I don't know how it was with you but when I stopped part of me died part of me died he's refreshingly honest about some of the struggles that he faced things that I wish I knew when we were together at Old Trafford when's the first time your dad said he loves you?

2:16mine was in my late teens maybe early twenties yeah but you see That's the difference. There was no such thing as I love you. We also have some fun reminiscing about some of the crazy things that we did together. Come back, my car is gone. No way. And I'm like, someone stole my car. Someone stole my car, man. My first day in London. Someone stole my car. Where's my fucking car? So guys, enjoy seeing a different side to Dimitar Berbatov that you won't have seen anywhere before.

2:46It was always really quiet, like in a change room. like where does that come from? That was back in the day. Yeah, now you don't shut up man. People change. In the WhatsApp group by the way, the main, I'm gonna tell you, the main night was, if I get my phone out now, this guy for the last two days has been hammering me the whole time. He's the most active in there, right? What was it about again? Because you cannot stop the ball. Oh yeah, we've done a football thing and the ball came out of the sky and I had a bad touch. Ronaldinho's was worse than mine and he just came to me. You didn't have a bad touch, you had the horrendous touch, you know?

3:18It's like you didn't see the ball for five years. What is this? What is this? Weber, you can't diss my touch. Tell the truth, my touch is unbelievable. You don't need praise from me because you know how good you were. I need praise. No, you don't need it. Come on. Now you're in a different thing, all right? You try to be... What is this you're doing? What? What is this you're doing? You tell me what you think it is. No, no, what is your job description now? If someone asks you what is your job description, what do you say? Werber's boss. That never happens. It will never happen. I mean media. This is media.

3:55Media. Yeah. But you're like a host, a pundit? No, I was a pundit, a media mogul. A media, maybe mogul, not yet, but it's coming, right? It's coming. But to come back to what you said before, back in the day, I was more quiet because that was me keeping my private space in a way and trying to achieve what I wanted to achieve coming from a small country and ended up in the biggest club in the world and playing with great players. and sometimes in me in my case I was also from the first let's say couple of months ending up in the dressing room of Manchester United I was overwhelmed I'm here but oh my god you know it's mad really because like the way you carry yourself there's like a confidence you can sense you walk in your chest is out the hair is everywhere doing it was now again but you know what I mean I would never have said that you had those thoughts that you intimidated a little bit or a bit apprehensive and because i was probably hiding them really well like uh this was how we were taught back home or back in the day like you are man you don't show feelings right you have a problem you don't speak which i don't think is the right thing to do if you have a problem you speak to your friend your family to your wife or whatever but back in the day it was it was like this you know show that you're strong that you that you can tackle anything and if you had your time again would you change that probably yeah probably because you remember i was sitting you are next to me and andrew was on the other side and anderson was um and he's in our group but he was like really open free spirit yeah free spirit like high-fiving people you know and i'm like watching him and i'm thinking man you know i want to be a little bit like this can i can i do it maybe not now probably i can do it and if i need to go back probably i'll change something like this you know just fit more straight into the you know the atmosphere of everything not be a bit so private at times it's crazy it is it's i mean every time we do these interviews and it's like and one of the reasons why people love to watch these interviews is because they they find that a little bit more about people even just me sitting here now finding out that side of you i just wouldn't have said that you had any type of intimidation because you just had a supreme confidence in your demeanor the way you walked about but um i'd love to know what it was like for you like growing up in bulgaria because there are a lot of young kids around the world that want to play football at the top level you come from a like you say, a smaller country.

6:42What was that like growing up there? And when did you realise that you were going to be a footballer? No, for me, or for boys, girls, whoever is coming from a sports family, I assume it's more easy to get into the sport world. So my dad was a football player, my mum was a humble player. So it was a given since I was probably five or six. What was your dad like for you? Because obviously he played football, played for Sofia as well, didn't he? He did, but old school. Yeah. Old school. What was his impact on you? What was his influence like on you on a day-to-day basis? It was no words communication.

7:23So if he wanted to say something, he's going to say it with the eyes. You know? Or with a hat.

7:34You know, this type of thing that you see in the movie sometimes, Sometimes, like when you're a son, you seek approval from your dad or something. But with my dad, I learned early on that it's more about communication with no words, just gestures and stuff like this, which in a way, when you grow up, it makes you angry because you constantly want to hear something like, well done, keep going. Oh, you should do that better next time. And of course we had that as well, but it was not as much as any kid would want. But when you grow, grow, grow, you start to realise that it is what it is. Old school dads were like that.

8:17Be a man, don't show feelings. I love you. No, no, no. That's not in my vocabulary. I never said that. When's the first time your dad said he loves you? Mine was in my late teens, maybe early 20s. Yeah, but you see, that's the difference. There was no such thing as I love you. it was a gesture it was like oh just that was a big thing that wasn't it if you got one of those it was like that was it that was it I'm completely different now with my kids I'm like yeah I'll see you on social media come here soft daddy soft daddy obviously the difference is I have daughters when you have boys if I had a boy maybe I'll be like my dad in a way you know but I have daughters so it's a bit different but I think it helped me in a way to make me to make me more like strong like to believe that I can do more and more and I I know that my obviously my mom and dad they love me and I don't need anyone to tell me I love you I love me I I understand it and I felt it and I still feel it but it makes me funny because sometimes now I try to provoke my dad and make fun of it and say so how are you feeling?

9:30He wanted to say it trying to get him to say something but he can't say it No to open up and so you know when when two men are sitting next to each other and it's like one is really old school and close and now the other is more open because he's seen the world through a different perspective and when I sit with my dad it's like so what the how are you feeling? You know trying to provoke see a reaction or something and I see how uncomfortable he is, you know, and it's like that awkward thing between father and son. It's funny, but at the same time, I understand that. I swear, Dad, what you're saying, why I'm laughing is because it's exactly like how, not the same, but it's very similar with me and my dad.

10:13And even now on the phone sometimes, occasionally when we finish the conversation, I go, yeah, I love you. And I know my dad is on the other end, he goes. And he doesn't say, see that, bye. He wants to. It can't come out. Maybe when he puts the phone down, then he's like, I love you too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I didn't hear it. You know it. That's the thing. That's the important thing. I know it anyway. Actions, modern words. So then fast forward to 18 years old. Obviously, we've got a team behind the scene and doing a bit of research. And they came to me with this. And I was like, this can't be true.

10:4818 years old. He was kidnapped. What the hell is going on here? How have I not heard about it? How have you not spoken about this? with me and the guys in the change room because some of the things that for you probably is going to sound unbelievable for me was like nothing nothing special happened you're just part of life back in the day or getting kidnapped what are you talking about yeah it was a tough tough times back home you know different uh how do you say gangs what happened though tell me what happened please just explain it well i was now now i was really showing what i can do on the pitch and I was playing for Celska Sofia and I was really starting to show my qualities.

11:31After training, I didn't have a car so a teammate of mine was like, come with me, I need to bring you to a friend of mine. And I was a bit naive, of course, and maybe I trusted him because we play in the same team. So I get into his car, he drove me to a place, to a restaurant we get into the restaurant and in the restaurant there was uh obviously tables and in one table there was a guy by himself and on three other tables there were big guys like big guys refrigerators typical balkan guy sitting behind him just looking scary and you know just watching you scary and the guy who brought me that was like go over there sit i'll see you later Oh no, that's not a horror.

12:53We need to get you." And I'm like, yeah, but I'm playing in Cesca Sofia. I mean, I like it there. No, no, we'll figure that out. Don't worry about it. And the guys were sitting there and I'm just like this, you know, intimidated, of course. And I'm thinking I need to call my dad. So maybe two, three hours sitting there and in the end, the guy let me to call my dad. And I'm like calling, Dad, I'm here. I don't know where I am. you know the people around me big guys you know i was talking really fast and he's like calm down breathe like just calm down and just breathe and i'm like what the fuck they're gonna kidnap me here and i don't want to do i want to go home he's like okay okay let me see what i can do i call the guy so eventually uh someone call someone and the big bosses of the two teams figure out a way of me not moving just staying where i was and in that situation 18 years old seeing and knowing how things were done back day back then in bulgaria i was thinking to myself this is it for me wow so in that moment you're thinking that yeah this is it for me i need to say yes or maybe they're gonna beat me or i don't know you know but eventually my dad came in and took me in the car and I was like, oh my God.

14:16It makes me realize I need to grow up quick and be a man really early in my stage of life. Talking about growing up, how important was Bayer Leverkusen in that development of you as a person? Because it's changing countries. The best place. Was it? Yeah. I love this place to that man and the guys because it was the best thing that happened to me in a way of ending up at the right place in the right time with the right people. I mean, even to this day, for young players to go to Leverkusen is the best place because they know how to develop you. I was 19 or 20 and I needed to forget everything that I knew from my time in Bulgaria and started learning new stuff straight away from the environment that I was in.

15:07At one point, I didn't play. I was playing for the second team and I was thinking, do I need to go back home? So you had some doubt at some point. Of course. Do I need to go back home to my safe place, to secure place, to my dad, to my family, to my friends, or I stay here and continue to work and improve myself? And I was happy that I was strong enough to hold my own and slowly but surely, but not that slow, there was a process of me finally integrating myself into Leverkusen team and this was the best decision that I ever made. You had some big players there as well, didn't you? Balak was there, Roberto was there, Uf Kirsten was a god because he was scoring the goal as number nine.

15:50I was slowly but surely preparing myself to replace him at one stage because he was late 30. And we had a great team and we reached the Champions League final that year. Zidane scored that goal, remember? The volley. Man. And I was in the halfway. I was a substitute, but I came in in the first half. I don't remember what minute it was. And then I was in the halfway line, seeing Roberto Carlos sprint on the left, chasing the ball. And then it was not a cross. I don't know where else. You just tried to cross, but the ball was like this. And I see Zidane just taking the stance and preparing, watching the ball, how it's dropping and going like this.

16:31and in this moment, you know sometimes, when he's going to connect with the ball and you knew, I knew straight away it's a goal. And I wanted to applaud because that was one of the best goals in the finals. And Zidane with the left foot, ah, it's unbelievable. But still though, we play as equal, we equalize and then I had chances to score in the last minute. But Casillas in that day, he was also a substitute, but he came in second half and I think we made him a goalkeeper. Amazing, he was amazing. He was unbelievable. That's where his career took off. So, CS's career took off because of your bad finishing?

17:08Not bad finishing. Oh, sorry. Good saves. My finishing was unbelievable, but in that moment, everything worked in their favour. And we were crushed after the game. We were so disappointed. But still, if you ask me, did I realise what is happening at that stage of my career? At 20? be in the Champions League final? Probably not. I was just living in the moment like Ronaldo, Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Raul, Fernando Hierro in the defence. Doubting yourself like how I'm going to beat him and go and score a goal. Which is not the right thing to think about. But you have that moment sometimes and it's about how you react to that thought.

17:52If I push him, what is he going to say? What the fuck, man? That's not right away to think. Smash him. Yeah, smash him. Go on, they approve. That's how you earn your respect as well. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's good. And then so when you go then to the UK, you transfer to... Different world. Spurs. Yeah, it's a different world. Yeah, what is that? How big was the change in football, but also life for you? Oh, it was crazy because I go to London with my car. I leave my car. What car? What car did you have? A Mercedes or something. I was very fond of. And I'm going to London with my car, leave my car, go to shop, come back, my car is gone.

18:28No way. And I'm like, someone stole my car. Someone stole my car, man. My first day in London. Someone stole my car. Where's my fucking car? I love that car and I don't know what to do. But you know how in every team you have someone you can call. And I was calling that person in person like they stole my car, they stole my car. And he's like, again, calm down. Like my dad on the phone. Calm down. It was going to be fine. Probably they tow your car. Which was the case. I didn't know about that. In Leveurkosu in Germany I stole whatever I wanted. Coming back with my shopping bags. Where's my fucking car?

19:07What's that? And then obviously this is how you learn. New country, new rows, new language, new everything. That was the difference outside of the pitch. On the pitch, obviously the quick passing of the ball. the speed of the game. And the biggest difference was probably the big defenders that were waiting for me. Like big, big defenders. And I knew my technical ability, my touch was superior to some of the defenders. So that's why I needed to be more clever. Not more stronger, more clever. But at the same time, maybe work on my physicality as well because sometimes someone is going to be on my back breathing here.

19:48So then I needed to know how to hold my stand and to keep the ball from beating. He was good at that as well. Yeah, because I started to learn quickly, you know, use my hands, my elbows, and, you know, stuff like this, which are small details, but they are very important. So no one's telling you that, you're just thinking that yourself. Yeah, yeah. Wow. This I did all my time, and someone will say, well, but your dad was a football player. He needed to teach you, give you some lessons. Yeah, he did. But when I left my country, now I'm going to a completely new, different type of football environment, thinking and stuff like this, while my family is staying home.

20:23So now I needed to help. First and foremost, I need to help myself. But that first month, are you having doubts? Because things maybe aren't going right. How do you then deal with that? Because you look at someone like Wurtz, gone to Liverpool, same journey in terms of Leverkusen to the Premier League. What are the thoughts you think with him that are probably going through his head at the moment where he's not playing the way he did in Bayer Leverkusen yet he's adapting still? What would you... By the way, I love him. He's a fantastic player. He will be unbelievable, trust me. In my case, I was again having doubts.

21:01The same process was happening when I went to Leverkusen. The same thing. Because in Leverkusen, in the beginning, it didn't work out quite well. I needed to be patient, but again, doubts. Now in Spurs, again, new environment, again, new people, new language, new everything. again the things were taking slowly to happen for me and again I was thinking maybe I need to go back you know that that negative thinking that passed further yeah in the first month yeah maybe I need to go back or Leverkusen or somewhere else it's not working here but that negative thinking that people have most of the time which is which is horrendous it's not a good way of doing but But then at the same time, when I was thinking like this, then my other, not personality, but my other me was telling me, no, no, no, no.

21:54You see what happened in Leverkusen? Just be patient. Keep working. You have the quality. You deserve to be here. You wanted something to change. Now you're here. Now be stubborn. Be patient. Keep working. Not sitting. It's not going to fall like this on your lap. Work. Smart or hard. try to know when, which when and work and it will happen. So I was motivating myself at the same time I tried to sabotage myself and you basically want to go to your safe place, your safe environment. But you need to have that motivation and that ambition in you as well to overcome the fear. So what was the trigger that got you to becoming a success at Spur?

22:35Because your time there was remarkable. With Martino, And Martin Yeo, it was that connection that I needed. Of course, I needed to prove myself first to him. It's not like, Berber come here. Although my first meeting with him was unbelievable. And he was sitting in his chair in his office at the stadium. I went to meet him. And I just see the godfather there. He's always like, yeah. Because Martin Yeo, I know if you remember, he's a big guy. And he sees me like, Berba, my boy. In that moment, I see the fucking Godfather. And I love that movie. And I'm thinking to myself, that must be a sign of something.

23:17And then slowly, I needed to gain his trust, to show myself that I can, you know, be here, play for him, produce for my team. And when I did that, after that, earning his respect, I saw that he trusted me completely on the pitch. and when I knew that and because I earned it it was not given to me like this I earned it then I was telling myself you see the manager trusts you the team is starting to work out you're here so you'd say with verse just be patient keep working I guarantee you he's going to make success the way he sees football how he looks for the space how he knows how to position himself the touches on the ball the improvisation the eye for the pass and for the goals.

24:05Of course, someone can argue that his physique is not that great for the Premier League. But then, you can easily see the great players of his position like Modric. You know, also the same build. Modric. Fucking monster. It's unbelievable. So, give him time, I think he's going to be unbelievable for Liverpool. Coming to England, obviously, especially back then, work rate was a massive thing. Yeah. And when you watch your game, your game is very, you look cool, you look very, the balance and the way you play, you wouldn't suggest that work rate comes with that. And sometimes, I'm sure you know that, you would have been questioned about work rate.

24:43How do you deal with those type of questions, a player like yourself? I didn't think it was fair at times because my game was built around entertaining, elegance, beautiful way of football, scoring goals that when you go home after the game, You'll be like, I want to try this, that Verbs did. I want to score that goal. The same way when I was growing up, seeing Alan Shearer, Van Basten, or El Phenomeno, you know, all these great players scoring goals. And I'm like, I want to be like this. I'm not a defender. I don't want to run up and back the field and waste my energy. I will help my teammates.

25:26I will sacrifice for my teammates. I will do everything for my teammates. I pass the ball if someone is in a better position. make him look good, no problem. But I know how to do it my way. Sorry, I'm laughing because I remember in training, I don't know how many times, or even in engagement, I used to shout at you, say, Peppa! Whatever it was, I don't know, do this, I'll do that. And you used to, you wouldn't say nothing immediately, then you would turn around like 10 seconds later and go, Shut up and defend! And just give me the book! And I used to laugh, because I used to be so angry, and then you'd just make me laugh, because it'd crack me up.

26:03Well, your job was to defend, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You get the ball and you give it to who? To the players who are in front of you. But to the players in front of you, to be ready and able to do something special, they need to be fresh and ready for that moment when they need to improvise. You're going to need me to make the difference. But I need my brain to be fresh, with oxygen, and I need to be ready for that moment so I can use my power to either score in the last minute or make that pass that is going to lead to the goal. This was me. This is how I think. I was thinking about football and that's how I played.

26:42Sometimes, not sometimes, most of the time it works, in my opinion. Sometimes it pieces my teammates off, like you, screaming to me, or Vida, or Gixi, or Scorsi, when I was now in the big league. But at the same time, I was trying to show you or sometimes maybe explain to you, trust me, I have my process, like I trust you. to defend your way. Sometimes we'll be like a team defending. Sometimes you need to do your own job by yourself. You know? Believe in your ability to be good enough to face Ronaldo and stop him. You don't ask for help. Do it yourself. That's why big players are doing it. When I score and say, it's because of you.

27:24It's not because of me. I just did my job. But because you get the ball, you fight for it, you scream, you do everything you can to get the ball and you give it to me. And because of that, I scored. So now I understand you. How come it took all this time to get you sitting next to me to understand for you to say it was actually because of you why I scored? You and Vida and Patrizza and all the guys. Because I was relying on your intelligence to understand this. But obviously, I underestimated and overestimated your thinking process. Do you think Berbatov could have the same impact in the game today the way the game is now?

27:58I don't know, to be honest. But I still see Modric going strong, you know, who is a true artist on the pitch. De Bruyne, who I love to watch because he's reading the game so well with the pass. So you have this type of players still who are the artists on the pitch. And I didn't see myself as a goal scorer, honestly, of scoring goals. I would see myself as a football player because there is a difference between a good football player and a goal scorer. Someone just score goals at tap-ins or headers. But if you put him in a different position, he's not going to be playing well. Like who today? Maybe Haaland.

28:38Haaland's a great goal scorer. He's a great goal scorer. He's a machine. He's going to be scoring goals for years to come. But for me, in my mind, I was different. Like someone like Harry Kane, who easily can play as a midfield player, because he's eye for the pass, for the ball, for the space. of course for the goal is there. But this is the type of players I love to watch. And that's how I saw myself back in the day. And sometimes the players you play with didn't understand me why I'm dropping deep. But because my touch was so good and I had the technique and I trusted in my ability to get the ball into turn and then someone faster than me to run into the space and I'll give it to you.

29:24It's simple, it's not that difficult. Who do you look at now? You've mentioned Modric and De Bruyne. What players are out there that you look at and you go, that's why I watch football? Well, from scoring goals perspective, obviously Haaland, because he's a machine. Also Harry Kane, because he can score goals still. Lewandowski, for me, again, scoring goals, but a bit more to his game because he can make other players also with passing of the ball, but he's really scoring goals as well. Then you have someone like Mbappe who has score goals but he's also he's like an athlete. He can sprint and just out sprint you, kick the ball, go after the ball and also score goals.

30:09But he had that more flashiness in him like doing it in the right way in the flashy way you know. Then that's why I say Modric and De Bruyne because I love watching them because that creativity is still with them, still at the early stages of their career, but they're still doing it in the right way. And of course, I'm going to forget someone, but when I watch something, even if he's not a big name, a household name, if I see him that he have that eye for the pass, knows where the space is, when the ball gets to him, he already knows what to do. He's not fighting with the ball, one of the most important things.

30:47Yeah. and I watched Spain-Bulgaria and you can see the ease from which he's controlling the ball and that factor of not rushing like I know what to do don't worry a bit like you the game just slows down when the ball goes to him but obviously this type of players they know when to switch off when to switch on and even when the ball comes to his feet or this type of players you will see the calmness and the belief and how they touch and control the ball it's what I want to see in football because it shows you he knows what to do and sometimes the simple things is the best thing to do in football and sometimes of course what looks genius to some people outside football it's really simple to the guy who is doing it he doesn't see it as a genius thing He just sees it as a simple pass, slicing the defence or that over the top or something like that.

31:54It's simple for him. Because, as we say by home, football is a simple game for smart people. So for me, always the players who are thinking here and are quick here are going to be the best ones. Always. Right, man, we've got loads still to come right on this pod but we'll be back shortly after this. Just talking about players like that, who did you have the best connection with? You know, the funny thing is, you don't need to speak much, even outside of the pitch. And with Robby Keane was the same, straight away. Click. Then when I went to United, I needed again to start to make the connection with my striking partners, like Ronaldo was there, Rooney and Tevez and me, so we are fourth in the beginning.

32:43And of course, there is this competition factor when you want to show the boss that I need to play because I'm better now than my teammates. But that also moves you forward and develops you in a way that you are learning to be even more ambitious and not be afraid of the competition. Berbatov with Rooney, Ronaldo or Tevez? What was the best combination? What was the best combination for you? I remember some of the times we were all four on the pitch. Oh man, that's when I used to feel... Me and Vidi and the guys at the back and carried it. Just let them do it. Do their thing. And I'm honestly thinking that in my mind, we were able to play every game, all four of us.

33:35to start the game with all four of us. In my mind, it was like this. Obviously, in the mind of the manager, it was not like that. But because Ronaldo, obviously, with the ability he has to run, dribble, stay high up the pitch, finish, etc. Rooney, me, and Tevez, we are a bit more similar in the way of playing football because Rooney also like to drop deep, get the ball, feel the ball, give that pass, eye for the pass. I was the same. Tevez also had that ability to drop back and get the ball and dribble with the ball. But also he can run all day. Everywhere. Everywhere, chasing the ball. Waza was the same.

34:17He wasn't doing that. No. Because I knew that they can do it. I have my other attributes that I talked about earlier that I can bring to the game. But every time we were on the pitch, I see the other defence, the defenders, and you You can see it, that fear and that intimidation. Is it? In a tunnel or on the pitch, in a warm-up or in the game? It always starts in the tunnel. You know how it is. Sometimes straight from the tunnel, I knew we won the game. I see them and they look at us and see, Orun, Ronaldo, you, Scorsi, Gixi. And I'm watching them and I'm thinking to myself, Yeah, I know. I know.

35:02I know. I know. In a way of feeling great about myself, feeling sad for them because we're going to destroy them. And we're already leading one knee straight from the tunnel. And then when we step onto the pitch, even before the kickoff, I will see the defenders watching our strikers and I can see the body language and that small detail that shows you oh man it's over it's over so if you begins and as a striker you feed on this that's how i felt when the four of us sometimes we're playing together because we can just terrorize the teams and one example was when we are losing two new against spurs i don't know if you remember half time and then the gaffer put teverson uh as well because i think we were running me and Ronaldo starting the game and then he put Tevez on at halftime and we are losing 2-0 at halftime.

36:01And I remember getting into the halftime in the dressing room and thinking to myself, oh my God, the boss is going to kill us now because we are losing 2-0 against Spurs. And he was like really calm and he was like, we need to score one goal. And we're going to do it. Don't worry about it. And I'm thinking to myself, what is going on here? He's not yelling. He's very calm. He's confident. It must be trust in us. And he's just saying we need to score one goal and we can do it. And then I think to myself, Oaza, Ronaldo, me, of course we can score a goal. We just need one goal. The crowd will keep going.

36:40We know how it's in England, you score one goal and then you keep going. And that's exactly what happened. We score one, we score two, and then we score four. And we beat four, two. But at that moment when you have these, in a way, brothers or players around you, and you know what we can do together. I was scary, man. And you enjoy it. You don't enjoy it when you don't play. That's for sure. I was going to ask you that. You didn't play in the Champions League final. And I had to stop myself from talking to you because I saw how disappointed you was. Yeah, man. Talk me through that moment. You've talked to me through some great moments.

37:14What's that moment like? The penultimate game of the season and then you're not selected. It was very painful for me. and for the other players who didn't participate as well, because I remember Shae-Z being there as well, stopping me from leaving the stadium at one point. You didn't leave? I wanted to leave, yeah, because I felt embarrassed and like...

37:37It was not the right thing in my mind, because I was the goal scorer of my team, of United and of the league. You were the top goal scorer, weren't you? Yeah. So I was so confident in that season what I was doing that you give me the ball I can shoot from the halfway line and I was thinking that I was going to score. And that confidence as a striker you need that. You fit again on this one, it makes you feel good, you go out there, chest up and you know just give me the ball you lose confidence. Which is opposite when you don't score and you hide from the ball you're not confident. But in this season, in this moment, I felt like this.

38:12And when something like this happens, it's difficult to justify it, especially when you're in that moment. When you finish, when you look back, then you realize different things that what managers do, how managers need to do the team or find a solution for a problem or who he's playing. So he needs to have the right players to face that team. but in that moment when I was and the boss say well you're not playing it's very difficult for me to say it it pains me to say it but you're not playing today and I'm like in my mind alright I'm on the bench am I on the bench no no you're not playing you're not in the squat and then it's like you know like this not stop but stop and then twist and turn and then again bam one more time and And in a moment like this, even if you're strong, even if you're a man, you can be paralyzed like I was.

39:15I was just sitting there and I wanted to move, I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. Because even if I say something, you know how it is, the team is already decided, the kids are on the places, so nothing can change. And then the boss just says, I'll leave it to you. and he left. So I was sitting in the room by myself, trying to justify and find the answer to what was happening. And thinking first about my family who were coming to the game to watch me, you know, and spoke before the game with them. Like, are you ready? Good luck and stuff like this. And then thinking about my countryman, my country who was ready to watch me.

39:56And then thinking about myself, like, well, I'm not playing. And then obviously from that sadness and disappointment, came the anger, you know, that I became angry, thinking that I don't deserve this because I scored the goals. And I was feeling confident and we became champions as well. And then from that anger, you want to do action. You wanted to say something, to fight someone. And in my case, I just wanted to leave. and that's why I wanted to leave the stadium because I felt embarrassed. Just felt worthless. Like sitting there, yes, I can support you with my presence in being there, but even if I was not, I would still support you.

40:42Still would be happy if you guys won the thing, but maybe not 100 % happy because you know how it is when you're not part of it. Yeah, 100%, I agree. You feel like, yes, we won it, but what did I do? And then Shaezy was like, don't do it, Burbs, because he saw me. what I was planning to do, like, don't do it, man, don't do it. You're not going to feel good about that. And then I changed my mind and I stayed, but I watched the game into the dressing room. So it was one of the most difficult points of my career. But, you know, it happens, it happens, I assume. But after a while, the boss just apologized.

41:23And when I asked him to do the foreword for my book, He wrote it inside it. It was a mistake. Was I going to change anything in that game? Probably not. But my confidence was sky high. If you ask my parents or my family or my friends, was I going to change anything in that game? They're going to say yes. But Barca was so good. You remember that. Barca was so good. Messi was prime. Busquets, Iniesta, Chavez. Anyway, in the first final we played and we lost in Rome, the same team. And you remember how I told you that thing when you look at players and you just don't want to approach them? I felt like that in the first game in Rome.

42:16Oh, did you? Yeah. When I come in in the second half and even when I was watching from the outside, sometimes I'm thinking like, get close to Messi, man. Get close to Xavi and Yester. What is happening? but then when you go inside, you realise. And you do like this, the ball is moving and you're spinning and you're like, what is going on? Yeah, they're the best club team I've played against by far. Exactly. By far. They were very clever here, because Busquets, he's not quick. But here, he's quicker than anyone on the pitch. He's one of my favourite players. Just back to the manager, what type of impact did Swalik's have on you?

42:52Well, of course, first time when you meet him, in my case, I don't know in your case, but in my case, I was like, starstruck. Aura. Aura, yeah, and like the boss, I mean, the guy who wins it, who makes team, who knows how to manage teams. So it's like almost, what do I say? How do I sit? How do I say something that I don't look foolish? Then you see and start notice how he manage the team, how he makes decisions based on circumstances. Of course, not all the time the right decision, probably. But you try to see and justify what he's doing or understand what he's doing. And for me, it was how he tried, maybe not tried, but he knew how to speak with everybody in a different way because I watch him maybe he goes to you speak in one way then goes to Waza speak differently goes to me speak different as well try to motivate or maybe give you the bad news you're not playing today but get ready for the next game or you're playing tomorrow so you ready?

44:03But obviously you know him better than me so me speaking about Sir Alex in the presence of you maybe or Scolese or Gixi or Gary Neville, it seems stupid. Everyone has their own experience with him. That's the unique thing. No, I had great experience. I think I had great connection with him as well. He never asked me to be someone else. He never said, Berbs, you should change or go back or defend or sprint back more. Never. And he can do that, right? He can be like, you need to do that. Or you fucking need to do that. Other examples. I don't think he ever gave me the hair dryer treatment as well.

44:47I remember him going crazy at some points as well. But maybe I was lucky because I caught him in a moment where he was more mellow in a way. Maybe in his early days he was more difficult. But I had, I must say if I need to summarize it, I had a great connection, great experience. I had more good moments than maybe bad. Maybe my only bad moment was that one in the final. But someone can say, yeah, but that's a heavy moment. But still, that was the guy and the manager, the boss who actually bought me and wanted to me. I remember speaking with him before going to United. He was the guy who in a difficult moment, like I remember didn't score for a couple of games.

45:29And one training session, he came to me the day before the game. He was like, don't worry about it, son. Don't worry. Just go out there. Perform, enjoy. Make you comfortable. Yeah, and then I go on the next day and score five goals. Five? Against Blackburn, yeah. Just that goal, man. Remember the goal. You get the ball in the full-back position. Is that one of your favourite goals? It's underrated but it's there because it's my goal but it's a team goal. Sorry, that goal, when you score that goal against Blackburn, because that's one of my favourite goals that you score, are you seeing the end product when you're in the left-back position?

46:08I see it as a chess game because I was in the back. So the moment I get the ball, even if I look at the ball, I still see where everybody is on the pitch. So now I need to find a way to outmaneuver everybody and to get to the finish line. But I do that in this case with the help of my teammates. I'm not messy. I cannot go like this. So now I need to be able to rely on my teammates to understand me how I will move and find my way to the goal. If they don't understand me, it's not going to happen. But in this case, in that goal, the involvement of my teammates were someone who I think understood how I play and trusted me.

46:54So first was Pat, one, two. Then it's about while I'm moving, I'm watching where everybody else is. So now I see Nani, if I'm right. and I know that with outside of my foot, I have a great ability with that. Now I need to give him the bow so the bow will have a spin and go into his foot. And at the same time, I know Nani. You know Nani. Nani is a flash player. He wants to show how good he is to everybody. And he is good. He have that tricks in the back. Here, there, a couple of times, he wants to embarrass the defender. I know that. This is going to take three, four seconds. Enough time for me to get to the box.

47:37Why do I need to sprint when I will get there? And I will look good. Elegance, poetry in motion. And while I give the ball to Nani, he started to do his own thing. Now I'm going to the box, seeing where Waza is, where G was, who else was there in the pitch, I don't know. And now I see where my best position is. Nani is ready to pass me the ball. I'm like, here we go. Give me the ball, man. I'm ready. So give me the ball, I score. But this was a team goal. Without Nani and Pat trusting me, me trusting them was not going to happen. Because I see sometimes football like this. Like you need to know your teammates and to know how they play.

48:20So they will make you look good and you make them look good. At the same time, I also see football as a kung fu. Because when I was growing up, I watched a lot of kung fu movies. like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Bruce Lee, stuff like this. Or old Kung Fu masters like this. And in the movies, the master was always really elegant, moving slow, you know. And the student was always puffing and fighting and just sweating and stuff like this. I always wanted to be like the master. And that's how I actually wanted to project myself on the pitch, like with elegance, like playing with the ball, but in a masterful way of elegance.

48:58Was that natural or was that you actually conditioned yourself to be that more elegant player? I did it by the way of touching the ball. So first was throwing the ball and stopping, throwing and stopping when I was early age, like a kid. But then eventually when you grow up, when your game evolves, then you start to mix it and be like, be almost like a water, shifting your body and adjusting because the ball is coming from different angles. So you need to know how to control it. Is it a chest? Is it with the feet? And all this time when I was doing this, I was basically trying to... It sounds like a science, but I was able to slow the ball while the ball was moving towards me.

49:42I was able to slow it, in my mind at least, so I can position my body the perfect, so I can stop the ball in the perfect way and then I can be free to start the move really quick. And when I hear the fans go, wow, while I was doing this. The best feeling. The best feeling ever. Sometimes not the goal, this feeling. So when the ball comes out of the air, you used to do that touch. Stop. Yeah, and then I hear the crowd. Man, it's unbelievable. And that turn when I did on the half elm. On West Ham. The moment I did it and I heard the crowd, and this is happening in like milliseconds. And I think to myself, even if you don't score now, this will be the best time of my life.

50:23But then, obviously, finish in the best way possible. So this was the moment as a football player, someone who see the game as me, that count the most. To hear the crowd be like, wow, because this is appreciation. This show of respect for what I try to do for them to entertain them. More than a goal? Sometimes more than a goal. Because you can hear that when you're on the pitch. You can hear the bulls, but you can hear in the other thing where I appreciate you for something you do on the pitch. And for me, How did you deal with boos? Well, that was, for me, I don't know about you, for me, boos can make you play shit, can make you hide from the ball, can make you small on the pitch.

51:09Boos also can make you angry. Boos also can make you angry, but also that anger can make you be like, Give me the ball, I'll show you what to do so I can shut you up. You know? But then either you take it as a fuel or it's going to make you hide from the ball. That happens to me as well. I'm not afraid to admit that sometimes I hide from the ball because I didn't feel confident enough. Is it? Yeah, because... And I think more players, even the more confident players, the players who you like, I'm above such things. You were mad confident as a footballer. I was, but we are all human beings. Bad words, bad manners, or something on the line of this, we always give to you one way or another.

52:02Yes, it can affect you, some people 100%, some people 10%. But you can hear it, it can affect you in a way. The same on the pitch, sometimes. You can lose confidence, but you can hide that vulnerability as well. but the Boots are part of life even now more than ever that takes me to people like Hoyland Cesco hasn't had that but new signings new strikers very similar situations to you what's your thoughts on the way that they've been treated but also the way they've handled things honestly how would you help Hoyland for instance he's now gone to Napoli he's flying by the way De Bruyne is setting him up with goals etc he's flying What's happened?

52:45What's the difference here? If I was there inside, maybe I'll try to understand if I play a midfield player. And I'll be like speaking with my strikers. How can I help you to make you look good? So you score the goals. And this way, you make me look good when I give you the pass. When you know how to run, you know how to use the space. When I know how to pass the ball to you on your preferred right foot or left foot. these type of things where it should be happening in the team but now when I'm watching from the outside especially the striker situation honestly I don't know what is the right answer here so what would you be saying to Sesko now if you were in the club now if you had five minutes of him

53:31know your teammates first and foremost know your teammates speak with them if you see that it's not working out quick enough or soon enough as you like. Speak with them. On the pitch, because he's a big, strong rat. He can run, he can cover the space, he can hold the ball. He's also, the goals that I saw him score in his previous club was unbelievable. Left, right, shooting. Oh! So I think he has the quality. I am cautiously optimistic. I don't want to jump up and down because Hoyland was the same, right? Everybody was optimistic, but it didn't quite work for him. So be confident in yourself. Be arrogant in a way that demand the ball from your teammates when you make the run.

54:26And when you make a good run, if the ball don't come for you, say it or express it in a way that your teammates will understand. that I am here. I'm making the run for you. Respect my run. Not every time, but try to see me and believe in what I can do with that run. Sometimes, be angry. Be more angry. Show your angriness with him. Scream, swear at him, whatever. Not personal. You know how it is. But just in a way that I'm here, man. That's why I'm here. Just give me the ball. Pass me. I'll try to score for you. Half time before the game, after the game, speak sometimes I think the players need to be more aggressive but what is the other word?

55:15Emotional. Emotional like in a way that pass me the damn bone man. Be angry with your teammate. Not always polite and best friends and buddies. Show yeah we're good friends outside on the pitch no problem but inside I'll show you when you're not doing the right thing and it's not impersonal But be more angry. Demand more from each other. And whoever is in the position of being the captain or this hierarchy, be the one to demand more from yourself and from them. So in the end, it comes down to the goals for the strikers. If they don't score goals enough, people will be on them. If you're someone who can stay in the box, then train on that.

56:00Be on the box. training session, after training session, on the empty goal, someone to give you the ball, just do tappings, do tappings, get the habit of scoring that easy goal as well. Of course, it's more easy said than done and you're going to miss goals here and there. It's part of life. But after that, get yourself together, be strong. Again, more easy said than done because you're going to go home when you miss a goal and be like thinking about it, thinking about it, thinking about it and digging a hole for yourself. And sometimes you cannot get out of that hole if you start thinking like this so good people around you as well to motivate you to to to keep your ambition going and not that despair that sometimes affect you and be like get into the depression of they pay so much money for me and i'm doing i'm not doing a good job and you sabotage yourself and you and then on top of that you read comments or abuse on social media so media doesn't like you for whatever reason, I don't know.

56:59And then that vicious cycle of negativity gets you and you're inside of it, you cannot get out. And then you need to move outside of the club to go to a different club and start producing like some of the players that... Hoyland, who else? Anthony, McTominay, Rashford, all good, good players. But one way or another didn't work quite well for them for United. And again, you know better than me, was it the price tag, the badge, the expectation of a brand like United. Walking into the change room at Old Trafford, like a lot of these guys are doing now, what is that like? For me, when I walked into the dressing room, on the way to the dressing room with the car, I was again mixed with emotional things.

57:48Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. One thing I will never forget, the day of the transfer, the night of the transfer when it happened i went to my room in the lauri hotel where everything was happening i sit on the bed i was so tired i was so happy i was so proud of myself and then i received messages uh from uh i think it was gary neville from michael carrick for post course i think for ryan gigs like welcome back burps welcome welcome welcome welcome you didn't send me anything. I was waiting for you to prove. But this was also a moment that never happened before for me and I'm seeing the messages and I'm sitting on the bed and I'm thinking to myself, look at this man.

58:38These people, how they welcome me. Like winning the Premier League, you won the Champions League that year as well and I'm thinking they welcome me like welcome I would just sit in there something you know sometimes you just sit and you stay in a space and you're like trying to appreciate what is happening with you be grateful for what is happening and this was for me in that moment like realization I made it I made And then everything after that. Getting into the dressing room and all this success and failures and goals and banters and teammates. This is what probably the players will miss the most when they stop playing.

59:24That togetherness and being there. Yes, sometimes you don't speak so much with your teammates, but you know that you are there in the room. you cannot like everybody but you are part of the group of the family and on the pitch I will do everything for you even if I don't like you I don't speak so much but you're in a better position than me I'll give you the ball because you score we win we look good everybody likes us everybody's happy that's what it is and that's probably what I miss the most to be honest and of course playing but I don't know how it was with you but when I stopped part of me died died Part of me died.

1:00:04It's just, wake up and you're like... What am I doing? Yeah, you can be prepared for the next stage of your life in a way, but still that ritual that you were doing for 20 something years is gone. Now wake up, breakfast, go teammates, go this, go that, and it's gone. Wow. Vobar, quickly before we go, five-a-side team. Every player gives us their five-a-side team. we've had some great ones. No goalkeepers. Including myself? Oh no. No, no, no. Okay. Five aside. 2-2-1. Okay, 2-2-1. You want me to put you inside? Do what you want.

1:00:52Well, it's not fair, man. It's going to be a boring team. I play with the best player in United. Although in Monaco I used to also play with great players. But I'll go with you and Vida in the back. And then I'll have probably Scorsi in the middle. But then I'll put James Rodriguez there. Oh, yeah. Good player. I played with him in Monaco. His left foot. The best left foot he played with? Probably. The assist he was giving me. And the way he just seen football. It's unbelievable. The time I played with him, two years, unbelievable. So I put him because in small spaces, technique, he's great. And then I put one striker.

1:01:37I can say easily Ronaldo, right? But Ronaldo for me is on the big pitch, where he can express everything that you do. In the small spaces, probably Waza will be the best. Okay, that's not a bad team. I made it. I made it, guys. Because you... Because I'm here. Yeah, because you're here otherwise. Well, listen man, Bobs, really appreciate it, man. Thank you, man. Love having you on the sofa. Thank you for having me. Great, man. I've learned a little bit more about you, man. Don't forget you owe me now. I intimidated you. That's what I've learned. Well, the difference is I'm not afraid to admit stuff like this.

1:02:10That's good. Because this is what you need to do. It's not a shame. It's not weakness. You just say what it is.

1:02:30Thank you.