Events - 09 Nov 2006 - 5:47 PM

Alex Del Piero Birthday Special

As a boy, did he ever imagine he would become captain of Juventus, or even a football player for that matter? “When I was little I wanted to be either a truck-driver, a cook, or an electrician. Why? Because I wanted to travel, I liked eating and I wanted to follow in the foot steps of my father”. And now, after a legendary career with both the Bianconeri and the Azzuri, is there anything else he might have liked to have been? “I don’t know, maybe a rock star performing in front of 70 000 fans every night! There are also other sports I admire, especially when they’re played at the highest level. A golfer? Let’s just say I’m working on it!”. What about taking up a post on the board of directors when he hangs up his boots? “It’s not really something I’ve thought about, I still have a burning desire to play and to do well here. I’ll start thinking about other things much further down the line.”

This summer Alex finally laid his hands on football’s most coveted prize, but how has 2006 been for him as whole? “Personally, there have only really been highs this year. To date, I’m very satisfied with the way I’ve played, the goals I’ve scored and what I’ve won. The lows are nothing to do with me, they stem from the choices of others. Sure, I could have done better, I can still do better, but I’ve always been there, I’ve scored a lot of goals and I’ve won both a league title and a World Cup. Of course it would be nice to win every game, but on a wider scale there’s nothing for me to be unhappy about”.

Following this summer’s triumph in Germany, the captain had some big choices to make. “Despite everything that was happening, I arrived at my decision with complete peace of mind, and I believe I’ve gone through with it in the best way possible, with passion. It was important for me to stay and I’m satisfied I did. Of course there’s still something sad about being in Serie B this season, but the mission is to take Juve back in A and I’m not going to let any other thoughts get in the way of that”.

The way Alex sees it, things aren’t that different to how they were fourteen years ago. “I like to look at my career year by year. It was very hard being out injured for so long but when I came back in ’98 I had one of my best seasons ever. Since then I’ve been happy with the progress I’ve made. I’m more experienced now for a number of reasons, but my football is still the same. I’m not nineteen any more, but things aren’t radically different”.

At thirty-two, Del Piero is now one of the side’s veteran players. Does he ever worry about drawing nearer to the end of his career? “Not at all because I really don’t see myself in any sort of decline. Unlike others, it’s not something I’m worried about. What counts most is that I feel good and that I continue to be what I’ve always been: a protagonist in everything I do. As long as I’m enjoying myself and I’m happy at the club, I see no need to consider other options. People said I was in decline at twenty-seven but look at what’s happened over the last five years. People can see things how they want but I judge myself on how I play, whether I score, and what I bring home at the end of the season. I know I still have a good few years left in me at the highest level”.