Full Dani Alves interview: People had lost respect for Barça

Dani Alves exudes charisma in abundance. The man from Juazeiro enjoys talking about football, “which saved my life”, like nobody else, and about Barça. Enemy of the cliché, the Brazilian analysed the club for SPORT in an interview in which he shows his incontestable sincerity. He got stuck into his future, Xavi's project, the transfer market – with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé as the main protagonists – and the potential return of Leo Messi for a "last dance". “No one has my energy. I can guarantee that”, he says when explaining his way of understanding life and the sport he loves so much. Undoubtedly, in this he is not mistaken.

You are the footballer with the most titles in history (44), the oldest player to play an official match and score a goal for Barça. Your biography is well known. Where do you find the motivation, that hunger for titles that has always characterized you?

I think it's a demonstration of perseverance, of respect for your profession, of love for what you do. Enjoying it too. When I decided to play football, to start my career, I always wanted to give my best while it lasted, until I felt like it was up. My desire is still intact. I can continue contributing things, competing, living the profession as it should be done. The sky is the limit. The human being lives setting limits, but I believe that we have to be unlimited every day. We have to depend on our desire, not on someone telling us that we can't do this or that. What comes out of me at the moment is to continue playing and enjoying it.

How was your return to Barça managed?

When I terminated my deal with Sao Paulo, I decided to stay without a team to plan my next step. I had options in Brazil and at other teams. I wanted to return to Europe to go to the World Cup. I thought that the only way to increase my chances was to play on a big stage. European competitions are a great stage. I wanted to show that I'm still worth it, that I'm still doing things the way I've always done them. I was waiting for the market to open so I could choose where to go. I did not imagine that it could be Barça, but I did have that tingling feeling. The lightbulb went off for me when I saw that people were not happy and that my possibilities were opening up. I sent a message to Joan (Laporta), I had already told him more than once that I was free and that I could help. He understood the difficulty of the moment, that the club was not working and that hiring a 38-year-old player was not the best possible message. People forgot, however, that this player's name is Dani Alves.

After 400 games in the Barça shirt, are you still the same footballer who arrived at the Camp Nou in 2008?

Football is like life: one detail changes everything. Nobody has my energy. I can guarantee that. I always try to make people have a good time, this profession is for this. If you enjoy it, the people around you will too. The years change, the kits, but not who we are. Nothing has changed at the level of energy, predisposition, happiness, and achievement. I come from building an incredible career, I have reached the top. I have no time to waste, I'm back at the best club in the world. Football and life have given me back everything I've done for this club, for this badge. I am the only historic Barça player who neither had a farewell nor an official photo with the trophies.

For any particular reason?

Because I didn't want to. I had this tingle that I would return. When I went to Juventus, they questioned me here. I wanted to leave and prove things. Time passed and my return got complicated, we have to be realistic. It was now or never. In the end, luckily, everything went well.

You arrived at a wounded team, in a crisis of results and identity. Now this Barça are capable of accumulating 14 games without losing and scoring four at the Bernabéu. Did the 4-0 get you going?

Other things also make me horny, but I have to confess that the 4-0 did too (laughs). I have lived historic moments against Madrid. The 4-0 was special because it was a sign that we are coming back in the best possible scenario. Barça compete again and excite people regardless of what we achieve at the end of the season. The fans went to the Camp Nou without knowing what they were going to see. Respect for the club had been lost. Everyone now knows that we are a competitive team. And that we are going to sweat for the shirt.

What has been the key to this metamorphosis?

The mood has changed. At Barça you have to come to work thinking you have the best job in the world. That you must suffer during the week to be able to enjoy the games. The only thing we've done is make the squad understand that if we don't pedal now, when are we going to? We have to get excited every day. If we don't sweat for it, it’s bad.

How was the mood when you arrived?

I found myself in a locker room with low self-esteem for whatever reason. You can't perform at your best if you don't believe in yourself. It is very important to feel that you are more ‘handsome’, more ‘interesting’ than the next guy. It is a mental issue. When the mind is weak, what comes from the outside can destroy you. Why can't I be today what I was in the past? I can be much more, even.

What can you tell us about Xavi as a coach? How would you define him?

One of the things that I like the most is that even in the coaching staff there are two blocks, one more experienced and the other younger. This combination is necessary to maintain a tradition and, at the same time, for the young people to start the revolution. You don't have to rush the process, it has to be something natural. This is not a 100 metre sprint, this is a marathon. It is harmony, balance, and respect.

You got to know him thoroughly as a player. Is he very different now?

Xavi's secret is hard work. We have to fight, to do what we have always done. The only thing that has changed is that he is now a coach. His point of view is the same as when he was playing. We are working very hard. It's the first time since I've been at Barça that I've worked like this.

More than during Guardiola's period?

Yes. With no one have we worked like this on a physical level. It is also important to note that football has changed. Guardiola had a lot of good players and we didn't have to run up and down. We recovered many balls in opposition territory. Now, from time to time, it is time to run and, for that, we need a good physical tone. Now the work we did before is not enough for us.

Are Guardiola and Xavi similar?

I already said ten years ago that Xavi would be Barça's Guardiola 3.0. Because of how he understands the game, because of the adaptation of his football to current needs and because he knows this ‘house’. He knows what is necessary here. You always have to find good operators to put the style into practice. That is the great secret of a good coach.

We imagine that the coach will have asked you to act as a leader.

Xavi doesn't have to ask me for anything. He already knows me and I know him. He know what he wants, what he likes and what he expects from me. Being a leader comes naturally to me, it is a natural process of life. I like to see people do well. I tell players to look around and appreciate what they have. Our profession is the best. Football saved my life and that of my family. I try to convey this to young people. We can change the lives of other people, we are not here to joke. This is much more than a game on the weekend.

What does Laporta mean to you?

For me, 'Jan' is the best president the club has had since I was part of its history. He feels Barça in his veins and suffers a lot when things don't go well. He will always look for a way to see Barça improve. You’ve got to take your hat off to him. It's a joy to see how someone who loves this club, who looks for the best, cares, so that everything goes well. After all, he makes this club bigger. To be president you don't have to stop being yourself. Same as being a player. People think I'm crazy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And it's not like that, only 24/6.5 (laughs). It seems that in order to be respected you have to act crazy. I adapt to the world and I am me. But I am also very aware of the world and its problems.

What is the 'Good Moments' project? What does it consist of?

I am a very concerned person on a social level, very concerned about the direction that the world and people are taking. I think the roles are reversed in many phases of life. Many people are mentally ill. To take care of my emotional health, my care, my longevity in the world of sports, we decided to create a solution in this regard. I had to take a lot of supplements. I told Marcos, the person who accompanies me and who cares about my well-being, and he did a lot of research to reduce the number of pills and create 'Good Moments' so that with two capsules in the morning and one at night they will balance my stress and vitamin levels. We have embarked on this adventure thinking about what we can contribute to society so that people have stability in terms of vitamins. Stress and lack of control are the main cause of poor decisions. It is not a project that was born without a base and with a single commercial objective. People have to make decisions at all times and must be serene to get them right. Between us we have to take care of ourselves more and not try to destroy each other. If all people lived well, the world would be much better.

Your return home has been practically perfect, but you had to go through a tough moment - your non-registration in the Europa League. How did you take it?

I always say that when things are done naturally and you know the person next to you, everything is much easier. I'm sure it was as difficult for Xavi as it was for me. He knows me and knows what I can contribute and how I take things. For me, honestly, it was a little easier to fit in than if it had happened to me at other stages of my career. I came here to help. If it has to be like this, go ahead. 'Don't feel bad,' I told him. We are all in the same boat, trying to rebuild Barça. He knows that he 'fucked' me, I didn't take it well, but I respected the decision.

With all the names that are spoken of, is it necessary to spend millions on Mbappe or Haaland? 

I would not throw everything at Haaland. Sincerely, I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on him. On Mbappe, yes, but Haaland no. I’m playing at sporting director here, but I’d bet on Mbappe first. He seems more complete in every aspect. If you are going to make a huge investment, you have to do it on the best. If it was up to me, I’d bet on Mbappe.

Have you tried to convince Dembele?

He’s at Barça, the best club in the world. What do I have to convince him of? He has the chance to live a beautiful story here. You don’t have to convince him of anything, people are the masters of their destiny but he’s at the best place possible. 

What feeling do you have? Do you think you will renew?

I have no idea. After all, I don't even know if I'll stay myself (laughs).

Haven't you talked to the club about your future? Still no firm decision?

No. I'm going to do the same as in my first spell: fight until the end. When I'm on a mission, I give myself to it with everything. I want to give my best version, be well. When the season is over they will let me know if I continue or not. No regrets. We are older now. The most important thing for me is transparency. It won't be a problem if they come and tell me to my face that I can't continue.

Is the World Cup in Qatar your last big challenge?

Not the last one, but it is important to me. Being able to try it one more time… That's the idea. I will try to make the third time the charm, although it is clear that there are other teams that also have a lot of chances to win. We will do everything that is within our reach. Qatar is a place that I really liked when I was world champion with Barça. Maybe it's a sign. I think we have a team to compete for the title without a doubt. We have quality, a generation that combines experience and youth. We will have possibilities, but we have to play. Well, first I have to be good enough to be called up.

If you can't win it, let Messi do it, right?

No, no, no. I don't give anyone chances. I want to win it. The World Cup has to be ours. We will do everything on our part to make it so. If not, we will steal the trophy (laughs).

You recently said that you don't see Leo happy in Paris. Would you like him to return to Barça?

I don’t know what he thinks or wants to do. He could come back for a little year with me for a 'last dance'. Why not? There’s nowhere better than here. We cannot be better off than at Barça. He left and tried the experience. It’s time to return home if he wants.