DEL PIERO QUOTES
THIS SECTION WAS CREATED BY COMBING THROUGH HUNDREDS OF OLD MAGAZINES, STARTINGIN 1994) NEWSPAPERS AND WEBSITES. I HAVE TRIED TO PUT THESE IN ORDER OF THE OLDEST FIRST. I HAVE PUT THE DATE OF THE MAGAZINE OR NEWSPAPER I GOT IT FROM AND A HINT ON WHAT DEL PIERO WAS TALKING ABOUT.
****APRIL 1995****
ON HIS LIFETIME LOVE FOR FOOTBALL:
"Even as a child I was obsessed by the prospect of playing football. Nothing else ever interested me. It was just football. Now I can echo what Gianni Rivera once said - I'm a happy man because my hobby and my profession are one and the same."
ON BAGGIO
"a magician"
ON SAVICEVIC
"unbelievable"
ON GULLIT
"an illusionist"
ON HIS GOAL IN 1995 AGAINST FIORENTINA WHICH HE ADMITS WAS HIS FINEST
" a piece of luck"
ON ALL THE MONEY HE'S MAKING
"Money is not everything. My ambition was football itself not the money I'd make from it. If that brings me and my family a more comfortable lifestyle then that's fine. But I don't spend my time between games and training sessions thinking about figures."
ON MAKING IT TO FRANCE 98
"IF I still have the luck"
ON WINNING THE 94/95 CHAMPIONSHIP
"Winning away to Parma was just one hurdle. But they won't fall away behindus just because they lost one game. They will make it hard. So will Lazio and Roma and Sampdoria and Milan. But I think we're ready for them."
***APRIL 1998****
ON BECOMING THE TOP SCORER IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AFTER A HAT-TRICK AGAINST MONACO
"I'm the leading scorer in the cup and that's lovely but don't forget this is also a great moment for the whole squad, when the two things coincide you can't ask for more"
ON MONACO'S GOAL AGAINST JUVENTUS THAT DEFLECTED OFF HIS LEG
"I even scored Monaco's goal too. Please, put it down as an own goal for me."
****May 1998****
AMID THE CELEBRATIONS OF WINNING THE LEAGUE DEL PIERO SAID:
"This is our home, and here, it's me who's in charge."
WHEN ASKED TO EXPLAIN THE ABOVE STATEMENT
"The fact is that there's been a race between me and Ronaldo all season for the title of 'phenomenon. What I meant was that inside our stadium, Ronaldo doesn't count for anything. As far as our fans are concerned, I'm the only one who counts; along with my teammates, obviously."
ON HIS VICTORY OVER RONALDO BY WINNING THE LEAGUE
"It's true, I feel like I've won the first battle between us two, But I certainly don't think that it will end here with this season's championship.Being matched against Ronaldo is something that makes me feel proud and something that makes me motivated as well."
ON HIS PART AS A GOAL SCORER AND TEAM LEADER IN JUVENTUS TITLE VICTORY
"The championship was won by me and my teammates in equal measure, Naturally, it's nice to be the centre of attention, and the fact that I've scored more goals than in past years and have scored more than my teammates has obviously given me a high profile. I've just tried to do my best as always... and I've definitely grown. But I have to thankmy teammates and all those who have worked with us."
ON THE RECENT REFEREEING CONTROVERSIES AND CLAIMS THAT ITALY'S MATCH OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN HELPING JUVENTUS.
"The satisfaction at having won the league goes far beyond all the things
****JULY 1998*****
(interview from World Soccer Magazine)
YOU HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL SEASON WITH JUVENTUS. HOW DO YOU FANCY YOUR CHANCES IN FRANCE WITH ITALY.
"Its a great event, obviously. My first, but I hope not my last. But I haven't got a regular place in the Italy team. I'm not guaranteed one just because my name's Del Piero."
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE FACT THAT YOU'RE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF THE STARTING 11?
"Italy have plenty of high-quality players. Newcomers need time to get adjusted to the set-up and the system of play. I'm very young, and although I think I have shown good quality in my international games, I realise that there are plenty of others competing for places - even Baggio and Zola, who have had such bad luck with injuries, aren't out of it. But I feel comfortable about my form. The right moment might have come for me to be really appreciated at national level."
WHY HAVE THINGS GONE SO WELL FOR YOU THIS SEASON?
"This has been my first season without injuries. I've been able to train continously instead of having to go for treatment. I've been well treated by the media and my team-mates, which helps me to have confidence in my own strengths. And don't forget that this is my fourth year in Seria A, so I'm quite experienced now."
YOU'VE BECOME A KEY MAN IN THE NATIONAL SQUAD. HOW DOES THAT FEEL?
"I try to stay at peace with myself, feet on the ground. I was like that when I was on the way up, an ordinary player, and now that I'm a bit different I try not to get carried away, though it's not easy to maintain your balance, mentally. Luckily, thanks to the way my parents taught me, I think I can handle the fame in the right manner. Every time I go on the field I long to give the best of myself - and being a Juventus player means you can't take things easy. Sapring yourself is forbidden."
WHAT ABOUT YOU AND RONALDO? HOW DO YOU COMPARE?
"No, no, no! I don't want to make such comparisons, nor hear them."
BUT THEY'RE OF INTEREST TO THE WHOLE SOCCER COMMUNITY...
"I've never considered one player to be all-important. In football you win or lose together as a team. I've scored frequently for Juve, and made some goals as well, but I couldn't do it without the others in the side, the defendersand the midfielders. And the keeper."
BUT THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR INDIVIDUAL GENIUS IN A TEAM GAME...
"People say that Maradona won the 1986 World Cup for Argentina by himself. What a mistake! He was in an extraordinary team, he didn't play opponents on his own. Talking so much about forwards is an insult to defenders."
OK, IT'S A TEAM GAME -SO HOW DOES A TEAM WIN A WORLD CUP?
"Your team's collective output must amount to more than the others. Your men must be united, and you must believe that you can win, believe that more strongly than the others."
ARE YOU WORRIED THAT YOU MIGHT FEEL EXHAUSTED IN FRANCE?
"No, Absolutely not. These are the matches you've been waiting for since last summer's training. At this stage you don't feel tiredness."
HOW DO YOU RATE THE ITALY TEAM?
"We have great potential, no weak spots. When we're together we leave our personal troubles at home, and our club problems at the club. But we'll miss Ciro Ferarra, who won't be fit in time after injury. That was a blow to the team as well as to him. He's one of those players who gives the others confidence."
WHICH PLAYERS WILL BE OUTSTANDING IN FRANCE?
"Roberto Carlos of Brazil and Marcelo Salas of Chile"
WILL THERE BE A DUEL BETWEEN DEL PIERO AND RONALDO IN THE FINAL?
"Yes. Do you feel better now?
