Sid Lowe (adores Dani ) interviewed Dani Alves
Dani Alves
Barcelona's brilliant full-back on why he loves Wayne Rooney, reading Paulo Coelho and who'd win a fight between a lion and a tiger
Now then Dani, Small Talk knows you're the second best player in the world – but who's the best? I don't know about that. But I would like to say something in defence of, er, defenders. The players on the shortlist for the awards are always the same – they're always the attackers, the creative players. I like attacking football, but that's not the only thing the game's about. I would like the net to be cast a bit wider.
To take in yourself, perhaps? I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about other parts of the pitch being included so that kids don't only look to forwards as role models. It would be nice if they want to be the next [Carles] Puyol, too, or the next [Eric] Abidal. Kids focus on the 'best' – then when they get together to make a team there's 11 strikers or No10s. And what happens then? The big kid gets stuck at the back, ha ha!
So, anyway, who is the best? Without any doubt at all, Leo Messi. He can do things that no one else can do. He is unbelievable.
Not Wayne Rooney, then? I have a real weakness for Rooney … he's incredible, incredible. He's fantastic. The way he works. He's perfect. He's better than Cristiano Ronaldo but Ronaldo took protagonism off him last year. Rooney was practically playing at left-back sometimes. The game that he played here against Barcelona in the Champions League, when Ronaldo missed the penalty, he was at left-back …
You must have been pleased. For us it's better – the further away he is from our goal the better. But for those who have a passion for football, it's a disaster. When you see a player that good with that quality stuck at left back, buf! But that's the thing: sometimes it's hard in a team to have lots of players with big names; sometimes they take something away from each other. Right now, maybe Manchester United play better as a team than before, when they had Ronaldo. They're as good, or better, as they were.
But Rooney accepted it ... Yeah, that's being a professional, loving your job, feeling your job. If you have to play at full-back, you play at full-back … but Rooney knows that his best position is up front – and he's proving that. He's got over 30 goals. It's incredible.
Who is the hardest player you've ever faced? [Franck] Ribéry … [Andrés] Iniesta when I was at Sevilla … and when I'd just arrived in Spain, Denílson, who was at his best at the time.
If you could sign one player for Barcelona, who would it be? Kaká. Not just because he's my friend but also because I think he'd suit us very well. I really like the players we have got, who are phenomenal, but he would add a little bit to us. Off the pitch, he is very bright. He speaks five languages and has studied.
Next up, Inter. Which means Samuel Eto'o versus Zlatan Ibrahimovic, versus their former clubs. Why did Barcelona buy Zlatan? Is he your Plan B? And do you miss Eto'o? Obviously. He's one of the best forwards in the world – for his work rate and his goals. But life goes on and you can't miss him too much. Before we didn't have what Zlatan offers us - we couldn't play so directly. I think that was the idea in signing him.
You're good friends with Robinho. What has he told you about Manchester? That he was very happy there.
Really? Yes, he was happy with the club and his team-mates but when you don't play and don't enjoy yourself … I think it was a mistake for him to go there. It's just not his football, it's not his style. He's slight, not very imposing, and you need to be stronger there – stronger than he is. The football there is tougher. I think it was an error to go there for him. It doesn't suit him.
Would it suit you? I love English football. I love the way people live it so intensely. It's a pasada [great fun]. I watch loads of football; whenever I am not playing I am at home watching matches, including the English league. I admire English football a lot. If I ever left here, I'd have not problem going there. I love the stadiums.
Unlike in Spain? It's strange for a Brazilian who is used to seeing fans on the go for 90 minutes. I came here and there were periods of silence in the game and I thought: 'What's this?' When it's a big game here, the fans really get behind the team [but] if it's an ordinary game, people go to the football more in expectation. They enjoy themselves, but if things don't go really well they are quieter. In the second division in Brazil at a mid-table club the atmosphere is unbelievable, far better. I love the atmosphere in English grounds.
There have been rumours about you going to England, with both Liverpool and Chelsea said to be interested. Yes. In truth, it took me quite a long time to leave Sevilla. Liverpool happened early on and I didn't push to go because I had not been at Sevilla for long but later on there was interest from Chelsea, and they asked me to stay because we had a first ever Champions League campaign coming up. They promised I could go at the end of the season. Then they tried to get me to stay the following year too but I decided enough was enough. When Barcelona came in I didn't even want to listen to other clubs.
So, who is your favourite English football team? [In English] Is a good question … in this moment Manchester …
You mean City, right? That's the one. Hahahaha! No. Manchester United.
What was the last CD you bought? It was a DVD, of a Brazilian group … called Revelation. I asked them to send it to me – it's Samba. Brilliant. English music? I've got lots – Chris Brown is my favourite.
What about Coldplay? Viva la Vida become Barcelona's anthem … Well, I like that song.
What was the last book you read? I haven't finished it yet but I'm reading The Winner Stands Alone by Paulo Coelho. My wife recommended it to me. It reflects a lot of things in life, it's very real. It's about having hope when things are hard. It's a very good book.
Finally, who would win a fight between a lion and a tiger? Me.
Eh? The lion. He's the king. The king doesn't lose. He gets hurt but he doesn't lose.
Thanks Dani. No worries, Small Talk. [In English] Nice to meet you … Hahahaha!
