In an interview with David Ornstein of The Athletic, Thiago reflects on the injury that forced his retirement, discusses his collaborations with managers like Guardiola, Klopp, and Flick, and shares his views on beautiful football and youth player development. This article is the second part of that exclusive interview.

Other parts of the exclusive interview

Thiago: My body can no longer play; I'm very satisfied with my career

Thiago: My final appearance for The Reds was unplanned; I cried when my hamstring tore

Among all the head coaches you've worked with, who is the best?

All the coaches I've worked with have been exceptional. Pep is a genius—both tactically and in communicating his ideas to players.

Jürgen's strength lies in how he manages the team and makes them play with high intensity.

Luis Enrique is somewhat a combination of the two. But for me, a coach also needs to have a human touch. I experienced one of my best periods at Bayern when I worked with Flick, during my last eight months there.

He's tactically excellent and great at managing the team, but at the same time, he has a very close and human relationship with his players. If I were to become a coach or join a coaching staff, I would use him as a reference.

Do you remember when Pep moved to Bayern Munich?

Yes, I do.

He said you were the player he had to bring, the player he had to sign. That must have felt incredible.

Yes, of course. He was 99% of the reason I moved. Then you discover that it's a club with such a long history. You already know what Bayern is like in Europe, but once you actually arrive in Germany, you see how massive their influence is in the country. It's enormous.

But my transfer at that time was because of him. Initially, I wanted to stay in La Liga or move to the Premier League. But suddenly, the best coach you've ever seen tells you: "Come on, join me at this club I've just taken over."

Looking back at your career now, do you have any regrets? There must be some things you feel you could have done differently, or you might think: "I wish that hadn't happened that way."

No, because those experiences have shaped me into who I am now. I love the path my life has taken, I cherish those experiences, and I accept the mistakes I've made. These experiences and mistakes allow me to give useful advice to others now.

What mistakes did you make?

For example, how I prepared for matches, how I approached them, and not getting enough sleep. Sleep is one of my biggest regrets. I didn't sleep well, and it led to injuries.

Also, when I got home, I should have distanced myself from football a bit more. These are things I learned later, but it's just part of your personality. If you can improve these things and make your life easier, then do it.

Why didn't you sleep well?

I think it's related to my personality. I was always very dedicated, always thinking: "Okay, prepare everything; tomorrow will come."

Then you think: "I like being awake. A new day is coming soon; when will it arrive?" I've been like that since childhood.

You mentioned your children also don't sleep very well. I suppose they're taking after their father now.

It's starting to show. Maybe, maybe.

Well, you only have yourself to blame. Because you love life, you look forward to each new day, and you want to do more things.

Yes. When night arrives, I don't like it; I don't like the night. I'm always impatient for the next day to come.

If you weren't playing football, what kind of person would you be, or what would you do?

I think I'd be involved in something related to sports or teaching. I really enjoy both, because you can influence other people's lives. I love learning, and if someone is willing, I also enjoy passing on what I've learned to them. So I think if it weren't for football, I'd definitely do something related to sports.

If you could speak to your younger self—the six or eight-year-old boy—what would you tell him? Your upbringing was different from most people's. You were born in Italy, which many people don't know, because your father was playing there. And then where did you go—Spain?

Brazil, then Spain.

Now you've reached the end of this journey. If you could speak to a young boy or girl growing up now, what would you tell them?

I think they should enjoy not just the process of growing up, but their whole life. Because sometimes we become fixated on demanding or very specific personal goals, like improving our performance on the football pitch.

In Spain, we see eight or nine-year-olds who not only train with their team but also do individual coaching to improve and join better teams. But I think this is a learning process, and you should enjoy it. You need to enjoy not just football, but other sports and other things in life.

Are you concerned about children growing up in this era? You're also a father of three.

Hmm.

I always face these issues—whether it's electronic devices, social media, or various distractions.

I think, first, as parents we are indeed concerned. And then we also wonder what impact this new way of living will have on children, and how they'll adapt.

But we keep learning. You know, every day, every month, every year is a learning process. I just try to pass on what I learned from my father and my parents to my children, and my wife does the same. So we approach these things in a relatively relaxed way.

It's remarkable to think that your father was one of them; you just selected those three Barcelona midfielders as your best combination, but your father was also part of that celebration alongside those three Brazilian players back then.

No, my father has always been my idol. He played in midfield, participating in two World Cups—one as a left back and one as a midfielder. Who else could do that?

He was very talented. His passing and his understanding of the game were truly exceptional. But most importantly, I had a professional footballer at home. I could see what a professional footballer is like every day—how they eat, how they sleep, and what they're like as a father. So my father is my idol.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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