“I love Brazil, I was there for the World Cup finals. During ten days I saw the passion that breathes for football. At Copacabana and Ipanema I saw many pitches on the beach, a dream for any kid. I’m a friend of Ronie, I think he was the best player I ever played with, I do not say this because he is my friend, but because he did the things that could possibly only be done by Maradona, maybe… Messi.” Marco Materazzi spoke to ‘Esporte Espetacular’, a show on Radio Globo. Many topics were addressed by the former number 23 of Inter, from the head of Zidane in the World Cup final won by Italy, to his relationship with Ronaldo and Julio Cesar, close friends as well as Mourinho, the Special One with whom he rose to the roof of Europe together with at Inter.
RONALDO – “Why I consider him the best? Ronie was a player who could win games by himself. Absolutely. I remember the 2002 World Cup, he had eight goals and won the Cup, I am not saying he did it alone, but almost. Only the physical problems stopped him from winning three World Cup like Pelé. If he had felt well in the World Cup in France perhaps the tune would be another.”
RIO AND JULIO CESAR – “I love Brazil, I can not wait to go back. I was on vacation with my family and I loved it, because I was in the city of Julio Cesar, a brother to me, a person with whom I shared many victories. I repeat, can not wait to return to Brazil. It is a great place and cheerful. And the best thing is that it is always smiling.”
ZIDANE – “We are not friends. But I do not hold a grudge or hatred for him. Instead, I have respect for a great champion, a colleague, because he is a world champion like me. There are things that happen on every pitch, in every oratory, as they say in Italy, in every favela. The most important thing is that I won the Cup.”
WORLD CUP FINAL – “The first thing that comes to mind is the moment I lifted the cup. It was the best moment of my career. When you think that in your country, although small but with great traction football, only about eighty people may say: “I won the World Cup with Italy.” This is the greatest source of pride that a player can have. But I do not feel like a hero. I’m a normal person, simple. Perhaps the best thing is this: be simple to become great.”
MOURINHO – “José allowed me, although I was 37 then, the possibility to win everything you can win. When you want to grow and learn and meet sincere people, people who tell you things to your face, you may not get to the top, but you do, however, conquer a friend. So in those two years I gained a friend, who is José, and when that person goes away it leaves a void, a void that the following year meant that the team slowed down as a result.”
Source: fcinternews.it
