Mateo Kovacic spoke to Realmadrid.com and Realmadrid TV in his first ever interview as a Real Madrid player. The Croatian midfielder, who is still coming to terms with seeing his dream come true, is solely focused on winning trophies for Real Madrid: “The first team I knew about as a boy was Real Madrid and I still can’t believe that I’ve joined. This is a club used to winning trophies and I want to lift as many as possible”. He was also full of praise for Rafa Benítez: “It’s an honour to work under one of the world’s best coaches”.
How did you feel being on the Santiago Bernabéu pitch?
“It’s a dream for me and for any footballer. It has come true for me at just 21 years of age. I’d like to thank everyone at the club for the support they’ve shown. I’m living a dream. My whole family and I are delighted to be here and I hope to stay for a long time to come.”
Did you dream about this moment when you were a child?
“I don’t think I was alone in doing that, it’s the dream of every player. I never expected my dream to come true so soon. I’ll never forget my presentation.”
What is your objective for this new challenge?
“First of all I want to adapt to the team and learn as much as I can from my team-mates. Real Madrid are a club used to winning trophies and I want to lift as many as possible.”
What has surprised you most since joining Real Madrid?
“For me it’s all one big surprise: the organisation of the club and all the great people I’ve met so far. I already feel at home. I’ve felt at home since my first day here.”
How would you describe your playing style? Who is Mateo Kovacic out on the pitch?
“It’s always difficult to talk about yourself and I don’t like talking about myself. You’ll have the answer after I’ve played my first match.”
What is your earliest memory of childhood?
“I can remember my mother taking me to my first training session and everyone realising that I was a good player. I was signed immediately. My dream was always to play for a great team like Real Madrid.”
What is your first memory of Real Madrid?
“The first team I knew about as a child was Real Madrid. Now I’ve joined them. Back then all my team-mates dreamed about playing for Real Madrid. I still can’t believe that I’m part of the team now.”
You’ve spent the last two and a half years in Italy. What did you learn over there about football and life?
“I learned a lot and not just about football, I matured a lot. Two and a half years have gone by and I’m grateful to everyone at Inter Milan. I had a marvellous time there. A new challenge has now presented itself at Real Madrid and I’m fully focused on my new team.”
During your time in Italy you faced off against Benítez on many occasions. What do you know about your new coach?
“He’s a great coach, he has won loads of trophies and for me it’s an honour to work under one of the best managers in the world. I’ve played against his teams a number of times and he deserves to be at the helm of a team like Real Madrid.”
How significant will Luka Modric be for you in this new step in your career?
“Having the support of a player like Luka Modric is really important for me. He has been here for two or three years now and I’m sure that he’ll be able to teach me a lot. I hope that we can play together for many years.”
Do you think that you come into this challenge at your best, or will we see better from Mateo Kovacic in the seasons to come?
“I’m still very young. I’m sure that I’ll learn a lot from my team-mates in the dressing room, as I still have room for improvement. I hope to be able to show out on the pitch all that I’m capable of producing. There’ll also be difficult moments, no doubt. There are terrific players in this team and my task now is to show how good I am.”
On Tuesday you were able to watch the Santiago Bernabéu Trophy; what were your feelings on seeing your new team-mates in front of you?
“I wasn’t at the stadium. I watched it on television and I saw that the Bernabéu is always a full house, with a great atmosphere in the stands. I really want to experience that in the ground.”
No doubt you’ll be itching to step out at the Santiago Bernabéu and play.
“Absolutely. It’s one of the best stadiums in the world, with the best team in the world, and I’ll play there very soon. It’s a huge honour. I hope that I can give the Real Madrid fans plenty to shout about.”
And now the moment has arrived for you to send a message to our supporters.
“Many thanks to everyone for all the support that I’ve received. I hope that we can share in many great times together. Hala Madrid!”
Source: realmadrid.com & fcinternews.it
