Dani Alves blasts ‘disrespectful’ Barcelona, why he didn’t like Mourinho’s ‘dirty’ Real Madrid and why football brings out the worst in people
Outspoken Brazilian gives explosive interview with insight into waking up at 4am to work on father's farm, at just six years old
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DANI ALVES has lifted the lid on his acrimonious departure from Barcelona and reveals he thinks fame is “s***” in a no-holds-barred interview.
The outspoken right-back he also explains why he believes football brings out the worst in people, why he thought Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid was dirty and what life growing up on a farm was like.
The outspoken Brazilian left Barcelona in the summer to join Juventus on a free transfer after winning a staggering 23 major trophies in eight years.
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And the right-back slot Alves vacated has been a problem position all season — with many asking why he was allowed to leave.
He explained to it was down a lack of respect from the Catalan giants: “I like to be wanted. If they don’t want me, I’ll leave.
“Leaving Barcelona on a free was punching them with class.
“During my last three seasons, I kept hearing ‘Alves is leaving’, but the directors would never tell me anything to my face.
“They were fake and ungrateful — they didn’t respect me.
“They only offered me a contract when they were sanctioned by Fifa.
“So, that was when I took control and signed an extension with a free release clause.
“Those that run Barcelona today have no idea how to treat their footballers.”
Like many Brazilian footballers, life wasn’t always easy in the beginning for Alves.
And he gave a little insight life was like growing up in the tiny Brazilian village of Juazeiro.
He added: “My father was a farmer and had an orchard about 18 miles from Juazeiro, where he harvested tomatoes, onions and melons.
“At the age of six, I was already waking up at four in the morning to help him.
“Juazeiro is a region which experiences extreme droughts and torrential rains in the different seasons.
“The harvest was not always secure and, for this reason, we would go out and hunt wild pigeons — so we also had meat to eat.
“At 14, some of my brothers, my cousin and I worked as extras in a film called The Battle of Canudos.
“They gave us food and paid us 5brl [around £1.29], which was a lot of money back then.”
Before moving to the Nou Camp, Alves was a star at Sevilla.
And, in spells at the two clubs, he won a total of 33 major trophies — which includes a whopping nine European honours — to become the second-most successful non-Spaniard in La Liga history after Lionel Messi.
But, despite coming from with such humble beginnings, he admits people are often in football for the wrong reasons.
Alves even quoted a famous Disney animation to emphasise his point.
He insisted: “Yes, [winning a lot as a footballer] is good, but like they say in the film Cars, ‘They are just empty trophies.'
“Winning many honours does not make you a better person, nor does it bring you happiness — it brings you a fake life.
“You should wake up and fight for your objectives. But, once you’ve achieved them, you should throw them away and think about new challenges.
“I don’t enjoy momentary happiness. I like to work day-by-day and always be happy.
“For this reason, when I won a Champions League, I didn’t take 300 pictures with the cup.
“It’s just a trophy.”
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And he launched a scathing attack on fame and on what he describes as a “fake life” and “fake people” brought on by footballing superstardom.
Alves blasted: “Football is just very hypocritical and for this I am disillusioned.
“Fame is s***! When I was younger, I would practice my signature, because I dreamt of being famous, being important and signing autographs.
“But this mentality is really just the innocence of a child. In reality, I had no idea what it meant.
“Now that I am famous, I am aware that famous people are poorly viewed.
“Football brings jealously, hypocrisy and fake friends.”
Dani Alves' honours in Spain
Sevilla
Copa del Rey: 2006–07
Supercopa de España: 2007
Uefa Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07
Uefa Super Cup: 2006
Barcelona
La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16
Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16
Supercopa de España: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
Champions League: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
Uefa Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
Fifa Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
Individual
La Liga's Best Defender: 2009
Uefa Team of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015
Fifa FIFPro World XI: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
Alves joined Barcelona in 2008 as one of Pep Guardiola’s first signings and, two years later Mourinho was named manager of Real Madrid.
The Special One’s arrival upped the ante in is what was already considered European football’s biggest rivalry.
El Clasico is renown worldwide as the game but during Mourinho’s time, it became toxic with clashes often turning feisty — and Real Madrid receiving FOUR red cards in the five matches in his first season alone.
But Alves admits he didn’t enjoy the rivalry.
He blasted: “Mourinho’s Madrid didn’t know how to lose. They played a dirty game.”
Alves, 33, is known as a footballer who likes to enjoy himself, having gained a reputation for his imaginative Instagram videos.
And, he admits music is a career path he would like to follow when he finally hangs up his boots.
He said: "I would have loved to be Formula 1 driver. I love driving and the adrenaline or a racing car.
“ But I love music and my hobby is football.
“I am convinced than in another life I would have been a singer.
“When I was younger, we had a group and we even made our own instruments.
“My father worked in a club which contracted music bands.
“I have a brother who is a singer and have a production company in Brazil called Compongo.
“I help groups starting out, help them get recognition.
“When I quit football, I will dive full throttle into music. It is my great passion.”