Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic is a former altar boy who watches videos of Paul Scholes to improve
Devout Christian has joined the Blues on a season-long loan from Real Madrid and has been studying the Manchester United legend to prepare
MATEO KOVACIC was an altar boy and Christianity is a big part of his life.
Slightly further down the pecking order from God is another divine figure to many — Paul Scholes.
Chelsea’s new recruit Kovacic is determined to learn the English way of life and of playing football.
And part of that process has involved studying YouTube videos of Manchester United’s legendary midfielder.
In his first interview since signing a season-long loan deal from Real Madrid, Kovacic said: “Every player has to be himself— but for me Scholes was one of the best ever.
“He was amazing. I still enjoy watching his videos on YouTube.
“Sometimes I go home and watch him to learn something new.
“He had everything, he was the modern midfielder — scoring goals, defending well, tackling. I don’t copy anybody but I do like to watch Scholes. I also watch other players to see what I can do better.
“Players like Luka Modric and Andres Iniesta, too.”
As we chat at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground, 24-year-old Kovacic admits he is a long way behind his hero in one particular department — scoring goals.
Scholes hit 155 in 718 appearances for United.
Kovacic did not find the net at all last season and said: “That is the problem in my career, I have not scored enough — and it’s something I need to improve on.”
But the former Dinamo Zagreb ace should be fit to resume his quest to hit the net at West Ham in tomorrow’s Premier League derby.
His exploits with World Cup- finalists Croatia impacted on his pre-season, as he arrived late.
He admits victory over England in the semi-finals was “great” but what he will never forget are the spectacular scenes which greeted him and his team-mates when they touched down for their homecoming in Zagreb.
The open-top bus parade from the airport to the city centre took longer than the flight from Russia because the streets were so packed with fans. Kovacic said: “It was incredible, the Croatians are like that. They are amazing fans. There were 600,000 and the bus journey of a few miles took 6½ hours.
“The organisers did not expect so many supporters and they gave us a bus with no toilet on.
“We had to stop en route and go into a fire station to take a pee!”
Married to Izabel, but with no kids, Kovacic was born in Austria and speaks five languages.
He admits it was a big call to leave the Bernabeu in a deal which is likely to become permanent.
But Kovacic says his strong faith still guides him at such times.
He said: “Since I was very little, I would go to church every Sunday with my family and we also prayed at home every day.
“I feel the strength of this and it gives me power when times are not so good.
“It gets me through. The church is still part of my life. I met my wife there when I was 15.
“She was my first love. It feels strange playing on a Sunday, because in Croatia it is when we would go to church. But as long as I still go a couple of times during the week it is OK.”
And Kovacic, who has made four Blues appearances so far, admits it is good to feel wanted again after long spells on the sidelines with Real and Inter Milan.
He added: “It was difficult when I was playing less — now I am involved more and it helps me a lot.
“I was 18 when I went to Inter and then Madrid at 21. Maybe it was a bit too fast.”
Chelsea striker and former team-mate at Madrid, Alvaro Morata, helped swing his old pal’s move to England.
Kovacic said: “Alvaro told me Chelsea are on the same level as Madrid. The fans can expect me to always give 100 per cent.
“I will do my best to play good football for them.”
If he can be half as good as Scholes, it will be plenty.
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