De Rossi on... his greatest successes, his hardest decisions, his future and more

In a long, soul-baring interview with the Italian magazine 'Undici', Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi reflects on the success he has enjoyed in his career, the difficult decisions he has made during it, and what he still hopes to achieve in the future.

De Rossi on... his childhood

"I was happy as a child. I never went without, but I wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in my mouth either. My dad played football in Serie C and my mum was the secretary of the president of ENI. The first shock I experienced was when my little sister arrived when I was seven and a half and another was moving home to follow my dad. I didn’t like it too much.

"It’s not like I was scarred by frequently having to move, but whenever you had to go somewhere else, you were always the one with the accent that stood out."

De Rossi on... sport being in his blood

"As a youngster, I still couldn’t make up my mind: I liked volleyball and basketball a lot. I was sure I’d grow up to be an athlete, but I still had to make up my mind. It was only years after that I decided I’d become a footballer to get by."

De Rossi on... enjoying football

"I started playing football when I was young but not because I had the dream or presumption that I’d eventually be a footballer. I played it because I really enjoyed it. In fact, in my early years at Roma I wasn’t playing much. I wasn’t in the starting XI or one of the stars you’d pick out as a future great or Roma captain. That wasn’t the case at all."

De Rossi on... a change of position at 17

"It was Arezzo v Roma and I remember I was warming up with someone who’s since become one of my best friends, Emanuele Mancini. We were losing 1-0 and they [the coaches] were shouting, “You’re going on.” Emanuele thought they were talking to him, but actually it was to me. I came on, made a couple of assists and changed the game: we won 2-1. But the thing I remember most from that match was when our captain was sent off unfairly.

"We were defending the 2-1 lead almost until the final minute, when one of our centre-backs misplaced a pass. I chased down the opponent, who was in on goal, pulled him back and upended him. The ref blew for a foul but didn’t send me off because he clearly knew he’d messed up before.

"So, I come on, change the game, I’m not sent off while my team-mate is and in the next game I took his place in midfield. From then on, the coach never took me out of the line-up. Mauro Bencivenga was his name: I owe a lot to him because he was the first to realise what my position should be, even before I did."

De Rossi on... unimaginable success by 22

"I had success straight away at 22 years old [with the World Cup]. If you win at 27, it’s different, but at 22 it means starting with a bang and having certain expectations. It all happened really quickly: first winning the Euros with the Under-21s, then bronze medal at the Olympics and finally at 22 – boom – world champion.

"Maybe that was the catch: not carrying on winning afterwards. Maybe that’s what everyone expected. Back then my phone was going off all the time: every day there was a new club, every day there was someone. It was wonderful, but in the end I had this strong feeling that made me realise I wouldn’t like being a long way away."

De Rossi on... making tough career choices

"I regret not having experienced the atmosphere of another country both inside and outside of the stadiums. I would have liked to see how people live elsewhere. Nevertheless, I was always aware of the choices I made, even if some people think they were stupid. I was aware that, professionally speaking, they were the ‘wrong’ choices to make. This kind of decision is viewed as something like great altruism, a love for the shirt or the fans, but this is only part of the truth.

"The other part is that it was a very selfish decision, in the sense that I actually needed to play for Roma. I get physical and emotional pleasure when I pull on this shirt to play. Those years when I was on the verge of leaving were very strange, like when at Christmas, maybe, I knew that in January I might be leaving the club. During the last home game before Christmas, players usually go into holiday-mode as soon the referee blows the final whistle. I, on the other hand, would walk on the pitch almost in tears at that point. I’d look around and think this could be my last match at the Olimpico… It happened to me and I realised I couldn’t do without it.

"Living without Roma would have hurt me more than not experiencing Real Madrid v Barcelona [as a player] or not playing at the best stadiums in England. At least, that’s what I think, but there’s no way of testing the other side of the argument."

De Rossi on... the present

"I’m good, I’m happy. I’ve begun to feel like a proper footballer again these few years, a top-class player. My performance level had dropped before and I lost a bit of faith that I could still hack it with my physique in Italy and Europe. But partially my stubbornness and largely the Euros, the build-up under [Antonio] Conte and all the work that [Luciano] Spalletti has done with this great team he’s built came together to make everything so much easier.

"It’s been a while that everything slotted back into place. Conte arrived and he motivates you when things aren’t going so well, the Euros then panned out as they did, even if it ended on a sour note, but it was still like a bell going off: you can still play and even do well at this level. After that, the season with Roma started up again and, both personally and as a team, it was going well. All this made me realise I’m still an excellent footballer."

De Rossi on... his respect for Spalletti

"He’s the coach who’s had the biggest effect on me, the one who I’ve had for the longest period of time. He first came when I was still very young. Nowadays, I realise that when I hear him speak about a player, a situation or a movement, I’ve thought the same thing one hour before. I’m beginning to view football through the eyes of this coach, and it looks good. Aside from what I’ll end up doing, aside from the fact he’s sometimes difficult, Roma should do everything to keep hold of him because he’s only going to get better."

De Rossi on... his relationship with Totti

"For these 16 years, I’ve afforded myself a luxury that not many people have had: not thinking of him purely as an idol. Being side by side with him every day, you start thinking it’s normal to be sat next to a player who isn’t normal. What he’s done is more than normal, because he’s phenomenal and has been for 25 years. I’ve still got that fervour which I’ve always had for him as a player, but I’ve always thought of him as a team-mate, in the same way I thought of [Max] Tonetto, [Marco] Cassetti or [Mirko] Vucinic – i.e. those I was particularly close to.

"The same way I thought of [Andrea] Pirlo in the national team. Not because he’s the same level as those other players, but because he’s become a friend. The fact he’s the best player in Roma’s history and among the top five in Italian history – in my opinion, the best of them all in some respects – hasn’t influenced the way I think about him. So, when I had to protect him from an opponent, I protected him; when I had to discuss something with him, I discussed it; when I wasn’t happy about something, I’d let him know; and when I had to show him affection, I showed it to him."

De Rossi on... the future

"There are some players who want to finish soon and some who want to finish at 40 years old. I think I want to be somewhere in the middle. I want to sign off with great dignity. If I were to realise that I’m no longer in the right shape and I can’t keep up with my team-mates, I’ll stop, but it won’t be self-punishment or self-flagellation, simply an understanding of how things are."

De Rossi on... becoming a coach?

"I could do it. I see a lot of players say, ‘I could never be a coach. When I stop, I’m going on holiday for life.’ Then six months later they’re doing anything even to get a chance of coaching in Serie C. I’m not ruling out. I’m lucky: I’ve played under two of the best coaches in the world: Spalletti and Conte. The third being Luis Enrique. I’ve played alongside another, Pep Guardiola. If I had to choose where to start, I’d ask to go and watch him in order to learn. Yes, coaching might be something I’d like to do. Not immediately but with time it could interest me."

De Rossi on... his travelling plans

"The simplest one is the year after I retire, I’d like to do a lot of travelling and go around the world with my kids. It’s a really obvious example, but travelling is something that inspires me the most..."