“I was advised to come to Juve by Zidane, Platini, and Deschamps, it wasn’t an easy transition from Monaco to Juventus though. Ancelotti was coach, and I played with champions that I had admired on TV. A dream. I arrived from that decisive goal I scored against Italy in Euro 2000, I needed time to adapt. Ahead of me, there were great players. Not just those we remember like Inzaghi, Del Piero, Kovacevic, but also Fonseca, Esnaider. Late in the year I received more space and while we didn’t win anything, I learned very well that this place would be my home - Juve.”
“Then Lippi arrived - an idol of the fans. I realized it quickly, at our first summer training in the Val d’Aosta - he received more applause from the fans than us players. Incredible. He gave us a mentality and an exceptional desire to win. We changed systems, and there were a lot of players who left, there were even doubts about me. Inzaghi went to Milan, and I became the starting striker, though many were still skeptical (including Lippi, Marcelo Salas was supposed to replace Trezeguet). We ended winning the most beautiful Scudetto, one we sweat a lot for. The players we had that season kept on winning, and we could have continued, including that Champions League run, which is the thing I’m most disappointed about.
I remember the last match of the 2005-2006 season, we were in the locker room with the Scudetto already won, and made a pact - we would go on vacation, return, and then win that damned Champion’s League title. Instead, two months later, it was a disaster. I remained because I wanted to win one last thing before leaving, but there’s a bit of regret that I didn’t leave, and I think it’ll stay. I showed up to training without players like Ibrahimovic, Vieira, Cannavaro, Emerson, instead we had Primavera players and players returning from loan. Everything changed, including at club level. Fortunately, Deschamps knew what to do, and the young players quickly learned, Marchisio, Giovinco, and Chiellini exploded, and Camoranesi, Nedved, and Del Piero stayed. It became a smaller group, but a very united one, a familiar relationship and one on a human level, not just calcio-wise. Those who wrote an important part of Juve’s history, to bring the club from Serie B to Serie A.
The club didn’t realize how much force we spent to stay in Serie B. I wanted a clear and precise discussion on when we could return to winning. It wasn’t a question of money, which is important, but not fundamental. Until that moment, there was no clear discussion from the club. I left on vacation, and was called back to the club, I signed a contract in two minutes. The regret is that since 2006, we haven’t won anything. I prolonged my contract with Juventus thinking that we’d immediately return to winning, but it didn’t go that way, and it never was like it was before. I understood it would take a long time to win again- I played with Ferrara, Conte, Pessotto, Montero, Iuliano, people who knew how to win, and that all disappeared. Gianni Agnelli was a legend, he never minced words, he always was straight to the point, because he was used to winning. Finishing 2nd for Juve didn’t help anyone, the discussions that go on right now, of aiming for 4th place, they make me laugh. At Juve, you finish 1st, or it doesn’t matter. The players who came to Torino knew what they had to do, or they learned quickly. Gianni’s brother Umberto was similar, a great man, he always wanted to win, he didn’t know what losing was, and he didn’t like draws either. Everything changed, though.
Now there is Andrea Agnelli, who I’ve known for a long time. He liked to come to the pitch, to watch our games, he was our fan. He has seen a winning Juve, he’s smelled the best kind of air. With time, he can be the right man, but he needs help from those who know the history of Juventus, their winning DNA, but I don’t see that now. Nedved is taking more responsibility, and he can teach them the part of having the right mentality. Like Del Piero, who I hope someday becomes President of Juventus or something similar. Alex has won it all, he knows the Juve world well and Juventus need that type of person. Some people there today don’t know where they are, they need to understand it.
I once said I will always be in love with Juventus, and I confirm it. Juventus taught me to win, and how to become a complete player. If we tied a game, we didn’t feel right for days. If we got knocked out of the Champion’s League, it was a tragedy, I saw teammates who didn’t eat for a week. I arrived young, so I quickly learned to appreciate this environment. Juventus is made to win. The Bianconero shirt has a different weight than others, whoever is weak cannot put it on.
Why did I choose Hercules? Juventus didn’t count on me anymore. They said, “we want young players, Italians more than foreigners, it will be a new adventure.” Speeches that after 10 years at Juve, I couldn’t listen to. I packed my bags, leaving my space to someone more adapt to what the new coach or management wanted. So I went to Alicante, where my wife is from. In recent years, I was getting very tired of training, but at Hercules I feel important again. Certainly, here I won’t win anything but I’m beginning to feel myself back to the old Trezeguet. In January I could have left for a competitive squad, but I’m not the type to leave half-way through. Next season we’ll see, I want to win something again, maybe in Argentina.
Interviewer - "In Torino, every missed goal, they say “If only Trezeguet was here…” without mentioning the chants in your name". I’ve heard about the songs and I thank the fans with all my heart. It means I left a great memory, which I’m proud of and I will return to Torino to thank our splendid fans. I left too quickly but I earned their respect with my sweat and attachment to the shirt. The Bianconeri fans give you the maximum, but also demand the maximum. When I meet up with Alex, or Vialli, or others, they tell me - “You’ve entered into the hearts of the fans forever” which to me, means I did something important. I wanted to become the top-scoring foreigner in the history of Juventus, and I succeeded. Thanks also to the fans, to whom I say - “See you soon.”
171I think some of our current players and staff should have a read of this.
) celebration. Will be strange him no longer being in a Juve shirt, also noted some really good former Juve players in those celebrations, Nedved goes down as one of my very favourite loved that Czech side with him Rosicky and Koller.
