Your country has just qualified for the next World Cup by beating Portugal: how did you experience this evening and how did you and your loved ones feel?
It’s amazing, it’s a dream come true. Since we were little we have dreamed of this. We play football for that, to compete in a World Cup. This match in Portugal was crazy, because you have the opportunity to qualify by beating a very big team. Honestly, this has been one of the most beautiful nights of my life. The atmosphere and the energy in the team, around the stadium, everywhere … and once again, qualifying there sends you on another planet.
Do you live now to play this World Cup?
Of course, this is a big source of motivation. The World Cup is now a year away, and I dream about it every day. I think about it daily. In every training, every match, all the time in fact, I think of this World Cup. It’s crazy to think that there, we have a year to be ready, to give the best, to raise their level of play. Afterwards, nobody knows who will be selected, but I will give everything I can, I am ultra motivated to be on top and participate in this world cup.
In Montpellier, you are in competition with Nicolas Cozza and Ambroise Oyongo. But to hope to compete in the World Cup, you must undoubtedly be a starter: does that push you to do even more?
You know, first of all, I believe that the competition here is healthy. It’s good to have two or three players at the same position, with a high level. It motivates us, because if you see your colleague doing sick training, you want to do even more to reach the same level. And of course, if you want to reach the holy grail, you have to be the best all the time. And you have to play more often. But quite frankly, that’s not exactly how I see it. On a personal level, of course… but for me, the main thing is that the relationship is good, that everyone has a good mentality. Let us all be ready for each game and for the team. Because if I’m awesome but my team isn’t doing well, what’s the point? So there you have it, I want the three of us to be comfortable in our sneakers, to have a good level. And then afterwards, of course I have a plan in mind. I believe in myself, and I believe and I think that everything is going to be okay.
The coach says that you are a very talented player, very technical, but sometimes not hard enough, not bad enough. Is this true and is your room for improvement there?
I agree with him. But I think my biggest problem is not having been fixed to a single post. I played on the left, on a wing, in the middle. So that’s good, but at the same time… I think it’s better to have a job and stick to it. I’ve talked about it a lot with the coach, and we have a good connection, we understand each other well. Me, I prefer to play on the left, but if he decides to make me play elsewhere, I can do it for the good of the team, because that is the main thing. After that, I have also had physical problems since the start of the season, but I think everything is back to normal and that will be fine.
Do you prefer to play four or five behind?
Maybe five, because you have someone covering you. And it’s easier when you have a little less defensive obligations. So I would tend to say five. But at the same time, it’s not a problem. You speak with the coach, he tells you what you have to do. And you just have to give everything.
– ANDREJ CUKIC
Do you know what your future will be like, when you only have a few months of contract left in Montpellier?
In the past I would sometimes think about this, about my situation, but it’s not the best thing for me. It kept me from focusing on what I had to do, I was less focused. So now, and most importantly at the moment i’m thinking of football and basta. This is how the best things happen. There’s a lot going on off the pitch, but I try to put it aside, to focus on the football, the team, the staff. There has been some discussion, but no offer at this time. We’ll see.
Let’s come back to the World Cup: the Serbian president offered you a million euros for the qualification, but is it true that you chose to donate this sum to sick children in your country?
Yes, before leaving for Lisbon, the president visited us and announced a bonus of one million euros. I think we were right, because in Serbia, a lot of children need this money, more than we do. This million is very important to them, and everyone agreed with that.
What was your childhood like?
I had a great childhood, to be honest. And sometimes I miss that period. I grew up in Bosnia, in a small village in the Republic of Srpska, where I spent my time with my cousins, who were my best friends. Football was all we had. And we played football from morning to night, 24 hours a day. I sometimes regret those moments, I’m nostalgic, there was only joy, we had fun all the time. I don’t go there very often, but when I have a little time, when I can catch a flight, I like to go back. Coming home, because I miss this place.
You were very young at the time of the war in Yugoslavia and the bombing of Belgrade, but do you have any memories?
First, my father fought in the war, he took part in defending the country. In reality, I don’t have a lot of memory. The only one is that the sky was all red, because there was fighting. We lived far from Belgrade. Then, of course, I talked a lot about the war with my father and with other inhabitants of our village, because many fought, especially in Bosnia, and lived through the bombardments. It’s not very pleasant to think about it again, to imagine it, but it is so, it happened.
If you have all chosen to donate your premium to sick children, is it because you consider yourself privileged in a country that has suffered?
The whole team, including me, we realize that the life we lead is a blessing. We are lucky to do what we do, to live our dream. I am thinking in particular of this match in Portugal, of representing our country and winning this game. So of course that when this possibility of giving the money to the children arose, the question did not arise. For me it was obvious. And I think it was for the rest of the national team as well.
– Patricia de Melo