The former Brazilian midfielder: “Mourinho wanted me at Inter back in 2009, but Fiorentina sent me to Turin. I want to be a coach.”
Felipe Melo was afraid only once. At the age of 15, in Brazil, he found himself face to face with a tall, tattooed drug dealer. “Every now and then I hung out with people like that. One day this man took me aside, looked at me with eyes I’ll never forget and said that if he saw me hanging around there again, he would shoot me. ‘You have a future in soccer, I don’t want to see you here anymore.’ I listened to him. Now I don’t know what happened to him, I think he’s dead.” Felipe Melo is his usual torrential self. He breaks the banks talking about Inter, Juve, his future as a coach, and his past.
If you hadn’t become a soccer player, what would you have done?
“I might have ended up in bad company, so I’m grateful to my parents. My dad was a factory worker and my mom was a housewife. I grew up fighting through life and its difficulties.”
After all, they call you Pitbull.
“It’s a nickname I’ve always loved. People only remember me for my nasty fouls, but I’ve always had talent. At the 2010 World Cup, I made the best assist of the entire tournament: the one to Robinho against the Netherlands, where I was sent off. A 20-meter vertical pass that put him in front of the goal…”
Juve-Inter, your game.
“Good memories. I played almost a hundred games for Juve, but I was young and immature. I made dozens of mistakes and paid for them all.”
Like what?
“Once I lost the ball, the crowd booed and I told them all to go to hell. When I got home, my wife scolded me. I was a kid: I argued with everyone, I talked back, I was grumpy and nervous. I also argued with Chiellini, as is well known. We’ve made peace now: we greeted each other warmly at the Club World Cup. Infantino was there too. He’s brilliant: he’s changing football and I respect him.”
Inter already wanted him in 2009.
“Yes, but Corvino told me, ‘You’re going to Turin, you have no other choice.’ The Bianconeri paid the €25 million clause and included Marchionni in the deal. Florence didn’t take it well, they gave me a hard time: my first daughter was born there, I loved the Franchi stadium and the city.”
There’s no point asking who he supports.
“Inter is in my heart. I still have the front page of Sports Prediction at home after I scored against Verona and went to kiss my wife. It was 2015, and it says ‘escape to the kiss’. When Mancini asked me to come, I didn’t hesitate. I’m sorry I didn’t stay longer.“
If you were to meet Frank de Boer, what would you say to him?
”He never understood anything about soccer. He’s not capable. He even spoke badly of Gabigol, calling him ‘Gabi-ex-gol’. He didn’t speak Italian, and everyone in the locker room hated him. In fact, he lasted three months and then went on to cause disasters everywhere. Thank God Pioli arrived that year.“
Are you convinced by the new Inter?
”He could have done more at the World Cup, but that’s okay. Chivu has just arrived and is trying to draw a new line after four years of Inzaghi, and therefore of automatisms. I like Sucic, I think he can become decisive, and then I adore Pio Esposito and Dumfries. It’s a golden period for him: the ball hits him and goes in.“
Is Lautaro Martinez among the top five strikers in the world?
”No… he’s among the top three! In 2024, at the Ballon d’Or, he deserved much more than seventh place.“
Who is the favorite to win the title?
”Inter are the strongest, but Napoli have quality.“
The indispensable player for the Bianconeri?
”Bremer. Last year, he was sorely missed.“
And for Inter?
”Calhanoglu: he’s still the brains.“
A player you would have fought three times as hard for?
”Calhanoglu and Yildiz. The way the Turkish player touches the ball drives me crazy. I would have fought for him until the end.“
A few months ago, you said: ”In 2026, you’ll see me on the bench: I hope to coach in Serie A.“ What is your idea of football?
”I want brave, quality players. If you don’t put your leg in a tackle, you don’t play. I was a great player, I say that with confidence. I fought hard and scored goals: there were few midfielders like me. As I always say, with Felipe on the field it could be difficult, but without Felipe it was even more so.”
