The former Rossoneri striker looks back on his memories and future: “Max is a guarantee, he still knows how to make himself loved by the group. I haven’t played for two years and I don’t feel the call of the ball: I want to enjoy my son without missing a moment.”

Alexandre Pato is four years younger than Modric, who will be blowing out 40 candles on his birthday cake in September and will be at Milanello in a few days to begin his adventure with Milan. Yet the Brazilian feels he has already said goodbye to soccer. It’s not official yet, but in his mind, the sacred fire is no longer there. “When I was at São Paulo and my wife Rebecca was expecting my son, I realized for the first time that going to training was no longer a priority: I wanted to be with her all the time. And now that Benjamin is here, I want to see him grow up, not miss a moment with him. He’s a year and a half old and already kicking a ball.” Good blood doesn’t lie. Pato, Silvio Berlusconi’s golden boy at Milan, the ex-boyfriend of Barbara, the daughter of the great Rossoneri president, is a young man of almost 36 whose career has been cut short by injuries, but who has not lost his desire to smile. These days, he is on tour with his former team as a legend: he participates in events, signs autographs, dresses like a soccer player, and spends time with many people he loves. But above all, he feels that kicking a ball is no longer his priority.

“I keep fit at the gym and playing tennis. I enjoy it and I’m quite competitive. When I was playing for Orlando City, I went to watch a tournament and met Federer while he was training. I was almost afraid to disturb him, but as soon as he saw me, he called me onto the court. It was an incredible feeling.”

Do you no longer feel the pull of soccer?

“Honestly, no. I played my last game almost two years ago and I don’t really feel like playing anymore, even though I consider myself to be in a transition period, where I’m deciding what to do next. I still like soccer, but my family comes first. Being here, wearing the Milan jersey, is still an immense pleasure that reawakens beautiful feelings from the past.“

So will we see you as a coach or manager in the future?

”Who knows… I don’t think as a coach, or at least that’s my current thinking. Maybe as a manager or owner of a club. I’ve gained a lot of experience in my career and I can pass that on to players. I’d like to do that.“

How much did your injuries influence your decision to retire from football at an early age?

”I had injuries when I was young and at the end of my career (the most serious ones, ed.). At Milan, when I was a young player, I always tried to speed up my recovery because I wanted to be on the pitch and help my teammates. And sometimes I ended up hurting myself again. Do I regret it? No, because that’s the way I am. Injuries are part of life and they teach you something. If you’re down and you find the strength to get back up, then you’re a better person. God has put many challenges in front of me and I have always overcome them.”

Allegri is looking for a center forward. He has no intention of changing his mind and…

(Laughs) “No, I’ve already given it my all, even though I will always have nothing but love for the Milan jersey. Seeing Allegri on that bench brings back fond memories of winning the Scudetto together. We had a team of champions like Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf, Nesta, and all the others. We were an exceptional group and we brought Milan back to the top. Now I hope these players can do the same. The first goal must be to qualify for the Champions League, then… we’ll see. Allegri is a guarantee: there are few coaches as good as him around. He’s the same as he was 15 years ago and still knows how to make himself loved by the group.“

Like Ancelotti, who now coaches the Seleçao.

”For us Brazilians, it’s an honor to have such a successful coach. Carlo will always be a special person to me because he brought me to Milan and helped me grow. The players will follow him and achieve great things, but his son Davide will also do well at Botafogo. Being on the Brazil bench brings a lot of pressure, but if there’s one person who can handle it and get results, it’s Ancelotti. He can win the World Cup.”

Let’s continue with coaches who get results: are you impressed by Conte, who won in his first year at Napoli and is now aiming for a repeat?

“Napoli are doing well because they have a very strong president and an equally strong coach. Last season was fantastic and they celebrated winning the Scudetto, but they continue to invest because Inter will want to redeem themselves. Milan is coming off a difficult year and has now turned the page: with Allegri, I hope to see them back at the top.”

Let’s go back to your years with the Rossoneri and your fondest memories. Inter were coming back, but that defeat against us ended their chances. In May, at the Champions League final, I talked about it with Julio Cesar and, some time later, I teased him a bit about those two goals he conceded against me. Then there was the goal after just a few seconds against Barcelona and my debut goal against Napoli. I’ll show them all to my son when he’s older. When I scored at San Siro, I got goosebumps.”

“I played for the best team in the world, Milan, alongside the best player of all time and my idol, Ronaldo. I wore the jerseys of Brazil and Chelsea, had an important experience in China, and returned to São Paulo. Soccer has given me so much, and I have no regrets. When I think back on the past, I smile. And now I’m enjoying the present.”