Danielle De Rossi has a beard and a normal haircut and he absolutely hates Instagram. He hates it so much that he’s said he’d “like to take a baseball bat” to the teeth of any players who use it.
We like your passion, Dan… we’re also a bit terrified.
Speaking to Undici magazine, the 33-year-old studs-up merchant revealed he isn’t the biggest fan of young players’ obsession with their phones.
“When we started out, it was all different, that was 20 years ago. Now a 20-year-old will get into the first team and have more Instagram followers than [Lionel] Messi.
“When I was young, the older players would say, ‘It wasn’t like in my day’ – that’s life and it always will be.”
“Mind you, some of them irritate me too. When I see them do live Instagram videos from inside the locker room before a game, I’d like to take a baseball bat to their teeth.
“But they’re 18 years old and in 20 years’ time they will find themselves complaining about the youth of today.’
The actual tattoo on De Rossi’s leg
A one club man, De Rossi also touched on his sense of regret at never having played in England; with moves to Manchester United and City never quite materialising.
“I needed to play for Roma. I get physical and emotional pleasure playing with this jersey on my back. The years when I was about to leave, I’d step on to the field with tears in my eyes.
“Looking around and thinking it might be my last match at the Olimpico… Those moments made me realise I couldn’t live without Roma.
“It would have hurt me more than missing out on a Real Madrid-Barcelona experience, or playing in England’s most beautiful stadiums. At least that’s how I view it. At the age of 33, I have reached the calm realisation that I’m well aware I haven’t won or travelled that much.”
Proper footballer. Lovely stuff.
