Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi spoke at length to the club’s official channels, detailing his time with the club and their objectives for the new season. The French international explained why Zinedine Zidane is idol, why he opted to not have any tattoo’s, and who he thinks will have a big impact for the team in the 2024-25 campaign:
First time in Auronzo di Cadore. Do you like it?
“Yes, there are excellent fields, a good environment, and many fans watching the training sessions. So for us, it’s definitely a good retreat.”
What is the best moment you carry with you from last season?
“I believe there are good memories from last year in the Champions League. We did a good job in the competition, like when we won at home against Bayern Munich. We played a good game and I think the fans enjoyed it. Also, beating Roma in the derby was fantastic.”
Is this the best version of Guendouzi or can you still improve?
“I can still improve, definitely. I’m still young, I need to improve more. I think I can score more goals and provide more assists, but I think I have improved a lot compared to last year. I feel very good, confident, and I am convinced that we have a really great team this year. We can achieve good results.”
There is already a great relationship with the fans. What do you have in common with Lazio’s DNA?
“I think the fans are an important part of this club. It’s very important to be united. We know that when we step on the field, we have to fight for them, giving everything on the field, and I believe this is what they love. Even if sometimes you can lose or draw, if you give everything for them, I think it’s something they appreciate. For this, we must continue to fight for the club, for the fans, and for all those who follow us. All united, we can reach our goals.”
Many big players have left: Immobile, Felipe Anderson, and Luis Alberto. Do you feel like one of the leaders of this team?
“Yes, because we have lost great players who had great seasons at Lazio, helping the club grow. We lost quality players, but this is football. Now we have a renewed team, and I am sure that the new teammates who have arrived will help us have a good season. Surely, I have more experience now, I have accumulated many experiences in Europe and in big teams. I just need to stay focused on my work to help the team, which is now very young. I will try to do my best, always be available to my teammates. We definitely have a good team and good players and we will achieve great results.”
At only 25 years old, you have played in four of the top 5 leagues in Europe. How is Serie A?
“Honestly, it surprised me a lot, it is a difficult league. If you look at the top ten teams, they are all great teams, used to playing in the Champions League or in various European competitions. Atalanta, for example, did very well last year. I played in England, France, and Germany, now in Italy. And I can say that Serie A is one of the best leagues in the world. You need to work a lot to do well here, you face great opponents and great players. For this, we are always called to improve to get into the top four or five in the standings.”
What do you think of coach Baroni and the new signings? You know Tavares very well.
“I know Nuno Tavares, he is a friend of mine because we played together at Marseille having a great season there. When he called me to tell me that Lazio wanted him, I encouraged him to come here because I know he is a great player and can become one of the best left-backs in the Italian league. I am 100% sure of it, he has great qualities and great skills. I understand how Baroni wants to play. He prefers football focused on ball possession, wants us to be aggressive. He likes to play attacking football, for me, this is important. We know it will be difficult, we have just started the summer preparation, but I am convinced we will have a great season.”
Which teammate would you bet on? Someone who maybe wants to redeem himself.
“I think the players who have arrived can help the team a lot. Last year, perhaps we lacked fast and strong elements to make a difference in one-on-one situations and help score goals and distribute assists. The new arrivals will help us a lot with this, we have a very strong team.”
What is the craziest thing a fan has done for you?
“I feel at home here at Lazio, I know the fans appreciate me a lot. For this, I always try to give my best on the field because they respect me a lot. I will always fight for this club, I hope we will have a great season together. Maybe winning some trophies because our fans deserve it. They always follow us, at home and away, we have a great fan base.”
Who is the strongest teammate you have played with in your career?
“I would say Mesut Ozil, one of the best I have played with in a club team. In the national team, I would say Mbappé. I have been lucky to play with very strong players, but Ozil is a fantastic player. If you were in trouble on the field, you just had to give him the ball. You knew he would do extraordinary things like a great assist or a great goal. I am very proud to have played with him.”
Who was your first idol?
“As a Frenchman, I can only say Zidane. A fantastic player and man. I did not see the 1998 World Cup because I was born a year later, but when I watched videos on YouTube, I thought ‘Wow, what a player.’ I still remember the match against Brazil where he was fantastic.”
In Italy, we are crazy about Fantacalcio, many fantasy football managers write to you. Do you feel you have more goals to promise?
“I know Italians always talk about Fantacalcio, I didn’t know it before but some teammates told me about it. Even my wife tells me I need to score, I will try to satisfy them.”
You have been sent off only three times, yet you still have the reputation of a bad boy. Why?
“I don’t know, I have always been the same on the field. Whether people love me or not honestly does not matter to me. I just try to do my best for my team and my teammates. For me, the most important thing is to give everything. I always want to win, it’s my character. I started like this when I was younger and I will continue like this, it’s part of my personality. I have learned a lot from the mistakes I made in the past but now I am a good guy and I know what I need to do both on and off the field.”
Ronaldo and Messi have dominated football for years. Whose future is it now? Mbappé doesn’t count…
“I think Mbappé is a fantastic player, I hope he wins the Ballon d’Or because he deserves it. But there are great players, for example, I like Rodri and De Bruyne from Manchester City, but there are many others.”
How many sacrifices did your parents make to help you become a footballer?
“It is not easy to become a professional footballer. You always have to think about improving, you start playing at 6 years old, an age when you just think about having fun with your friends. Then the real training journey begins and that’s when it gets tough because you are in a team of 20 players and only one or two get to sign a professional contract. From that moment on, you always have to think about how to improve. You do it also for your family because they make sacrifices for you: they take you to training, they help you. For this, you always have to think about yourself and your family.”
What relationship do you have with your brother?
“We played together at Lorient and other teams. We always played together when we were little, we always helped each other.”
You are one of the few footballers without tattoos, why?
“I don’t like them, it’s more of a thing for Italian and Spanish footballers. I know they like them a lot. But in France, no, we don’t love them so much.”
The new arrivals take great care of their looks. Do you still have the best hair on the team?
“Definitely yes! How often do I take care of it? Not every day, 3-4 times a week, not every day because it would be too much work. And yes, it’s natural.”
How did you meet your wife?
“We met 7 years ago because one of my best friends lived in her same city. Then we started dating, but I had to work hard because at first, it wasn’t easy. Now we have a beautiful family with two daughters and next summer I hope we will get married, let’s see…”
What kind of father do you try to be?
“I give a lot of love to my daughters. Before, when I was single, I only thought about football. But then when you have a family you have to think about both things. So when I go to the field I think about football, then when I come back home I am always with my daughters, I play and spend a lot of time with them. They are the best thing that has ever happened to me in life.”
Who is the good cop and who is the bad cop in raising your kids?
“We do everything together, trying to help each other because we are still young and it is not always easy. But together we know we can do a good job.”
What relationship do you have with the city of Rome? Do you like it?
“The weather is great, maybe it’s a bit too hot now but I love this city. There are many places to visit, great restaurants, we have a beautiful house
