Mastour reflects on ‘superhero’ start to career at Milan: “He wanted the best” | OneFootball

Hachim Mastour is one of the biggest ‘what-if’ players that AC Milan and football have probably seen. He broke through the ranks at a young age but never made much of his career, unfortunately.

Playing for Milan at a young age is one of the things of dreams, doing so with first team players, elevates that into something else. Training with some of the world’s biggest name is novelty that transcends dreams, and places them into reality status.

For Mastour, it was reality, and for a while, it seemed that his name could one day be along theirs. However, it never ended that way.

Today, the Moroccan spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport about his time at the club, what went wrong, and how he hopes to return.

Hachim, let’s start with simple things: how’s life? And above all, where is life?

“In Reggio Emilia, my base. I moved here and I’m training with a trainer, Stefano Cellario. I’m ready for something to come.”

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And what will come, in the desires?

“My dream is to impose myself in Italy. I had requests from the Emirates and Europe but I wanted to go back home.”

From Moroccan Serie A to nothing. How much is Hachim Mastour worth now? Shall we say a Serie B?

“I feel like I’m worth a reality that believes in me, a coach who sees my potential and exalts it. This is enough for me.”

Interviews and articles with strong phrases were read: “Mastour suffered from depression”. How are you now?

“It’s all over. Depression started a year before Covid and lasted until after the lockdown. I no longer found the pleasure of going to the field, I suffered from pressure, it was a very difficult phase on a personal and work level, but I’m glad I went through it. It’s better now.”

How do you get out of it?

“I came out with faith and family. I got closer to God and prayer. I’m a Muslim, I read the Koran, and I pray. In Morocco, I got very close to religion.”

It’s easy to think it’s all related to that exaggerated fame as a kid.

“I’ve always said it, at Milan, I felt like a superhero, that shirt made me fly. Everything came to me with an absurd ease, I love the important stages and I liked getting into San Siro.”

Didn’t it make you a little scary?

“At the time not, zero fear. I trained with Kakà, Robinho, Mexes, De Jong. I also lived Allegri and Ibrahimovic but I came from the youth sector, I had my own style of play and I also wore it in the first team. Dribbling with a tunnel or a sombrero could be annoying, but I didn’t understand that it would be better not to do it.”

Who gave more splats?

“Muntari more than anyone, perhaps. And then Rami, Mexes. I liked De Jong, he was a gladiator.”

A lot has been written about the bond with Gattuso. Which coach was it?

“He understood me, he wanted the best from me, he tried to make me play but it didn’t go well. I was also penalized because I had Mino Raiola as an agent and the management of that Milan had problems with him. I was asked to change prosecutors, so I would have renewed more easily, but I didn’t feel like leaving him. In this world, it’s sometimes complicated.”

Going back, what should be changed in those years?

“I would do slower steps, I would enjoy myself every year. Filippo Galli told me and he was right. I didn’t have anyone to guide me and social media in those years exploded. I was missing a person to manage my image and my marketing.”

So less videos of tricks, dribbling or ball games?

“It was my way of making my art come out, as a child I dribbled with everything and it came naturally to me. At the time those videos were new and I had many requests for sponsors.”

Too much money for a boy?

“I never thought about money, I was trying to have fun. In hindsight, those who were behind me may have gained but I didn’t have any particular benefit.”

And now, what impression does football make seen from a little further away? Are there many fragile footballers in the locker room?

“Absolutely, there are weak players and there can also be at Milan. Between us it’s hard to perceive how you really are, you always see yourself alone on the field. It is possible to be weak in life and a lion on the field”.

Whilst he does not speak to any of his former teammates, he discussed the fact that he now speaks to a current Milanista.

Is there anyone from that Milan who calls every now and then, with whom a bond remains?

“No, no contact. But sometimes I hear Leao, we are friends.”