Nobody knows Bayern Munich's Säbener Strasse training complex better than David Alaba. The Austrian defender is a man of loyalty and after putting pen to paper on a new eight year deal with adidas he gave us a tour of the place he has called home for the past ten years.
He's done it all here. Caught the eye playing for the youth teams, made his first steps on the first team pitch, trained ahead of Champions League Finals, and returned to it as a champion. For David Alaba, this place is his career and every aspect of it tells his story.
David, we’re at Bayern Munich’s training complex. You’ve been coming to this place for a long time now. Does it feel like a second home for you?
Yes definitely, I’ve been here since 2008, so for 10 years. I was here at the youth building and over there was my room, so I could get a look at these pitches from a young age. Behind me are the changing rooms where I feel very comfortable and over time this has become something of a second home to me.
What’s a normal day like for you here?
I get here in the morning at around 9 o’clock, have some breakfast, prepare for training, get some treatment from our physiotherapist and a session with our fitness coach, and then it’s time to get on the pitch to train.
When you come here do you still feel like a kid when you see these pitches, just wanting to play football?
There are definitely still moments when I stand on the pitch and think that my dreams have come true and of course there are moments when I think back and just say to myself that it is unbelievable how far I’ve come, which I’m very, very thankful for.
You must have played on every pitch at every different stage of your progression to the first team?
Yes, I came here very early on, at a very young age, I was 16 at the time. The pitches here behind me were the ones that I played my first games on with FC Bayern’s U17 and U19 squads and then I moved over to the first team pitches and that was a massive step and something very special. Every day I can look across and think of memories playing on each pitch. It’s great for youth team players to look across and aim to play on the first team pitches.
You’ve put in a lot of hours on these pitches. Specifically your free kicks…
I started very early on to improve my free kicks and to fine-tune them. I’ve spent hours on these pitches hitting wall mannequins and going through bags of balls in practice. I try to have regular free kick sessions to train them specifically.
Your shirt number 27 is the first shirt you got. Can you tell us about the connection with that and what it means to you?
The number 7 has always been and still is my favourite number, but that was already taken by Frank [Ribéry], and the 17 was also taken by Van Bommel. The next number with a 7 was the 27, so since then it has become my number and in a way is now my ‘brand’.
You made your debut at 17, does that feel like a long time ago?
Yes, of course, it has been a while since I made my debut in the Champions League, and the Bundesliga and DFB Cup, and these were moments that won’t be forgotten. Since then many other things have happened and these are unforgettable moments that feel as if it was yesterday. It goes so fast and you do not have time to reflect.
How different was your life after winning the Champions League in 2013?
Things and expectations have changed of course and the things you demand from yourself. Expectations always change after successful moments like the ones we had in 2013. But we know that we are Bayern Munich and that we have the qualities necessary to make our dreams come true again. We must keep winning.
Which players here do you have a personal relationship with?
Franck Ribéry and I have a very special relationship because we have been playing together for 8 years. I think he has a bit of of everything. He is funny and a can be a real jokester at times, but you can also have serious conversations with him. Especially when I was younger he was always there for me and always tried to help me improve. I generally feel very comfortable within the team and also mix with my teammates away from the pitch.
Your contract now runs to 2021. What do you remember about signing that first contract for Bayern?
It was awesome and definitely a very special moment in my career and life so far, and a dream come true. I’m so happy that I’m still a Bayern Munich player. Munich is a very nice city to live in. I’ve been here since 2008 and know my way around so it has become a second home for me and I feel very comfortable here.
Who would you say are some of your favourite brands and designers out there right now?
Right now? Phew… There are many. Balenciaga is a brand that is really cool, Fendi is up-and-coming, ANTHI Studio from Vienna is a brand that makes very cool clothes too, but there are many more.
How would you describe your own style?
I think it is no secret that I’m interested in fashion. What’s most important to me is that I feel good in what I wear. I’m not someone who wears T-shirts with many logos and labels and, although I like designers like Balenciaga and Fendi, it isn’t very important to me which brand I’m wearing. I want to feel good in my clothes and therefore I want to wear nice looking pieces.
Where do you get your style inspiration from?
My style is somewhat inspired by American culture and also the Hip hop scene, which I think has a lot of influence on my generation, but I also just got a lot of inspiration from my dad.
Looking way into the future, could you ever see yourself living or playing in America?
I’m generally not a player who looks that far into the future. I try and set goals for the short and medium term and try and achieve those. I don’t think too much about what may be in a few years’ time.
You’ve obviously got another good dresser in your team with Jerome Boateng. Do you guys talk fashion and sneakers and that sort of stuff?
This is definitely something we talk about in the changing room. I think we are from the same or a similar generation, he is a bit older than me, and music plays an important role in both of our lives, so fashion is always a topic of conversation between us.
Where do you do most of your shopping? Do you do most in stores in Munich or online?
There are some shops in Munich that I like but I usually do my bigger shops abroad when I happen to be in Paris, London or further away when I’m on holiday in America, but most of the time I shop online.
What does your sneaker collection look like?
I have lots and lots and lots of sneakers from adidas because they are just very comfortable, and they have advanced so much in my opinion and I also have all kinds of other sneakers in my wardrobe.
You founded your own store in 2016, was that always an ambition of yours?
Fashion does play an important role in my life and it is so much fun to design items for my online store. It’s always a nice feeling when I see people with one of my caps or various other items from my range and I just want to share my style with my fans and the people out there to connect with them.
How involved in the whole design process are you? Do you like being creative in that way?
Yes, I try to be creative and get involved in everything because the online store is supposed to reflect my style. I contribute my own designs so that everything is the way I want it to be.
My heart is in it. That’s why I want it to be something special. I want to connect with my fans, my supporters in this way and show my gratitude by sharing this side of me. Football is my life, which I’m very thankful for, and I give my all for it. Clothes and designing are what I’m interested in, besides football, and I enjoy them very much.
Shop the full adidas Initiator Pack at prodirectsoccer.com
