– Reporter: What are you doing now?
– Sami Khedira: A lot of things, I study on my own, do business, travel and prepare to get a sports director certificate.
– Now you probably move more than when you were playing?
– I think so. The difference is that before, I traveled with the team and spent the whole day in the hotel, but now I manage my own time. I like to travel, to watch football, learn and try to balance work with my private life.
– What is your future career focus? Coaching?
– I never deny any possibility, but I don’t think I will become a coach. I love that job and love the pitch, but I think I am more suitable for the role of a sports director.
– So will you work in Germany or abroad?
– Anywhere. Germany is my home country, but I also love Spain and have spent a lot of time in England. I also have a special affection for Italy. In general, I am open to anything, because soccer is a global sport. It is even growing very strongly in the United States.
– I’ve seen you regularly participate in other sports. Is it a passion or part of the learning process?
– I love all sports, and I play quite a few, although I am not good at all of them. Every sport has its own emotions and characteristics, so I try to learn from all of them. Tennis players always have strong personalities, because they have to fight alone on the court.
In football, if one player makes a wrong move, the whole system collapses. I learn from the philosophy and psychology of each sport. Like how an NFL team is organized, or how tennis players train.
– Do you like the coaching world?
– Yes. The most important thing is to read the game, and connect well with the players. That’s the key point and what I’m focusing on. Also, you have to be a leader.
– Is Jose Mourinho the best example of leadership?
– The issue here is not whether you are good or bad, but rather your own style. Leadership is something that cannot be copied. You cannot imitate Guardiola, Klopp or Ancelotti. Although you can copy how each person works, you must first be yourself before you can become a leader.
– Do you remember when you played football?
– To be honest, no. I love football, but I don’t miss playing. I used to love playing at the highest level and giving 100%, but then I felt bad because I couldn’t do that anymore. I had a lot of operations, my knee got worse and that’s why I said to myself “I have to stop”. Now I still play tennis, padel, jogging… but just to stay healthy.
– You’ve suffered a lot of injuries. So did people blame the schedule at the time?
– I don’t want to compare, but in my time, people complained about the schedule. In my opinion, the problem is not the number of matches, but the recovery time and the rest. After a World Cup, the players only have 3 weeks to rest and that’s it. That’s a mistake.
Look at the NBA and NFL, they play a lot of games, but they have three months of complete rest and a good preseason. We should sit down and work on this, because it’s a mental thing, not just a physical thing. Your head needs a break too.
– Do you like football commentary?
– Yes, I really like it. And you know what? Maybe I have to apologize to reporters because when I was a player, I didn’t put myself in their shoes and didn’t know how reporters prepare and work during a match. As a player, you have to focus on the game and take in information in a different way. So I apologize for ignoring the media when I was a player. Now I understand this job much better, and I see it differently.
– You once said that you played the best matches in history?
– Yes, the El Clasico matches when I was at Real Madrid were the best in history. Not only me, but many fans also said so. It was the battle between Guardiola and Mourinho, Ronaldo and Messi. Those were matches that required maximum concentration and playing at the highest level. When I first arrived at the Bernabeu in 2010, Barca were still dominating, but we erased the gap after only 1 or 2 years.
Barca have more technical players, but we have nerves of steel and tactical discipline. We are warriors on the pitch and every Clasico we feel like Roman gladiators. Technically we also have Xabi Alonso, Mesu Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo, the most special trio.
– Who was the leader in those matches?
– Casillas is the captain, but the leader has to be Sergio Ramos, because he has Real Madrid DNA in his blood. There is also Cristiano Ronaldo, who is always ready for these games and pushes everyone. He will come, grab you and give you words of encouragement so that you can play your best.
Ronaldo would say things like, “Come on Sami, kick the bear”, “Mesut, show me your magic” or “Di Maria, take the ball and face the defender”. And Mourinho, who is a genius in these kinds of games, created an unbelievable atmosphere before El Clasico. And of course, our biggest fear and biggest problem was always stopping Messi.
– So who is the most special player in the locker room?
– Everyone would probably choose Cristiano. To win, we need Ronaldo because he never fails. Whenever we need a goal, we just pass it to Ronaldo. But the most special player for me is Mesut Ozil. And I explained this when he left.
The day Mesut left, all of us, from Benzema, Cristiano, Ramos,… all said to president Florentino Perez: “Why did you sell him?”. Ozil is truly a genius, a magician. I played right behind Mesut and every time he received the ball, he controlled it as if it was a game. I have never seen a player as good and classy as him.
– How far would Ozil have gone if he hadn’t left Real Madrid? Would he have become the owner of the Golden Ball?
– I don’t know, because there’s Cristiano, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, who I think deserve a Ballon d’Or. But Ozil can do it too. His career could have been different if he hadn’t left. Ozil himself told me that leaving Madrid was the biggest mistake, because he had everything there. Mesut plays like Zidane. My idol is Zizou and if you watch their videos on YouTube you’ll see that.
– So who will you vote for this year’s Golden Ball?
– It’s an interesting debate (laughs). I’m a midfielder and I like Rodri’s football. Look at Man City now without Rodri, you will see how important he is. At EURO 2024, I watched him play 4 games and I saw that he controlled everything, from the tempo of the game to the positioning of his teammates.
Vinicius deserves it too, because he has the ability to change the game. Whenever Real Madrid don’t know what to do, they throw the ball to Vini. But I have to say one more thing about his attitude. Vinicius seems too excitable. Actually, Cristiano was like that when he was young, but he changed quickly.
If Vinicius wants to be like Messi, Zidane, Cristiano or Xavi, he needs to respect his opponents and the referees. That’s what needs to change. And in terms of football, of course, he’s the best. If Vinicius changes a little bit, becomes a gentleman and a leader, he will win 3 or 4 Ballons d’Or.
– If you had to choose the most memorable match of your career, would you choose Germany’s 7-1 win over Brazil at the 2014 World Cup, or the final where Real Madrid won their 10th C1/Champions League Cup?
– I would choose the match against Brazil. For one thing: it probably won’t happen again in 100 years. I’m not talking about quality or tactics, but because it was the best day of our lives. Imagine playing a semi-final of a World Cup in Brazil, and doing so against the home team…
– Are you surprised with the current Barca?
– Yes, in terms of the style of play. I was at the Bernabeu on the day of El Clasico, and I wondered why they dared to play such risky football. And Barca did it, and scored a lot of goals. But I am not too surprised, because I know Hansi Flick well. Even though I support Real Madrid, I think Barca’s revival will be good for La Liga.
– What about Real Madrid this season?
– It would be too simple to say that Real Madrid miss Toni Kroos. He announced his departure in May, and they have time. I spoke to Aitor Karanka, David Moyes and other Real Madrid coaches, and we all agreed that Kroos’ departure cannot be filled by the arrival of Kylian Mbappe.
Everyone knows they will have to change their style of play, because you can’t replace Kroos with someone else, because Toni is a special and unique player. This is a challenge for coach Ancelotti, who almost has to erase and start again. That was shown in the opening match of the Champions League against Stuttgart, when they didn’t know how to defend and didn’t know what to do with the ball. In El Clasico, Real Madrid played a good first half, but fell apart in the second half.
I think they need to build a more balanced squad and find the optimal position for the players. In fact, Ancelotti has done this many times. When I was injured in 2013, he moved Di Maria into central midfield and it worked wonders. I think Ancelotti is the ideal coach to get the team back on track, and don’t forget that February is the decisive period of the season.
– As a Madridista, are you worried about Mbappe?
– Mbappe is one of the top 5 players in the world, but football is not simply about buying the best players and throwing them on the pitch. The first problem to solve is where Mbappe should play, because the team already has a top player in his position in Vinicius. Also, remember that PSG is not Real Madrid, the biggest football brand in the world with huge expectations.
From Asia, Africa to America, everyone is talking about Real Madrid. Everyone wants Mbappe to score 50 goals a season, and that’s not easy when he has to adapt to La Liga, to life in Spain and not even to pre-season. And even the greatest players have to adapt to all of that.
I think Real Madrid’s coaching staff need to help Mbappe connect with the team, put him in the right position and get the most out of his talent. But I bet Mbappe will succeed. Look at Modric, who would have thought he would become the legend he is now?
– How do you feel about returning to the Bernabeu?
– I feel the love of the people. I have been here for 5 years, and the DNA of the club runs in my veins. I love the team, I love this city and I will always be a Real Madrid fan.
