Since making his landing in Turin back in 2019, Matthijs de Ligt has been tipped to become the main leader at the back for Juventus.
The former Ajax captain’s reputation preceded him to Italy, but adapting to a new footballing culture is never an easy task.
Nevertheless, the Dutchman has been making major progress with every new season, and he remains adamant on learning from the veterans who play alongside him.
The young center back spoke about his experience in Italian football and what it’s like to play for Juventus.
When it comes to improving his game, de Ligt follows the example of his captain Giorgio Chiellini. The young man explains how his teammate continues to evolve even at the age of 37, and how his characteristics varied with age.
“You can definitely improve. For example, Giorgio is now 37. And right now he plays like he is reading a book,” said the Netherlands international in an interview with the Guardian.
“He knows: ‘OK, this situation will happen, and then this will happen now.’ And obviously he didn’t have this when he was 20. So with experience, he learned.
“But it’s also a little bit about having the feeling. The feeling where something can go wrong, or where the guy’s going to pass the ball. That’s something quite natural. And I think all the good defenders in the world have this.”
De Ligt also emphasized on the importance of winning at Juventus, which comes above all other aspects.
“The most important thing for me is to win. At Juventus, if we win 1-0 and play bad, honestly I think everybody will still be happy. And if you play amazing and lose 2-1, you’re not happy.”
