The upcoming World Cup in Qatar could be the third for Dani Alves. The experienced full-back was among the regulars in Tite’s team during the qualifiers, however, he is currently without a club and will have to find a job soon in order to be fit for his last (at least in his playing career) World Cup.Valladolid, a club owned by his great friend Ronaldo, as well as Atlético Paranense, who are led by Luiz Felipe Scolari, Alves’ coach at the 2014 World Cup, were mentioned among those interested in the 39-year-old Brazilian. On where he could continue his career, why he is disappointed with the way he parted ways with Barcelona, but also with the problems of today’s society, Dani Alves spoke in an interview with The Guardian.It started with a slightly different tone than the usual conversation with football players. By stating that the Brazilian is frustrated by the events in the world after the Coronavirus pandemic.”People have lost their fear of death, but also their respect for others. Nothing has changed, unfortunately. I wish it had, however, we came out of the pandemic believing that many things would be better, and what followed was war. People didn’t change, they continued to fight for power, and disrespect grew. Whoever did stupid things in life and on the Internet, today they do it even more because they have an audience,” Alves believes.##NAJAVA_MECA_6502035##The Brazilian has been a victim of racism during his career (in 2014, when a banana was thrown at him during Barcelona’s visit to Villarreal. Alves then picked up and ate the banana), and he opened the topic himself by mentioning the recent insults of the former Brazilian Formula 1 driver, Nelson Piquet, against Lewis Hamilton and his skin color.”That sort of thing bothers me. I won’t go into it too much because pushing a drunk man down a hill is easy, but it’s not just because of that statement. What happened is extreme, because if a Formula 1 champion is attacked, imagine what it’s like for people on the lower rungs of society. I pray for them, because they are prevented from being somebody, from getting a chance”.As for football talk, of course, the first topic was Barcelona. Alves wanted to stay at least one more season in the Catalan club, but he was not offered that option. Last winter he agreed on six-month cooperation and that deal passed with no hope of extending.“I didn’t leave sad. I left happy to have returned to Barcelona. I dreamed for five years wanting to live this second moment. The only thing I didn’t like was how my departure was handled”.Dani Alves wasn’t pleased with the way Barça handled his departure 👀 pic.twitter.com/6Cpq1i0uLq— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 11, 2022 The three-time winner of the Champions League explained what specifically bothers him.“Since I arrived, I made it very clear that I wasn’t any more a 20-year-old guy and that I wanted things to be done head-on, without hiding things. But this club has sinned in recent years. They don’t care about the people who made history for the club. As a culê (Barcelona supporter), I would like Barcelona to do things differently. I’m not talking about myself because my situation was another scenario. I am eternally grateful to Xavi and the president (Joan Laporta) for bringing me back.”I found a club full of young people with incredible ideas on the pitch. But it needs to improve the work outside the field. The mindset is totally opposite to what we built a few years ago. Everything that happens on the field is a reflection of what happens outside.” states the Brazilian, who alongwith the continental trophies won six Spanish league titles, three Club World Cups and much more with Barcelona.Alves would like to see Barcelona return to the top of Spanish and European football, but is currently not optimistic that will happen anytime soon.“I’m supporting for Barcelona to come back to the top, but it’s super-complicated. Football is more balanced, it’s a collective game. And that has been left out at the club.”##EDITORS_CHOICE##Speaking about his current status, Dani Alves says he is choosing his next employers carefully.“I like challenges and I adapt to any situation. Today I am unemployed, but interesting things have come up.“I’m doing my study about places to go which have a good level of competitiveness. That’s football. You have to get together with people who want the same goal, who want to compete, to win. I like to win. I want to go somewhere I can win.”Before returning to Barcelona, Alves played for Sao Paulo, but the cooperation was interrupted when he boycotted training because the players were owed salaries. Brazilian football, by the way, is known for incidents in the stands, and lately hooligan attacks on football players have become more frequent.”We have to improve Brazilian football, we have to fight against violence in stadiums. People come with their children to enjoy something they admire. If that is not there, then there is frustration and trauma. We cannot sit at the top of the pyramid and not react. I tried to do something, but I was crucified. I don’t rule out other possibilities, but if I return to Brazil, it will be to Atlético Paranense,” he revealed in an interview with The Guardian.📲| Gavi on instagram.”Dani Alves, thanks for always supporting me brother!! ❤️🤙🤙” pic.twitter.com/82h9NjNlZP— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) June 17, 2022 Although many of his colleagues have largely moved on to veterans, Dani Alves is not worried about his late football years.”I know a lot of people talk about how old I am and that everyone would like me to be 20 years younger, but I don’t agree with that, because now I have experience that I didn’t have 20 years ago. When there’s a big game, a 20-year-old player age makes you nervous and worried, and that won’t happen to me… Age has its pros and cons. There’s a lot you do when you’re young, and with age comes maturity. In my career, I’ve experienced probably everything that sports can offer”, says Alves “in his defence”.With 125 appearances for the national team and two appearances at the World Cup, Alves’ experience is of immense importance to the Seleção. He is aware, however, that Tite will not call him unless he deserves it on the field.Dani Alves & Richarlison (©Gallo Images)”No one plays because they are the coach’s friend. After all, the coach is putting his job at risk. He certainly won’t compromise, he’s not stupid. He needs players who can achieve what he envisions. Tite and I have been working together for years, we have a relationship full of confidence, he is very demanding and has high expectations from players. I don’t have the innate talent like Messi, Neymar, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Romario… I know I have to work hard to reach the goal. I have a certain talent, but also I work hard and have discipline,” said Alves, concluding that the current generation of the Brazilian national team has enough experience to win the World Cup in Qatar.The five-time world champions share World Cup Group G with Cameroon, Serbia and Switzerland.
