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We know he really meant it when he said that he wanted to play at the Singapore Sports Hub. It was way too convincing when the rest of his team, including former Manchester United’s Lee Sharpe and Tottenham Hotspur’s Paul Walsh were relaxing inside the National Stadium club suite, he was the only one who sat at the outdoor seat admiring the football pitch before our arrival.
When Dimitar Berbatov was done admiring the majestic 55,000 seaters Singapore Sports Hub, the friendly 1.89m-tall former Bulgaria International signaled us to go over to sit beside him to conduct our interview.
And of course, before we started the interview, that’s when he turned to us and confessed he really love the Stadium. He hoped that he could get to play on the pitch for a while but he knew that was not possible. He did sound dejected while making that comment but we knew for sure the Manchester United legend had played on many more better pitches than this!
So apart from admiring the grand 55,000 seater National Stadium, what does he think of Singapore especially this is the very first time he has stepped into the warm Singapore?
“This is a really beautiful country. The people here are warm and welcoming just like the weather! But it’s such a pity that I am unable to do any sightseeing as I am always busy attending events. The only chance for me to see Singapore and the beautiful buildings is during my traveling inside the car from one event to another. So I would like to come back here for a proper holiday together with my family one of these days,” said the Manchester United legend.
Although this is the first time Berbatov has been to Singapore, he is no stranger to football in this Asian region. After enjoying a successful European football career representing big teams like Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Fulham, Monaco and many more, the 7-times Bulgarian Football of the Year Award winner has turned out for Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League.
“If you ask me, I think Asian football is very different from the European. I mean in terms of organization or even footballing structure, there are just too many differences. I have only spent a couple of months in India so I might not be the best person to comment much about Asian football. But I would have to say Asian football is definitely on the rise.
And I know many top players are coming to Asia because the money is good. No wrong in that, the players want to play football and the clubs are willing to pay. But I hope in the near future, many top players will come to Asia to play football not just because the money is good. I hope they will come here because they find the Leagues here good enough for them to continue to play in,” added Berbatov.
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Meeting up with this legend, you cannot help by not asking anything about his playing days with one of the world most supported Manchester United. Well, so in the same changing room, who did he shared the most laughter with? And perhaps share a secret of that best buddy of his?
“I got along well with everybody but (Nemanja) Vidic is the closest to me. Both of us come from the same area. I’m from Bulgaria, he’s from Serbia and we speak the same language. As a matter of fact, because of him, I settled down very quickly in the team. Both of us are just like brothers. But you know what, off the pitch, he’s a joker but on the pitch, he’s a real serious dude! He kept kicking players in the training because he took training way too seriously!” commented Berbatov.
Last but not least, which club has to be his favorite – Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur? And his reply…..
“Ask any parent with children, which of their child do they like most?”
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Special thanks to Singapore Sports Hub for making this Interview possible.
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