Aurelien Tchouaméni Real Madrid stardom, mental toughness, Vinny Jr issue & 2026 World Cup|The Pivot

biggest stage. There is nothing higher than Real Madrid. Best club in the world, best club in the history of of our sport. The scrutiny is crazy. Like the level of pressure is something different. You know that everything that you're going to do, people are going to talk about it whether it's good or bad. If the guy says something to Vinnie, say something to me, say something to all the black people, you know, in the sport. It happened. And then what? In the Champions League, if we had stopped playing that game, that would have been crazy. Every time I'm like what if >> is that a conversation you guys have had? >> It helped me, you know, to become a better player to understand what it means, you know, to play a World Cup game. Now you play for for your country. It's not just your club, your team. It's for your countries and you feel guilty in a certain way. But at the same time, I was like, it's part of my journey. The end of my career. I'm going to remember that moment. And it is what it is. There is nothing that you can do about it. Like that was viral. Like everybody send me like you know the like the tweet got to the stadium first 10 20 minutes every touches of mine the whole stadium is booing me. You have two options. It's either like it kills you or or you're like okay like let's see like what I can control it because one thing with me if you like pug the beer a little bit that's it. Got my people feeling militant way got me up on a mission got me up knowing me I got the key on the vision I can trust trust limit it I witness it my PEOPLE FEELING >> OKAY WE INTERNATIONAL >> we international man >> how are you sure good >> my goodness >> thanks for having me >> no man thank you for being when was the >> when was the first time we DM'd it I don't even remember. That was probably like two years ago. >> About two years ago. >> Yeah. Yeah. Two years ago. And we're like, "No, we have to we have to make it happen." But, you know, obviously with the the schedule, it's it's always tough. But we're here now. >> We're here now, man. This is Channon Crowder. That's Fred Taylor, Ryan Clark. Pivot fam. Thank y'all for pivoting with us. Hey, we going international. Real Madrid, >> France, whatever you want to say. Cameroonian. We got it all. This is Aurelian Chin Mini. Is it Chin? >> Perfectly said. >> Yeah. Yeah, I listened to like 17 different people pronounce it and they all had accents and none of them was from New Orleans. I was like, I know I'm going to mess this up. >> That's a tough one. >> I'm going hit them with the mini. >> That's a tough one. But you did it right. >> Yeah. The first thing I want to ask is this, man. Like we play football. We played American football. >> The real one or the fake one. >> We'll say the fake one for you since you're here today. We always We always try. I know. It's always good. We try to show love to our guests. But there's a level of fame that football players reach that's different than football players, right? There's a number of countries you guys can go to where your face is recognizable, the the international fame you can gain. How difficult is it to make the adjustment though from playing a game you love for the love of it to the fame that comes when you get to the biggest stage like you're on now? I just have to say that it's uh it's part of the it's part of the package you know you know that uh once you reach like the highest level obviously you have like good things and bad ones also fame is part of it so I mean you just got to embrace it because if you're famous it means that uh you are you're burning out you're doing your thing so it is what it is >> criticism too >> yeah I mean if you don't do nothing you're never going to get criticized you know so as I said you just got to embrace it. No matter what they say, just keep doing your thing. Keep keep grinding. And at the end of the day, I feel like if you do the right things, you're going to get what you want. >> Real Madrid though, sounds good. All the cute stuff. Yeah. Keep playing and all, bro. You play for Real Madrid, the biggest soccer club in the world. At what point like they say pressure is a privilege and all of that stuff. When did you feel the pressure or when did you see it? Because as I as I was looking at videos and you know doing research, people were questioning you when you first got there, then you balling and then oh he's doing this now you went to MVPs. When did when did that pressure of playing from Real Madrid hit you? >> Again, when you play for Real Madrid uh biggest stage, you know that there is nothing higher than Real Madrid, best club in the world, best club in in the history of of our sport. The scrutiny is crazy. Like the level of pressure is something different. you know that everything that you're going to do, people are going to talk about it whether it's good or bad. You know that that's the beautiful thing about it. That what make Real Madrid so popular. Uh wherever we go, the fans are going crazy. For instance, I was playing with the national team um few few days ago and so we're in the States, we played in Boston and Washington and you can tell that the way like they welcome us when you're a Real Madrid player, it's just different. So >> it shows you know how the club um how big the club is and uh yeah the pressure comes with it the the criticizing the like the critic sorry and also the fame >> right Channing spoke about the the pressures of being a player playing for Real Madrid. So, quick story. I I did a 19-day tour through Spain, and when we got to Madrid, the driver uh they showed us your stadium, and they said, "Look, if you wear any other jersey in the stadium other than a jersey of Real Madrid, you could leave in a body bag." >> That's how intense it gets, you know, when you're visiting uh other opponents. What's the craziest thing you ever witnessed as a player from the fan base? >> Okay, I got a good one. So, you know, like Real Madrid has like like a contract with BMW. So, every player got like his BMW car. And one day, my sister was driving in the city. One guy stopped her because he knew exactly what like what car I had. Okay. So, he thought that I was in the car. So, he was like, "No, I know that you're like Tra family because I know the car. Like, I know you know like the Mization plate and everything." And I was like, "Okay." Like, we reached another level. That's crazy. That's crazy. >> Yeah. When you said that you get treated differently. So, like, let's say you're on a trip with your national team. Not everybody on that team plays for Real Madrid. How much separation do you feel in the celebrity that you now possess as opposed to some of those other players? So when you play for Real Madrid, no matter like you can be like a role player, you can be the biggest star in the team. You know that everywhere you go in the world, people are going to recognize you. So we can go to China, we can go to Australia, United States, we can go to South America, you know that you're going to find like a Real Madrid, Real Madrid fan. So yeah, like for example the Washington stadium, obviously we played against Colombia, so they have also a big fan base, but if you look at like all the jerseys, like beside the like the Colombian jerseys, like the Real Madrid ones were like everywhere. So >> that's crazy. You know, you said growing up that your father was your role model, but you said he wasn't that good at soccer. >> No. >> So when he think that he was, but he wasn't. He wasn't. When when did you tell your pops? You was like, "Yeah, pop. Like, I love you and and you the reason I'm here, but you can't mess with me at this." >> So, that's the thing. When I was little, like uh I used to like watch him, you know, train with with his forks, but at some point, I figured that he he wasn't that good, but he was a good role model for me. So, I got to I got to give him credit for that. >> There's a thing here like it's always, you know, like there's a there's a there's levels. You playing middle school, you playing high school, you playing college, you go to the league. I've heard overseas it's not like that. >> Completely different. >> Like what's the process of being a top soccer player? >> You can become professional at the age of 15 for example, 16. You don't have to go through like the whole college stuff. So basically, you play in a in a youth team. Uh me for example, I was in Bordeaux. And then if they feel like you have the level to be professional, you sign your first professional contract and you get to the first gym. So you can be professional when you turn 16, 15, it doesn't matter like your age. If they felt like you have the level required, you're just going to do it. >> When did you get your first check with your name on it? >> My first check? >> The first time you made money off your legs and feet and body? >> I was 13 maybe. >> Yeah, I was 13. I was in the like pre-ac academy. They used to like give us like a little something that was probably like five five grand or uh something. >> I have a question. How does five grand at 13 become a little something? >> A little something now. >> No, that was a little something for me now. But when I was 13, that was crazy. >> Yeah, but to me to me I was like a billionaire. No, but you know that you know what's the thing? Like my my my dad he called my bank and I had like a limit. So out of the like 500, I couldn't like get like all the money that I wanted. So maybe I could get like a 100 per month, you know, cuz he didn't want me to go crazy. But that was already good. >> When did you realize that this could be a career? Like when did you realize you were very good at at soccer at football? >> Started to play football when I was five. By the age of six, the biggest team in the state wanted to like recruit me, but my parents didn't want to because they wanted me to like enjoy playing with my neighborhood friends and everything. So, I only get to the team when I was 12. And I do remember one day I was not even in the team. I was in like another team. I was maybe 11. And I was in the car with my dad and I told him, you know, that like I watched the game yesterday and that was maybe like a like a Champions League game. So like the biggest stage, right? And I told him, you know, like when I see like the guys play, I feel like like I belong like I'm going to I'm going to get to that to that level. >> And my dad was like, "Okay, like you can talk, you can do what you want. You can say like what you want, but at the end of the day like what you're gonna do." And I was like, "Okay, bet. You will see. I'm gonna get to that level." Well, I was 11 and yeah, I made it. >> Hey, he got real simple. He's like, "Bet." Yeah, I made it. >> Like my dad challenged me a lot. Like, we can have conversation and we can play I can play like an incredible game and it was like, "Okay, that's cool. Like, what's next?" and helps me a lot because I know that it's not that I got to prove everybody right, but I got to prove my dad wrong in a certain way and I love it because like it pushed me to my limits. The other thing is too, you know, being a father and having a son who's involved in football, American football as you call the fake football, you're pushing them, but it's not because you don't believe in them. It's because you do, right? Trust me, you aren't proving him wrong. You're proving to him everything he knows about you. And that's why when he feels like there's a little bit more you could give, he's pushing you to give that >> you said you were going to make it, right? And and on this side, like we don't hear about you guys a lot of times until you become stars, right? That's what happens in America or when there's World Cup when everybody's tuned in and tapped in. when you're on the pitch and you're sharing the pitch with guys like Mbappe when you first started to get to that level to be around those stars. What were some of those butterflies like as you were trying to prove yourself? >> I felt like it's a blessing, you know, to be like able to to play the biggest stage and to play with like the best players in the world. But honestly, like when when I'm on the pitch, I don't care. My only like focus is on what I have to do. might ask be great and that's it. Obviously my first game with Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabu probably like the the most famous stadium in the world. I was like okay like I remembered all the great players you know we used to playing then the game starts and that's it like let's go you know and it helps me you know to as I said just stay focused on what I have to do like I have to be focused on my task that's it >> football soccer conversation you ain't grow up over here cuz the only place that really has big time American football is here how did you look at football how do y'all look at football players cuz we don't know a lot about soccer over here. It's starting to get bigger with MLS and all that stuff. And I live in Miami. Messi is there. Okay. So, it's it's blowing up now. But when we were kids, >> Yeah. you have a great team over there with Messi like he changed. >> Sketch was there and all them guys. But when we were kids, oh, soccer they play over there. We play football over. How did y'all look at football growing up? >> But is it true that in the US like soccer is considered like as a like rich type of sport like for rich people? >> It's it's it's an auxiliary sport. >> Okay. Because here >> you don't have access. >> Yeah. You don't have the access. But in order to be a part of the better clubs, you have to spend the money. >> Okay. >> Right. You have to spend the money to be able to put them in those clubs unless somebody selects them and is willing to pay for it. Those kids have to travel. So if you're a parent, you need to be able to travel with those kids. And so for for for us, it's easier. We think about our community for instance. It's easier to give them a basketball cuz you can find a hoop anywhere. it's easier to give them a football because you can find the grass anywhere. Whereas soccer and learning that skill is a little bit different here in the states. >> So football, American football is not very popular in Europe, especially in France. I don't know why. Probably because the games are most of the time late at night. >> You know, people are more like um into like basketball and the NBA. But me honestly, I love football. I used to be like a big big basketball fan, but ever since I started watching u football um like it changed my mind. I love like the mentality that you guys have uh you know on the pitch. Funny story when I was in the national team two weeks ago, Vision Robinson came to our camp. >> Yeah. >> We we did like you know like little challenges together. So he got introduced to our team and the guys asked me they were like but who like the guy? I said, "You have no idea how great this guy is, but he's like a really good player, you know, but >> I don't know. They are more into basketball." >> So they So you're a big Wimi fan. >> Yeah, obviously Wim is our guy, French guy. He's probably going to be, I hope, one of the best in the history of the game. But um football is becoming more popular because, you know, now uh the league makes sure that every year, you know, they play in different countries. We're gonna host the first Paris NFL game uh this year next season. So, it's gonna it's gonna get there. >> What What drew you to American football, though? What what was like sort of your first experiences with it? And what kept you, I guess, sort of consistent in wanting to learn more about the game? >> So, honestly, I used to watch like all the Super Bowls like everybody, but I didn't really understand the rules. So, you know, most of the people in Europe, they watch the Super Bowl, but more for maybe the halftime show, but they don't really understand like the rules of the game. And one thing with me, when I do something, I want to be like the best at it or when I watch something, I really understand. I really want to understand like everything. >> So, at some point, I was like, "Okay, I'm watching football, but I don't really know the rules." I went on, you know, internet to understand a little bit more how it works. I went to a list of the best players of all positions right now but also in the past because you watch football but if you don't know Deion Sanders for example like you know >> right >> so honestly I've been watching football now very consistently when I say consistently like every Sunday I watch the games for like five to six years now. >> Really? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's really cool. >> That's the beauty of sports though, right? We we we witnessed and even in our sport, it connects people from different walks of life, you know, uh it connects the world globally with the NFL, what they're trying to do with making sure the game is played in other countries each and every year. They're playing three, four games internationally. Uh even soccer, football, uh is growing here in the states with bringing Messi over over trying to grow the MLS, >> the women's league, the USL, all these different leagues that are growing because the sport has, you know, immense uh potential. But you you're a big fan of Tom Brady, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You recently played France Play Brazil in Gillette Stadium, Brady's house. >> That was crazy. >> That was my question. What was that experience like to to play in the home of Tom Brady? maybe to even channel some inner Tom Brady the fans accepting you guys there. What was that all like? >> So, obviously we all know that Tom Brady is a is an icon. So, the day before the game we trained next to the stadium and I saw the stadium I was like yo like as the Gillette stadium like you know as a football fan you know that that's probably like one of the the the most famous stadium in in the sport. the day of the game, I was on the pitch because, you know, like in soccer before before the game, you can go on the pitch to see like how the grass is and, you know, to feel the atmosphere a little bit. So, I sent him um a picture on on Instagram and he was like, "Yeah, a lot of winds, you know, the stadium." But yeah, that was crazy even to play in the Washington Commander Stadium. Uh last year for the club world cup we got the chance to play in the linkold financial field and and I was gold stadium and that was that was great. That's a blessing definitely. >> Did you get a chance to see a statue? Brady statue? >> No, I didn't. I didn't. But uh No, I don't know if we're going to play. No, we're going to have another game in Boston for the World Cup. So I might I ask the the the driver to stop to to get some pictures. >> His statue is huge. >> He deserve it. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. They need to name the stadium after. >> You call it the pitch because we call it the field, but it's pitch. So, are the pitches different? Because I played in the first NFL international game in '08 and we played at Wembley. >> Okay. >> It was different. Grass is different than playing on football grass can American football grass to football grass. Is it different coming over here and moving around? Definitely because uh for our sport uh the grass is so important like the grass quality is so important like our game in Boston the pitch was not that like the grass was not really like good quality and it affects our game for you guys it doesn't really matter you know but for us it's like really really important so that's why most of the time when we play in the US like the grass is so different that you literally have to adjust >> yeah I mean like we would go out you change your cleats if the weather was different. But the one thing we always looked at was like, shoot, everybody got a play on it, >> right? So every so everyone has to adjust. You have an even field. Obviously in America where our society is, you do deal with certain levels of racism, right? And it's and it's gone from what was once veiled to being more in your face. Recently, Vinnie was faced with being called a monkey on the pitch. How much conversation did you all have about that experience and moving forward with it amongst yourselves? >> It's definitely hurtful because we know what happened with Vinnie, but at the end of the day, like we are all black folks. So, if the guy says something to Vinnie, say something to me, say something to all the black people, you know, in the sport and in the community. But when you're on the pitch, it's really difficult like to like process it and to realize what's going on. But at some point, I felt like we did a great job like talking all together on the pitch to know like what we wanted to do. And Vinnie was literally like, "Okay, we're going to keep playing because at the end of the day, like we have a job to do, but after we have something to say about it and we definitely have to improve in the fact that it happened." >> Mhm. >> Was like probably like 2 months ago and and then what what's the like what's the next step? So I feel like the instance of trying to like to figure it out, you know, and to help the players to feel more comfortable. I feel like the next move will be like to stop playing, you know, like I will say that as a Real Madrid team in the Champions League, the biggest stage, if we had stopped playing that game, that would have been crazy. And we won the game. Okay. But every time I'm like like what if what if we had done it you know and maybe this is what we like what we need you know to to help you know the instances uh the leagues and everybody to figure out because as I said it happened it happened in the past it's going to happen again but it's just going to stay the same you know >> when it happens like you said when it happens in the moment it's hard to process what's the next step right there's obviously hurt there there's anger. There's a way that you want to address it even physically sometimes and you know you can't do that. I think to say though looking back maybe you have to stop playing the game so people can understand how hurtful that is. Is that a conversation you guys have had? >> Yeah, definitely. Because honestly that day on the pitch we were like should we continue or just go back to the locker room and Vinnie was like no it's okay guys let's just you know finish but maybe we should have done it because as I said it would have went crazy and maybe it would help just a tiny bit. >> Is that a big problem or is because you can have that one dude that's just talking crazy or that group of people that's just nasty racist >> people dude. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah, you could have that one person, but is it a problem in soccer? Cuz you said it happened in the past and you said it's going to happen. >> It's always a problem and it's always been a problem, but the biggest problem is that I feel like we don't like like we're not improving like it keeps happening, you know? I don't know if we have to change the mentalities, if we have to like set a new rule, but something has to has to be has to be made. >> Yeah. No, it's it's not just soccer. I mean, it's all sports. Basketball, it happens. People are, you know, >> does it like does it happen in football? >> Football DK Metaf situation, right? Oh, yeah. Went up in the stadium, someone called him, you know, a certain name, whatever. It it happens in >> But he got punished. I mean, >> yeah. Well, I will say this too. The I think the difference in in football is these players who are from different backgrounds, different descents, you grow up together, >> right? >> Right. Like Tom Brady playing with Tai Law and Richard Seymour and Fred Taylor and Corey Dylan and Randy Moss. Tom Brady had done that his whole his whole life. If you're in those locker room, those are the people you grow with and you learn with. I think it's a different thing, especially for you guys, cuz when you play internationally, it's not just the color of the skin, it's the actual background, right? The ethnicity, the the country that you're from. And I do believe that can bring on a different sense of racism, a different sense of superiority. So, I can see how that for you guys could be even more intense than what we deal with here in the in your face >> disrespect. >> Yeah. Like RC saying, it's more player to player versus player to to fan in our sport. Take us back to 2022, France's uh run to the to the World Cup. >> Yeah. >> What did that run teach you? Obviously, you guys were this close to to winning it all and being world champion. What did that moment that that run that year teach you? And how did it prepare you all for this year's World Cup? I feel like the 2022 World Cup was a blessing especially for me because learned so much. I do remember before the competition we was I mean I was not supposed to start because all the guys like Paul Pogba and Golo Conte were already established as you know like leaders of the team. >> They got injured maybe two or three months before the competition. So we had to we had we had to start you know I had to start and uh it helped me you know to become a better player. uh to understand what it means, you know, to play a World Cup game. Uh it's probably for you guys, you know, playoff game is different than a regular season game, you know, with the level of scrutiny. Now, you play for you play for your country. It's not just your club, your team. It's for your country. So, you know, it's definitely bigger. Um and then yeah, we we got to the final uh probably like the craziest final ever. >> Yeah. >> And then penalty shootout. I missed my penalty. uh another guy too and we came up short. Went back home with with nothing, no trophy. And um it hurts definitely, you know, even now when I think about it. But at the same time, I was only 22. >> So, you know, my generation, we're probably going to be like, okay, our first World Cup, we made it to the final. So, it's not that we take it for granted, but we're like, "Okay, next one we have to win, you know, and we never know what the the the future holds, you know, for for us." But, um, it definitely like shaped me in a certain way. >> Can you take me through the process and the mindset, the the way that you approach a penalty kick? Because I can only equate it to basketball. when a guy's at the free throw line, game on the line, you shooting a one on a one in one, right? And you know you got to hit this shot to get or the kicker at the end of the game. Can you take me to the mindset of when you're in that position in the World Cup, a 22year-old young player, and you know what that moment represents? >> So, I love responsibilities. So, at the end of the game, I was like, "Okay, I got to take my chance. Penalty. I'mma go 22 years old or not. Feel like I belong, you know. So honestly, you just don't want to think about nothing. You just want to pick a side. But I do remember that when I was literally like in front of the goal and the goalkeeper, I was like, yo, like that's crazy. And I do remember that when I was little, my mom used to be like, oh, but like in a like situation, she was like, okay, calm down. This is not like the final of the World Cup. like and I was literally playing the final on the of the World Cup. >> Yeah. >> At that time. So I was like, "Okay, I got to pick a side." Um, I completely like [ __ ] up honestly like I have to say it. And then I waited for, you know, like the end of the the penalty shootout and as I said, we lost, came up short, went back to the hotel with all the families and you feel guilty in a certain way, but at the same time, I was like, it's part of my journey. Uh, the end of my career, I'm going to remember that moment. And it is what it is. There is nothing that you can do about it. You can't control it. So just move forward. >> You decide right then. You don't know in advance. You don't know if we go to penalties, I'm going to go left, upper 90. You decide when you're standing there looking at >> literally. Literally because like the difference between like a penalty for example and like a field goal, like the field goal, it depends on like you, you know, it's just you. Like the penalty, you have the goalkeeper. So you can't like shoot the best penalty, but if the goalkeeper save it, like you're done, you know? So, pick the side. As I said, mess that up. And yeah, >> in football, we do so much film. Uh, we're overloaded with an uh analytics, data, all that different stuff. And we sort of everything's sort of scripted. Not for the gamblers out there. It's not scripted in that way cuz people tend to run with stuff, but we have to really prepare and watch film and, you know, kind of get familiar with the player. how much of that is involved in soccer and versus how much of it is just uh improvising throughout the the course of the game. >> So the difference between your league and our league is that most of the time in your football if you don't show up, you're going to get your ass kicked. >> Yeah. >> Simple as that. you can play against a 110 team. If you don't like, you know, do everything that you have to do to win, you're going to lose. In soccer, still the same, but I will say that the individual quality like can help a team to win. So, you can play against a bad team and with the quality that you have, you're still going to win. Even though it can happen that also like the gym in front of you like your opponents they're burning out this day and you lose but I will say that that that's the difference. >> So it's a it's it's talent like how much talent you have on the team. >> Talent. I was talking about it last day with vision and I was like like for you guys it's so difficult especially him as a running back. you depend so much on the other players of your team especially the O line for us it's different you know I I always say that football is um is a collective sport but it's also so individual like you can make the difference by yourself >> right >> in your sport it's more difficult >> football the you know non-American style has a more basketball feel to it like if you are a superstar player you can change what happens on the pitch I want to read you some headlines that are trending right now. Aurelion untouchable. Real Madrid looks to extend contract to 2031. Aurelion ready to get locked down. Real Madrid looks to secure the future with Aurelion. And these are all things that are going on right now. Like when your name is trending with what you've accomplished and the way your club looks at you, what are those contract talks like? because we only know how we negotiate within the NFL. We don't know what it's like to be on in the biggest club in the world's greatest football league. >> So, the difference is that you guys you sign your contract, guaranteed contract, and then if you want to like trade a player, you have like draft picks or another player, whatever. For us, it's based on uh what you do on the pitch. If you're going to have a certain value, talking millions, and let's say one player is playing for Real Madrid, another team PSG want the player, you call the Real Madrid owner, uh, and you tell him, "Okay, listen, I got 200 millions for you for the player. Is it enough for you? And if the player wants to join the gym, and the chim is okay with the 200 millions, you move." >> That's the thing. You only have two transfer window, one in the winter and one in the summer. But yeah, it's basically how like how it works. >> Your transfer number was high. >> Yeah. >> Uh >> pretty high. >> It's pretty damn high to to become a part of Real Madrid. And you know, we always talk about what money says. Money says how much they value you. Just just to be honest, period. Like that's how we say how we how we see you. Was there an added amount of pressure because of that when you moved over because it seemed like there was so much criticism on your initial play because people saw that number so high. >> So that's the thing like for me I feel like you know some people they they didn't really know like how to evaluate the way I play. You know, there are certain stuff that like to see and to acknowledge it, you really have like to know the game and to pay attention to the little details. I'm not a striker. I'm not going to score three goals per game, but the little stuff that I do, I feel like I so valuable for the team. And I struggle a little bit in the beginning because as I said, like you want people to talk good about you. You don't want to get criticized. You want at the end of each game people to be like, "Oh, he bowled out." But I understood that I don't have to be driven by what people say, but by what I think about my game, what the people around me, my teammates, my coaches, the coaching staff. And then if they're happy with what I do is the most important. And at some point it's going to change and people are going to talk in a good way. Like right now, for example, Yeah. as you said like everybody's talking about me the way I play but like one year ago or two years ago I was a bad player I got booed in the stadium so many stuff happened so I felt like I've been through a lot and it definitely helped me mentally because now I know that no matter what I do people are going to talk their talk so just don't pay attention to it >> and you talk about how like a running back needs a no line what about your your line mates that you play with how much easier does the midfielders and the defense you have behind you that can let you play your game like having those good guys let you play your game more? >> Sure. Yeah, you definitely rely on each other. Uh when you play in the double pivot the the other number six, you know, is really important for you because let's say if you want to be to more like if you want to be more offensive like he has to, you know, step back a little bit and uh vice versa. So, it's like a duo uh like the linebacker, you know, like your other your other teammate, you know, it's it's so important, you know, to be on the same on the same page. And um yeah, >> this question is outside of sports. Has nothing to do with sports at all. What's in your McDonald's fries in in in Paris cuz Americans go crazy? >> So much better. >> American go crazy. >> Do y'all do the same when y'all visit over here? like ordering like McDonald's and get the >> McDonald's like American will go to McDonald's and post it all over their social media and just go crazy for McDonald's. And >> I'm a Chick-fil-A fan. >> Oh, you're a Chick-fil Okay, like honestly like to me like McDonald's here in the US is not that good >> like compared to the one in Europe like it's completely different. >> Correct. >> But the fries like the McDonald's fries are like the best in the world. Best in the business like no doubt. And the other question is, what we doing next year for our birthday? We share the same birthday. Shut up. >> Oh, January 27th. Yes, sir. Happy belated. >> That's dope. You have to come. >> I turned 50 this year. >> I I turned 51 this year. >> Hey, half 26. >> Y turn up for sure. We're going to do something, >> you know, like with where you are right now and still being extremely young to hear the things about the way Real Madrid looks at you, some of the things that you have gone through to get to this point. How difficult was it being booed? We don't feel like we get that individual criticism that they're going to boo you specifically, right? Like I I've never experienced that. I've also never been at the height that you are representing my country playing for the biggest club in the world. What was it like to have to process that part of your journey? >> That was a really important moment in my life and in my football career for sure. So I was in um tough situation and at that time I was not really playing in my position because like the center backs in our team were injured. So I had to play you know center back and I struggled because that was not my position. I just try to help the team but also like I got to take accountability like when I was playing in my position I was not playing like really really good. I was okay but I could have done better. We had a game, got to the stadium. We got smashed the day before by the week before by Barcelona, you know, in the final. So, I knew that, you know, I will be like scapegoed a little bit. Got to the stadium first 10, 20 minutes, every touches of mine, the whole stadium is booing me. And at first, I didn't really understand. And then I was like, is it like is it me? Well, you have two options. It's either like it kills you or or or you're like, "Okay, like it is what it is. Let's see like what I can control." And the only thing that I can control is my performance. And I played a really really good game, you know, that day. And at the end of the at the end of the game, you know, people applauded and everything. So, but definitely the day after I thought about it and I was like, "Okay, it is what it is, but people are going to talk that talk, do what they want to do." But I don't like I can't give them the opportunity, you know, to boo me. So, what I can do is, you know, work even harder and be the best version of myself. >> You're a huge note taker. >> I've heard I'm a big note guy. I got electronic notebooks. I got regular notebooks. I type in my notes in my phone. I was that way as a player, right? It was if you told it to me and I typed it or I wrote it, I remembered it, right? and in remembering it, I could execute it. With you being a huge notetaker and learning that young, how do you use those things to help you? Whether it's psychologically, whether it's from a technique standpoint, a tactical standpoint, when you're taking those notes, what is your process of comprehending that information? >> So, to me, uh, mental is big part of my game. So I figured like at the like very early in my life that I needed like to understand you know how like the brain works and how I can get better mentally and to me you can always train it you know so right now I'm working with Chad Chad bowling that maybe you guys I think you know him right yeah so every every time that um we we link up and and talk to each other you know I write what he says is because me I prefer to read stuff you know and it going to like it's going to help me to to remind it and uh yeah mental is like so important. I know that right now one thing I'm really better at is like control what I can control. So just focusing on you know what I can do on the pitch and the rest of it the medias what people are going to say what you just say with like the contracts talk and everything I can control it you know so it helped me to really like calm down a little bit and focus on my thing that's awesome >> speaking like calming down is it advantageous to play soccer mad cuz when them people were booing you every time you touch the ball you could have got mad but in American football anger sometimes cuz we get to hit each other. Is it a disadvantage or an advantage if you play soccer mad? >> It depends on the individuals. As I said, like I watch a lot of football games and I can tell that you guys like you have like to hype yourself up and you know to to to be ready for the game to be like mad in a certain way or not. Me, I figure that I have to be super calm before a game. I was watching the Micah Parson's podcast and he was uh talking about the way he approached the game. I think George Pickin said that he used to watch uh like food video of and then I was like okay maybe it's going to work. So, I changed my whole like music playlist, you know, of like my pregame pre-list. And uh now before the game, I only like listen to like classic music, like R&B, not like rap, you know? I I have to be like very calm and then when I start the game, I'm ready to go. >> I did that, too. I had I had playlists and I would always start cuz it played on Sundays a lot with gospel and I would have gospel then I have like some R&B, some rock, some pop and it would build up and it was, you know, one song I always listen to before the game cuz it was kind of a tribute to a friend of mine that passed. But yeah, I was the same way. I couldn't get too hype because like the adrenaline to get going and then once you punch somebody in the mouth, it don't matter then anyway. You >> crazy. >> You know what I'm saying? You got to get I know you your playlist is probably raggedy. >> Jeezy ti I woke up pissing fire. >> I can't do that on a daily basis. Yeah. But before the game, no. I can't do that no more. >> With World Cup coming here to America and you being a football fan and some of the stadiums and some of the places you'll get to play. How much excitement is it around these upcoming games? >> It's like super dope. like for me to get the chance to play World Cup in uh in the US. Uh it's a blessing. When we played in Boston, like the whole Boston Celtics crew was like side before the game and I was like, "Yo, that's dope." You know, like the the faults that you like, you know, for for what they do. Um now they're watching what you're doing, you know, on the pitch. So yeah, for for us it's going to be it's going to be good like, you know, with the expectations and and everything that comes with it. But it's definitely going to be going to be something great. >> And and coming to the US, you're a over here you a black dude. How is it with the American black culture to the European black culture and now you're you're intertwining that now being the US more you wearing the ones? You know what I'm saying? Like how how is that coming from how you grew up to now getting into if you want to call it the hip-hop culture of America? So the thing is that I feel like more and more like the American culture, you know, is also like in the in the European culture. So, you know, people like, you know, they they always like look and and watch what's going on in the US. So, I feel like now it's coming, you know, a little bit more also with like the mentality, the black culture, everything that you guys do. Um and that's why for example football is becoming more popular, basketball definitely rap us, you know, American music. So yeah, it's uh it's good. >> It doesn't happen in football a lot, American football. It happens in Euro football, European football that the couples and the celebrity of the players and who they're dating becomes almost like social media reality shows. We don't get that. You know, Dak Prescott dealt with it a little bit because he's a quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. We've seen Tom Brady deal with it because he dates famously. Travis Kelce because he's with Taylor Swift. Nobody cares who the linebacker of the New York Giants are dating. And you've recently had to deal with some public things where you had to speak up. Looking at you right now, man, you look so young to me. How hard is man that celebrity where people are now picking apart your relationship so much where you got to come out and say no man like that's not what's going on. >> It's definitely tough to handle it but uh we're learning every single day. Nobody's teaching us like how it works you know but as I said you know your first question I I told you like with the fame the scrutiny like it comes with it. It it's part of the package. as a Real Madrid player, you're dating someone, everybody wants to know what's going on. They are making stuff up like it happened, you know, a few weeks ago. It's definitely not funny, but at the end of the day, as I say, it's part of our life. There is nothing that we can do about it. So, it is what it is, though, man. >> I know, but I just got to give him some I got to give him credit now cuz I saw that story, too. You did? >> That was crazy. You know, you know what happened? I was literally like I was playing video games and my girlfriend was at home, my mom too and my uncle and they were eating and my agent called me. He was like, "Look, someone just sent me like the tweet, right?" So I stopped playing obviously I was watching. I was like, "So then I called my mom and my girlfriend and I was like, "Look, you see what's going on? >> You see what you did? >> You see you see what you did." So my mom was pissed off. Honestly, my girlfriend, she she didn't care because I mean now she understand like how it works, you know. But my mom was pissed off and usually like I don't address it. I don't have to because you know people like they love like drama to >> Well, what made you address it this time? >> Cuz that was go like that was viral. Like everybody sent me like you know the like the tweet. So I was like, "No, I got to say something because I understand that, you know, I can let it go, but nah, like this is serious." And we had the game the following day and they were they were literally saying that because of what happened, I'm not going to play the game the following day. And the thing that, you know, made me like post something was like my teammates like they were calling me to know like what's up. So I was like, "Okay, like it's getting serious. Got to address it, you know, shut the noise and Yeah. You you Well, you did well, young man. I just I saw some pictures. >> I KNEW YOU WAS THERE. YOU KNOW, you you watch the show enough. >> Yeah. I know. >> You knew that was coming. >> But I love it. I love it. >> Thank you. >> In moments like this though, you mentioned you mentioned your mom. You mentioned your dad earlier as it pertains to the sport itself and how he helped guide you. But I want to ask you about support system. your mom, her role, and what she means to you throughout this journey. >> My mom means the world to me, you know. Um, when I was younger, uh, she used to tell me, I don't really care about what you're going to do in life. I know and I want you to be successful. I just want to be like the best at what you do. So you can do a chef, you can do doctor, whatever you want, but try to be the best. And it helped me a lot, you know, so I definitely got to give her props for that. And even even now, you know, she always make sure, you know, that I'm good when things are not going well. She's going to come over, you know, and and cook for me sometimes and and yeah, make sure that um her her son is is doing good. I definitely got, you know, a really good support system from from my my close ones and I'm grateful for it. >> You know, there going to be people who watch this show because of our following who've never heard of you. >> Am I the first soccer player on the show? >> Yes. >> It's important. >> I mean, that's I mean, honestly, >> you deserve to be. Like I said, from the fact that you reached out years ago and you was like, "Hey man, I really rock with y'all." And I remember calling our producer being like, "We got to get him on the show." And she went to research. She's like, "Yeah, you got to get him on the show." You know, and so we're glad to to finally get it done. What would be something that you want people to know about you who aren't associated with you or who this will be their first time ever hearing you talk or ever seeing you away from the pitch. It's like super tough for me like to talk about like to talk about me, but I want to be remembered as you know like a great person. I feel like with everything that's going on in the world, uh, with what you do, you know, the level of fame, you know, the scrutiny, um, it's like super easy like to lose yourself, you know. >> But one thing I want to make sure of is to be like a great person to know that everybody like every time that, you know, people ask about me, >> people are going to be like, "No, he's a great dude." you know, and because at the end of the day, yeah, to do on the pitch, you're a soccer player, you have money, whatever, but if you're a great person, like the most important thing. So, yeah, that would be my thing. >> I love that. Also, by the way, shout out to Speedy. You know what I'm saying? >> Oh, that was definitely >> Speedy take care of us. >> Oh, Speedy gave him that laser tape. >> Yeah, you know. >> Okay. Okay. Just quickly with that answer, is it a cultural thing to be as humble as you are? And really soccer players, like y'all are way more humble than other sports like it's always like, "Okay, no, I did okay." You can have a double hat-tick. You can hit six in a game and no, my team was great. It's okay. Is that is is that part of the game? Is it a cultural thing? Why are y'all so damn humble? >> So that's the thing. you guys think that we are humble but if you ask people in Europe about soccer player they're not going to say that we are humble you know so I don't know if it's a cultural thing but the way you like for us the way we talk you know if you show like too much confidence if you feel like too good about yourself um people are not really going to like it you know so we have to be careful with everything that we say everything that we do uh but as I said, "People are always going to talk [ __ ] At the end of the day, they're going to say their thing and it is it is what it is. It's okay. Everybody get >> your boy Wimpby. He's French." He just said, "I'm the MVP. I play defense. I'm the baddest thing." Like, yeah, >> he's Americanized. >> Oh, okay. Okay. He lost his French. >> Like, if he says the same thing in France, for example, people are going to go crazy. He can he can say something like this. Definitely. like a guy a guy like Kian Kian Mbappe, you know, every time that he says something, people have a problem with it. But if he comes here in the US, you're gonna be like, "Okay, like great. We like it." >> Yeah. But we we want that. We want that sort of bravado. >> I want that, too. But that's why you know when people ask me sometimes about like like why I love you know the American culture as that's why you know like the way like your mentality the way you allow people you know to express themsel and it's good to show confidence you know like we can't talk about money in Europe for example like we can't talk about like your salary like what you earn everything uh here it's all right >> so who would your favorite American athlete then like the the the American athlete you point to and you like he that dude. >> Okay. I don't want to go with like LeBron Tom Brady because it's too easy. One of the guy that I love the most because I also know him is Joel Embid. You know if you like every time that he plays is just you know box office. I'm going say I'm going say Deion Sanders. >> Really? What is it about Dion? cuz you mentioned you actually mentioned coach prime earlier. What is it about Dion Sanders that drew you to him? the way he carries himself, you know, the way he he talked to people and also like what he represents, you know, not everybody know about like Deion Sanders in in Europe, but when I've heard about, you know, everything that he did, uh I was like, okay, like let me make my research, you know, and he's just a great guy no matter what he no matter what he does, you know, and uh and now with his son, you know, uh and everything. Yeah, I will I will sell the Sanders. Have you ever met him? >> Uh, no, not yet. >> We need to make that happen. >> Yeah, we have to. We have to make that. >> That will be that will be dope for the World Cup. He has to He has to show up. >> We'll do that. >> We'll see how that goes. We We always ask our guests what's their biggest pivot in life. And sometimes we're hesitant >> because you're so young, man. I don't know how many pivots you, >> but >> he watched the show, too, though. He was ready for this, >> right? But, uh, no, I was certainly going to ask you. So, yeah. So what what's uh looking back on it all the entire journey what would you consider your your biggest pivot in life >> back in 2020 or 21 maybe I was in Monaco after like 6 months and it was during I think the the the COVID pandemic right Christmas time we were celebrating and my first six months I was a starter I was playing every minutes and I was playing okay like I was satisfied at that time. My dad came to me December 26, the day after Christmas and he was like, "I got to talk to you." I was like, "Okay, like what's up? What you got to tell me?" He was like, "Okay, listen. Right now, you're average, so you just tell me what you want to do so we can navigate through it. It's either you just want to be average and be like a regular like player, you know, earn your money and that's it, or you want to be the best version of yourself. Cuz right now, I'm telling you, what you're doing on the pitch is not enough. And you probably think that it is, but it's not. I was like, okay, no problem. Let's see. Because one thing with me, like if you like pug the beer a little bit, that's it. >> Yeah. So after that the next 6 months I got named best young player of the league uh I was in like the first team you know of the league and it changed my mentality you know because I felt like before I used to be like okay if I play okay I play good it's enough but now every single time I want to be the best version of myself and it helped me and it shaped me uh a lot so yeah that will be my my pivotal moment That ended up being a grown man pivot moment. >> 100%. >> Absolutely. That's an adult pivot moment, bro. I just want to say thank you, man. First, I I know how busy your schedule is and you know, for you to hit me up and be like, "Hey, man, I'm going be in town these days." And more importantly, just to be a man of your word. >> I I don't think there's anything you could say better about a man outside of that, bro. Thank you, man. Best of luck. >> Thanks for having me. >> Thanks for having me. Keep doing what you're doing and I keep watching your your show. >> No, we appreciate it, man. We be rooting you on though. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you, man. >> Thank you. >> That was awesome. >> That was great. >> Yeah. He had a grown man pivot. I thought you know what I'm saying. >> Appreciate it. >> I appreciate you. >> Thanks for having me, man. >> How much you weigh, fam? >> Oh, so in pounds maybe like 190. >> 190. >> Yeah. 1902. >> Your ass would have been a wide receiver. >> Oh, hell yeah. You've been a wide receiver. >> No, but I I can't play last time. You can ask vision. Hold up. Limitless pinning it. I hear the witnesses. Got my people feeling way up on the mission. Got me up knowing me. I got the key on the vision. I can trust Lim here to witness it. Got my people feeling militant. Way I'm feeling got me up.