Upamecano: Kompany is my role model, Dembele’s Ballon d’Or win brought tears to my eyes

Bayern central defender Upamecano was interviewed by "Le Parisien" and talked about Kompany's help to him and his different personalities on and off the court.

Does it help that Bayern is coached by a great defender like Kompany?

We all watched him play when we were kids. He is a legend in Belgium and Manchester City. He is very strong in confrontation and is also a leader on the court. He is a good role model for me. He helped me a lot, we often watched game videos together and he would discuss my positioning with me. His training sessions were always intense.

You encountered some difficulties when you joined the national team. What was the turning point for you to become a defensive leader now?

Some people need more time to adapt, and that was my case, until one day I decided that if I could do it at Bayern, I could do it with France. I feel like I'm getting better every year. And as a competitor, I love intra-squad competition. Konate pushed me to give the best of myself, as did Saliba and Pawar.

How to become a leader?

People often say that I look completely different on the court than off the court, and it's true. In real life, I'm usually a calm and reserved person, but when I step on the court, it's like a lion out of its cage. In my position I have to speak up and that's important as a defender. When my teammates are not doing well, I like to encourage them and talk to them.

Does this force you to change your nature?

No, this is natural, whether in the national team or the club. When I was in school, it was difficult for me to speak in front of the blackboard, I had a stutter... My classmates laughed at me, but I was always like that on the court. People say I don't talk much, but when I play football, I start shouting.

Almost no one knows about your private life. Why?

I have no need to show my life on social media. Some people like that, but I prefer a quiet and peaceful life. My son understands this, he is very interested in football, he is a fan of Bayern and France because his dad plays for these two teams, which is an extra motivation for me.

How important is family to you?

I am lucky to have parents who are always supportive and always find the right words to encourage me. When I helped my mother work at the market, it was a very difficult time. The scene of her working alone in the cold wind deeply touched me. It was my responsibility to help my mother, and it makes me happy to be able to buy her a house and support her in certain stages of her life, and she is happy about it.

Dembele won the Ballon d'Or

We went to the same school, played on the same pitch, and I played against him when we were kids. It’s hard to describe how I felt, we all knew he was going to be a great player, but when I saw him lift the Ballon d’Or it brought tears to my eyes. I was supposed to be at the ceremony but couldn't and it was a wonderful moment to watch him thank his mother, his family, his friends, Mustafa and everyone else there.