Nelson Dida, former AC Milan goalkeeper and ex-Rossoneri goalkeeping coach, was among the guests at the inauguration of the Milan Cup, a traditional youth tournament. He took the opportunity to share his thoughts on various topics.
Commenting on the Milan Cup itself, Dida stated: “It`s a beautiful initiative. I see desire, willpower, and enthusiasm in the children. Milan is doing a wonderful job with these youngsters.”
When asked about when he realized he could become a goalkeeper, Dida recalled: “A bit late… I was 10-11 years old. My brothers told me I wasn`t good as a forward, so I played in goal. That`s where I developed. But to be honest, I wasn`t really in love with the role.”
Speaking about Mike Maignan, Milan`s current star goalkeeper, Dida commented: “Mike, when he arrived, had an incredible desire to win with Milan. He makes many excellent saves. When he first came to Milan, he wasn`t very good with his feet. We worked extensively on the possession phase, and I`m now very happy with the progress we made. It`s clear he can still develop further.”
On seeing Maignan take on the captaincy role, Dida added: “It makes a wonderful impression. He commands; he was commanding even without the armband, and he commands even more now. He now has this responsibility, and it`s something well-suited to him. He possesses significant experience.”
