This article contains adult content that may be inappropriate for minors. Please confirm that you are 18 years or older to continue. This article contains images or details that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. Matic made his mark in the football world wearing the colors of Benfica, after a less successful stint at Chelsea in the 2009/10 season. However, before arriving in Portugal or England, the midfielder, now at Sassuolo, had a challenging journey, as no one in Serbia seemed to believe in his talent. "No one wanted me. I played in the third division and my salary was €75 a month. I couldn't live off football and worked as a lumberjack with my father," he confessed in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. His professional career only took off in Slovakia, playing for Kosice, where he won the Cup in 2008/09 before moving to Chelsea. Reflecting on his time at Manchester United, where he was from 2017 to 2022, the player identified pressure as one of the causes of the club's long crisis. "For the environment, it was hard to understand that United was not the richest team in England, nor the strongest," he explained. "I remember that when I played there and passed the ball back to switch flanks, the fans would grumble. And if Old Trafford grumbles, the young players can feel it." Additionally, Matic believes that the management "was not in tune with the mentality and expectations of the fans," focusing too much on aspects like marketing, which took up to two hours a week of the players' time. However, the player sees a light at the end of the tunnel: "Something has changed: Carrick was an excellent choice; they need to give him a couple of years to rebuild the team." Regarding the Serbian national team, which he last represented in 2019, the diagnosis is clear: "We lack quality. Our academy has been producing weaker players than in the past for too long. And politics has entered football, with disastrous results." Finally, despite being 37 years old, his passion for football remains intact. "I have a lot of fun, and compared to when I was younger, I now have more desire to train and play. Maybe because I know I don't have much time left to do it," he explained. As for the future, the path seems to be already set, with the ambition to move to the coaching bench while maintaining his identity. "I will be a coach, trying to be myself, with my ideas and convictions. Then we'll see if I can do it," he concluded.
Benfica Chelsea remains central to this story.
Benfica Chelsea remains central to this story.
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