Danilo, former Juventus captain and defensive stalwart, sat down with Globo (as quoted by Tuttosport) to reflect on his time in Turin, the family bonds forged at Juventus, and his personal reasons for leaving the club.
European Experience, Flamengo Roots
Danilo was candid about how his love for football evolved, shaped by both Brazil and Europe. “Naturally, as a professional, you become attached to other worlds and other shirts. Certainly, the most important club in my life is Juventus, I’ve never hidden that. For everything I experienced there — the club, the city, the history,” he said.
He also touched on his affection for Flamengo from his youth: “The passion for Flamengo stayed in the background, and I thought it would never happen for me there. I genuinely believed I’d spend my last years as a professional at Juventus, but life is crazy — things took a different turn. When my family said, ‘Come to Flamengo,’ it reignited that spark. At one point, I called one of my brothers and said, ‘I’ve got this, this, this… and Flamengo.’ He replied, ‘Mate, you already know what you want. You’re calling me, but you know where your heart is.’”
Juventus as a Life Lesson
Danilo underlined the profound influence Juventus, and its people, had on him. “Andrea Agnelli, Juventus’ former president, taught me so much about what it means to be a true professional: to live for your club, with love, passion, dedication and heart. He lived that way for Juventus.”
He reserved special words for his idol, Gianluigi Buffon: “Buffon is my idol. When I arrived at Juventus, he had already come back from PSG, and he never stopped being himself. When people retire, they often become bigger stars, but Buffon, with his humility and way of living, didn’t care about any of that — he looked at people for who they are, for their energy. He’s a great teacher. When I need advice, I call him, or he sends a voice message. Before the last Coppa Italia final we won, I needed to give the group more. I sent messages to Del Piero and Gigi — Buffon sent me an audio message. When I listened, it was exactly what I needed, just a minute long, it gave me goosebumps. His voice, his tone, he’s my football idol and one of my heroes in life.”
A Difficult Goodbye
Danilo opened up about the emotions of saying goodbye, especially after Alex Sandro’s departure. “I cried when Alex left. People know Alex Sandro is my counterpart: I’m the one communicating, getting fired up in the dressing room, and Alex would say, ‘Mate, calm down. What if I see it another way?’ When he left, I wondered how I would cope without him.”
He continued, “Juventus is a family matter. It’s where my children grew up, where I came into myself as a person and as an athlete. I embraced the cause and created an incredible bond. I was a father figure for the group — always spending energy helping, because that’s who I am.”
On the circumstances of his exit: “When I left Juventus, the way it happened was very tough. But this is about people, not the club. When I saw my teammates again with Flamengo in the USA, I could still feel the weight of leaving, but my heart told me I’d done a good job.”
