Patrice Evra: ‘With talent, you can win a game, but with ambition you can win the league’

Patrice Evra, 40, was born in Senegal. His family moved to Europe when he was one, first to Brussels, then to Paris. Evra, who captained both Manchester United and the French national team, is recognised as one of the best left-backs of his generation. He retired from playing professional football in 2019.

What was your childhood or earliest ambition?
To buy a house for my mum. I promised her that and I did it when I had my first contract.

Private school or state school? University or straight into work?
The school in the street where I grew up. It wasn’t a great school — I made friends more than I studied. I found myself a pro contract when I was 17 and went to Sicily.

Who was or still is your mentor?
My mentor is myself. I’ve never looked to someone else. I believe I’ve got two angels looking after me and when I need them they’re always there.

How physically fit are you?
I love working out and I eat healthy. I’m still fit to play. I retired not because I wasn’t fit, but because I wanted to do other things and a moment comes when you have to stop. Being fit is my nature.

Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
Ambition, 100 per cent. Talent: some people, they’ve got it and they don’t work at it. With talent, yes, you can win a game, but with ambition you can win the league. Someone who is less talented but working hard will pass the person who’s more talented but lazy. The work ethic is really important.

How politically committed are you?
I don’t like injustice. Sometimes I will speak about what’s happening in Senegal, but I don’t want to be involved in the politics. There’s a lot of corruption, it’s difficult. I debate with people, but it’s not something I’m really connected to.

What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
I’ve already got everything. I’m healthy. I feel really blessed. I feel lucky.

What’s your biggest extravagance?
I don’t know. I love everything! It’s difficult to pick something. Just being awake and having a nice day.

In what place are you happiest?
With my fiancée Margaux.

What ambitions do you still have?
Since I retired, helping the most people in my life that I can.

What drives you on?
Happiness, positive energy, loving life. Being good to the universe. Be good to the universe and the universe will be good to you. Doing the best I can drives me on and seeing happy people around me.

What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
My shelter in Senegal. I opened it in 2005, I think. When you play football, you think of winning the league, winning the trophy, winning the Champions League, but I remember the day I went to the shelter and saw those kids thanking me for providing food and school, and I realised why I was here on earth.

What do you find most irritating in other people?
When they are dishonest. When they lie. When they are unjust. To pick just one is difficult.

If your 20-year-old self could see you now, what would he think?
Not being arrogant: “I’m proud of you. Since day one you’ve been positive.” People don’t change. When I was 20, I was just like I am today. My slogan is “I love this game” and I love my life.

Which object that you’ve lost do you wish you still had?
I’m not attached to material items.

What is the greatest challenge of our time?
To be united and to help each other. Not to judge each other. To destroy racism. If we all connected, we would save ourselves and save the planet.

Do you believe in an afterlife?
Some people say you go to heaven. I say I am living in heaven now in my life. In my personal opinion, it’s difficult to think that, after death, there’s nothing. But I don’t want to think about it, I just want to enjoy right now.

If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far, out of 10, what would you score?
Twenty!

“I Love This Game”, Patrice Evra’s autobiography, is published later this year by Simon & Schuster

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