“A dream come true” – Danilo explains what Brazil captaincy means to him

Juventus captain Danilo is filled with pride after receiving the armband in the Brazilian national team.

With the Italian giants enduring rough campaigns, the 32-year-old has proven himself to be an inspiring leader on and off the pitch.

The club handed him the captaincy following Leonardo Bonucci’s forced departure last summer.

Moreover, Danilo has now paired the black-and-white armband with the Selecao’s.

The defender expressed his great joy and pride as he’s going to realize his dream of serving as Brazil captain when they lock horns with England in this evening’s friendly encounter at Wembley.

“First of all, I’m sorry for the injuries of my teammates who are out (Alisson, Marquinhos, Neymar and Casemiro) because it is the most annoying part of our profession,” said the defender during the pre-match press conference via JuventusNews24.

“I feel honored to be able to share my experience with this new generation who arrives full of desire to write history with our national team.

“I remember my first experience here. I found the likes of Lúcio, Ronaldinho and Júlio César. So for me, it was like going to Disneyland. I learned a lot from every gesture and every word.

“But I think these guys already arrive with a lot of experience because they play in big clubs, which requires a lot of responsibility.

“There are two interpretations of the concept of being captain of Brazil. Wearing this armband after having already become captain of Juventus, after playing 12 years in Europe, can be considered normal at this stage.

“But on the other hand, I think of Danilo, born in Bicas (Minas Gerais), which has 13,000 inhabitants, son of Zezé, a hairdresser, and Mr. Baiano, a truck driver.

“So, this isn’t natural for me. It’s a dream come true and I’m enchanted to be able to carry out these tasks at the beginning of Dorival’s journey with the national team.

“I have always been a player who loves giving directions and talking to my teammates on the pitch.”

Danilo also discussed his role on the pitch. While he’s been playing in a three-man defense over the last few years at Juventus, he mostly acts as a right-back with the Selecao.

“I had a couple of conversations with Dorival regarding my role. I play at Juventus in a three-man backline, but playing as a full-back is something I’ve been doing since my days at Manchester City.

“So it does not change anything for me. At Juventus, I also play as a central midfielder, on the left and right.”