Roma's Edin Džeko on being 30, match balls and Totti
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Article summary
Roma striker and UEFA Europa League top scorer Edin Džeko talks to UEFA.com about being 30, his daughter taking his match balls and Francesco Totti being a "cool guy".
Article top media content
Article body
You're in the form of your life right now, scoring from every angle and playing your best football aged 30. How do you feel?
Yes, I'm 30, nearly 31, and I admit this is perhaps my best-ever season. I don't feel like a 30-year-old. I'm in top form and I'm ready, which hasn't happened by accident. I work hard, before and after training.
You've scored two UEFA Europa League hat-tricks this season. How does that feel? Very few players achieve that feat.
Scoring three goals in one game is not easy, but when I do it in the Europa League it motivates me because I know I've achieved something big. It motivates me to keep scoring. I think those are my only two hat-tricks in the Europa League and I hope there are many more to come.
Edin Džeko's form prior to his last three goalless appearances
Goal (v Sampdoria, Coppa Italia)
Goal (v Cagliari, Serie A)
Goal (v Sampdoria, Serie A)
Goal (v Cesena, Coppa Italia)
Two goals (v Fiorentina, Serie A)
Goal (v Crotone, Serie A)
Hat-trick (v Villarreal, Europa League)
Goal (v Torino, Serie A)
You dedicated one of your hat-tricks to your daughter. I know you don't like to talk about your private life, but could you tell us a bit more about that?
Yes. When I scored my first hat-trick against Viktoria Plzeň, I took the match ball home and Una immediately took it and didn't want to let go; she played with it all day. Of course, I then dedicated the second hat-trick to her.
What does Francesco Totti mean to Roma and how does it feel to work and train with him? What's he like?
He means everything to Roma. When you're at the stadium for a game where he's not playing from the start and the fans see him warm up, they go crazy. The atmosphere cranks up a notch.
Totti is a legend of Roma and Rome, but when you talk with him you'd never know that he is such a star because he is a cool guy who treats everyone well. It's simply an honour to play with him.