Inspiration on the field, favourite move, the team's craziest player... Nîmes Olympique midfielder Téji Savanier gets candid in this short interview.
Why do you wear the number 11?
"Because that's the only one left when I arrived at the Olympic Nîmes! With Arles-Avignon, I wore the number 25 jersey - my father's birthday."
Who was your first hero?
"I liked Robinho for his dribbling skills, his ability to always play forward. I followed everything he did, I looked at videos of him on the Internet. He was a phenomenon."
'The most impressive? Neymar'
What job would you do if you weren't a footballer?
"Frankly, I don't know, I never thought about it. Maybe an astronaut [laughs]."
Who is the most impressive player you've ever faced?
"Neymar. His dribbling and his ability to get forward quickly are impressive. He's the best player I've ever played against."
What was the first jersey you ever had?
"I don't remember it at all. I didn't care about jerseys at all when I was a kid."
'I'm trying to be inspired by Verratti's game'
Who's your role model in football?
"Marco Verratti. He is one of the best midfielders in the world today. I'm trying to be inspired by his game. He's my idol, a player I admire. I love his ball protection, the fact that he takes risks in his game."
What is your favorite move on the field?
"Using the outside of the foot. I don't know why, but it's something I do very often to try to find an opening.When it succeeds, I'm very happy!"
Who's the craziest guy in the locker room?
"Sada Thioub. He can't speak softly, he just screams. He also spends his time laughing. It's always nice to have a character like that in the squad."
