Interview: "I try to be myself, be authentic" , Alaba

David Alaba is one of Bayern Munich' s stars. The 23-year-old defender and midfielder was the youngest player ever to play for the 2016 German champions in the cup, Bundesliga and Champions League. Austrian-born Alaba won the 2013 Champions League, the German league championship five times, and the German cup four times. In 2014, he was Austria' s youngest ever international player.

Before EURO 2016 kicks off, Alaba will have played 45 internationals for Austria (Group F with Hungary, Iceland and Portugal). In the winter sports nation Austria, he has managed to the "Austrian Sportsman of the Year" award twice in 2013 and 2014. "Austria' s national team benefits from many players playing in foreign leagues such as the Bundesliga," Alaba told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Xinhua: Mr. Alaba, Euro 2016 is about to start in a few days time. You' re a part of the Austrian team in which there are a lot of Bundesliga players who have key figures at their clubs.

Alaba: That shows the quality of many of our players especially as they have to compete in such a strong league like the German Bundesliga. Every single one has developed and is a top class performer in Germany and in other major European leagues. It' s obvious for all to see that we can meet high level expectations.

Xinhua: Austria is known the world over as being a winter-sports nation - now football is playing a bigger role. Where do you see Austria' s team in relation to other football nations?

Alaba: We played a very successful qualification campaign. We were unbeaten and had to face teams like Russia and Sweden in our group. In the last few years, we have developed both as a team and individually. We are a real team and you can see that on the pitch. It is very important for us to have a special team spirit. We do feel very much like a family. We' re ambitious and want to get better in every game. These days, I think we as a team are no longer a piece of cake anymore.

Xinhua: Can you tell us something about what Austria is aiming to do in France?

Alaba: I expect a lot from our team but I' m not somebody that thinks all day long about what we will achieve in France. Fact is, the first game against Hungary is an important one as the first game will help to develop a tournament spirit. Our experiences tell us that we should just concentrate on the next game.

Xinhua: You' ve developed to a world class player at your club Bayern Munich. You' re regarded as being one of the "faces" of Bayern. Back home in Austria, you are a superstar as well. The country' s fervor is almost out of control after the national team qualified for France. And on top you managed to beat all the world class skiers in your country. How do you deal with your role as a superstar?

Alaba: I was 16 when I joined Bayern Munich. The club and the city are like a second home for me. I feel happy in Munich and at my club. I think everybody can see that.

Xinhua: That sounds like a very cautious comment to make about your situation. You are a star, you have your own fashion label, you like fashion, and Austria goes crazy talking about David Alaba.

Alaba: I am very much aware of my situation. And I am aware that some see me as being a role model. I fulfill the expectations as well as I can. First I try to be myself, to be authentic.

Xinhua: Authentic means you are very interested in fashion and hairstyle?

Alaba: (laughing) Well that' s a part of me. I like to change my hairstyle and I love fashion.

Xinhua: According to reliable reports you are also responsible the good locker room spirit as you are regarded to be a man with a special humor?

Alaba: (laughing) Oh I' m not sure, you have to ask my fans in and outside the team. But I' m happy if people regard me as someone who' s generally in a good mood.

Xinhua: Let' s get back to serious topics . . . . .

Alaba: (laughing) I though we just talked about serious things. Now I' d better be really careful.

Xinhua: What type of player are you - you' re one of the leading guys in your team?

Alaba: (laughing) . . . well that is serious alright. But honestly: I' m not the type yelling around on the pitch or in the locker room, but I try to take responsibility.

Xinhua: For most football experts, you are the best left-back in the world at the moment. Is that your favorite position?

Alaba: It' s not only the position that makes you happy. The most important thing is to give your best for the team. It' s a part of my game to be versatile and play different positions. I' ve proved that in midfield and in defense. But my original position is in midfield. In the national team I play the position and I' m very, very happy about it. But football is a team sport and I' m a part of the team.

Xinhua: Talking about happiness: You' ve just won the fourth consecutive German title with Bayern Munich and the German Cup - was it business as usual for a club like Bayern?

Alaba: The league championship is always something very special. Topping the table after such a long season is becoming more and more difficult. You couldn' t relax one little bit as Borussia Dortmund was hard on our tails all the time. But the fourth title is something very special, no other club has managed to win four titles before in over 50 years of Bundesliga history. Expectations at Bayern Munich are always high, but it' s something special. Call it historical.

Xinhua: Is winning the "double ", meaning league and cup, some kind of compensation for not having reached the Champions League final, which was a certain disappointment?

Alaba: You' re talking about different things you can' t compare. We' re talking about different competitions. You can' t make up for not winning the Champions League by winning another title. We reached the semi-final three times in the last three years. The Champions League is nothing you win very easily. It' s always an extremely tough competition. Of course we were disappointed but we are still hungry and will make another attempt to win the Champions League next season.

Xinhua: Expectations were extremely high when Pep Guardiola joined Bayern Munich three years ago. People said, the best coach and the best team together will have to win the Champions League.

Alaba: Expectations at Bayern Munich are always high, that' s why we are happy to play for a club like that. I love tight games and I love the challenge as my team mates do as well. We want to win titles. As many as possible. It keeps us going every day. At the same time, expectations are no burden, we know how to deal with them.

Xinhua: There has been wide spread discussion about the era of Pep Guardiola who after three years in Munich is joining Manchester City for the next season. The question is: Was it a successful era or not? What is opinion about Pep Guardiola' s three-year reign?

Alaba: I think there can' t be any doubts. It was overall a successful time. We improved every single year. We played successful football. Just consider the games in the German Bundesliga. Every player has developed and there were so many little things that we have also learnt. It was a great and special experience to work together with a unique coach like Pep Guardiola.

Xinhua: Right after the European Championships, Bayern Munich will start a US tour at the end of July playing games in Chicago (against AC Milan), Charlotte (Inter Milan) and in New York (against Real Madrid). Last year Bayern went to China. What do you think about long trips like that?

Alaba: I like it. It' s something very special. Bayern Munich has many, many fans all around the world. Bayern is one of the best clubs in the world and the great interest shows, it' s a very special club. It was great to see that many enthusiastic football fans last year in China and I' m very much looking forward to meeting the fans in the US. I think it' s cool doing parts of the pre-season preparations abroad.

Xinhua: When Bayern stars their US tour, the new Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti will be in charge. What do you expect from him?

Alaba: I know he' s an extremely successful coach. On top, we hear he' s regarded to be a top-class coach. But at the moment, I can' t predict what he will change, if he wants to do that at all. Fact is: We want to be successful with him, we want to develop and we are hungry to win more titles. It`s normal business that coaches come and go like players. It is always a new challenge to sort of re-start.

Xinhua: Taking about titles: What about the European one for Austria?

Alaba: We don' t talk about that at all. We' ll try to get to the next round with our team and have fun. When we talk about titles, we talk about teams like Germany, France, Spain, England, Belgium and maybe Italy. For us, with the Austrian team, we want to get as far as possible and prove again that we have developed a lot with the Austrian team. We all are looking forward to the tournaments start. Endit