After a celebrated career at Paris Saint-Germain, midfielder Marco Verratti now plays in the Qatar Stars League. In a recent conversation, he opened up about his journey, from his early days in Italy to his unforgettable years in Paris playing alongside some of the world’s best players.
Verratti shared warm memories of his time at PSG, his pride in winning Euro 2020 with Italy, and his current, more relaxed life in Qatar. He gave interesting insights into the personalities of his famous former teammates—Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé—and reflected on his deep connection to his boyhood club, Pescara.
🇶🇦 A Different Pace in Qatar
Verratti is enjoying his time in Qatar, where he finds the football culture much calmer compared to Europe. He explained that while the game is the same everywhere, the environment is more relaxed. In Europe, a loss can create a lot of pressure during the week, but in Qatar, things are more peaceful. This change has been good for him, allowing him to discover a new lifestyle with his family, who are also very happy there. For now, his focus is on his contract in Qatar, though he hasn’t ruled out a return to European football in the future.
🇮🇹 Italian Roots and National Pride
Verratti spoke fondly of his home country. He credits his first coach at his hometown club Pescara, Zdenek Zeman, as the best he ever had, saying Zeman taught him everything he needed to succeed. To give back, Verratti has become a majority owner of Pescara, hoping to help the club grow and support young local players. He also described winning Euro 2020 with Italy as the greatest feeling of his career. Winning for his country, with the entire nation watching and cheering, was a unique and beautiful memory he will always treasure. However, he has currently stepped back from the national team to spend more time with his children, who live in Paris.
❤️ Lasting Memories at PSG
Verratti spent 11 years at PSG, from age 19 to 31, a period he considers the most important of his life. He grew from a teenager into a man in Paris, and his children were born there. He says the club gave him everything and that he only has good memories, even though they didn’t win the Champions League during his time there. He is still a big fan and watches all of PSG’s matches, as his children are also huge supporters. He remains close with the club’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and was thrilled to see them finally win the Champions League last year, feeling it was a well-deserved moment of relief for everyone at the club.
✨ Playing with Legends
Sharing a locker room with Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé was a special experience. Verratti described Messi as incredibly humble and a wonderful person, noting you wouldn’t feel like you were playing with the best player in history. He remembered Neymar as someone full of life and joy, whose infectious smile made everyone around him laugh. As for Mbappé, Verratti sees him as a player who is always ready and determined to be the best, comparing his ability to change a game in an instant to that of the legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo.
