João Palhinha interview: ‘Wearing this jersey is a great responsibility’

Fighter, ball-winner, team player – all qualities of João Palhinha that he wants to use to contribute to a successful season for Bayern. Club members’ magazine ‘51’ met up with the 29-year-old Portugal international to talk with him about his childhood, his role models and how he’s found his time in Munich so far.

Interview with João Palhinha

João, a year ago you were on the verge of a transfer to Bayern. What does it mean to you to finally be a Munich player?
“There’s a saying in my home country: sometimes a train doesn’t come twice. But in this case, the train came a second time and the doors opened again. I didn’t necessarily expect that, and I find it extraordinary that this big club never broke off contact. It all showed me once again what a special club Bayern is and that they really believe in me in Munich.”

It was clear from the very first Bundesliga game in Wolfsburg that you put your heart and soul into things. You were on the substitutes' bench, and when Serge Gnabry scored the winning goal, you stormed onto the pitch.
“That’s my mentality. In a moment like that, it doesn’t matter whether I’m playing or sitting out. We are a team. We’d worked really hard in pre-season and really wanted to start with a win in Wolfsburg. We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game, and after Wolfsburg went 2-1 up, it was even more difficult. But we fought hard. And when Serge finally scored that important goal, I was just happy. We’d done it, as a whole team.”

Togetherness has always played a major role in Bayern’s identity, which seems to suit you.
“I believe that a family environment in a club suits me very well. It’s always been important to me that I feel at home at my clubs, and I’ve taken many fond memories with me from each of my clubs. I’m convinced that it will be the same at Bayern.”

How was your sense of home and family instilled in you as a child?
“The first thing I think about is how I grew up, with my parents and my brother in Lisbon. The four of us have a very close relationship. But I also think of our family home just outside the city. Our family has always had a plot of land there, and football has given me the opportunity to build a house for all of us. It’s a very special place for me, full of wonderful memories.”

What memories are you thinking about?
“The times we spent there together, including with my grandparents. I immediately think of my grandad, who unfortunately is no longer alive. He was very skilful with his hands and could build anything. When I was little, he made me real goals out of fishing nets. Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit his manual dexterity. I could never have become a goalkeeper [laughs]. I’m better with my feet.”

Players with battling qualities are held in high esteem at Bayern. We think of Stefan Effenberg, Jens Jeremies, Javi Martínez...
“I have to tell you something I'll never forget. After a match with a youth national team against the USA – it must have been the U17s or U18s – the opposition coach came up to me and said: ‘You’re the next Javi Martínez’. Of course, I knew who Javi was and what he’d achieved with Bayern, but after that I looked even closer when I saw him play. It was flattering to be compared to him, but I never wanted to copy him. He’s Javi, I’m João.”

Didn’t you always dream of becoming the next Cristiano Ronaldo as a child? A player who dribbles and scores goals?
“There are things that I was born with. That I'm relatively tall, that I'm physically strong. But the crucial thing is that you feel inside yourself what contribution you can make on the pitch to be successful as a team. Everyone has their role. There are players who create chances and score goals. Of course I’ll try to do that too, but you also need players who prevent the opposition from scoring. My job is to provide the necessary balance.”

Expectations are always high at Bayern. Do you feel pressure?
“Bayern wanted to sign me twice, and now it’s up to me to take responsibility for the club, to become a great player for this club. I’m not worried about how much money the club has spent on me or what the expectations are. My focus is on what I can do on the pitch. I’m here now and I’m going to give it my all, in every training session, in every game. That’s what I've always done in my career.”

You hadn’t come across Bayern in your career before your move. What was your perception of the club from afar?
“When you hear ‘Bayern’, you first have respect. Everyone knows what this name stands for in football. It’s one of the best football clubs in the world, full of power and tradition. Bayern has everything that makes a top club: great players, a history full of titles, passionate fans, top management, a great infrastructure with the Allianz Arena and the Campus, which I’ve already visited. Wearing this shirt is a great responsibility.”

There have been a few Portuguese players at Bayern. Did you speak to them before your move? And what did they tell you about Munich and Bayern?
“I spoke to João Cancelo and Renato Sanches and they both told me the same thing: that they felt very much at home in Munich, that they loved playing for Bayern. I liked that and it reaffirmed my decision.”

© Photos: Markus Burke

You can read the full interview in the latest edition of members’ magazine ‘51’