Players Views

Moustapha Hadji

Morocco

You've lived in several different countries in your life, can you tell us about your experiences?
It's been great to experience different cultures and mentalities. I grew up in France, I played for Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, and I moved to Spain where there was a slightly different mentality. It's nice -- you can see the different mentalities of people, and for people like me to see exactly what is happening in different countries -- it's a very rich experience, it opens your mind. It's also great for kids -- I have two kids. They enjoyed living in Spain when I was there, so it's great for them to have their mind open to things from different countries.

You could have played for either Morocco or France at international level, what was the reason behind your choice?
I grew up in France, so it was a very difficult choice. I don't really speak the Moroccan language, I spoke the language of my parents which was different. I couldn't speak it at all, so it was really difficult at the beginning. My choice was really for my parents -- they wanted me to know my country. But at the end of the day I am probably never going to live in Morocco, because I have my life in France and I love France as well.

The French team that won the world cup in 1998 was a great team, and a multi-racial team. Do you think that did a lot of good for the country?
Yes, I think when you have a lot of culture and a lot of different nationalities in your country, like France, where we have a lot of people from Africa, from South America, and people from all around the world. I think it's great for the country, it's great for football and it's great for life.

Have you ever experienced any racism?
Yes, of course. When I was in France I felt it and when I was in Spain I felt it as well, but not really in Portugal or in England. I think it was better than France because there are a lot of Moroccan people in France, I think that's why I could feel it more there. There's some people who think like that, who are racist. I think they are people who don't have the ability to see what is happening in other countries. People need to get to know each other - you have bad people everywhere. Some people never look beyond their own country, their minds aren't open.

How did you cope with that?
When I was in France, because I grew up there, it upset me a lot. At the end of the day you've just got to carry on and try to forget about it. I feel sick for these people, because they upset me. Just try to forget about it and move on, be strong. And to these people - do more than them, do better than them.

You are a Muslim - in the last year or so, Muslims have been portrayed negatively. Has this affected you in any way?
No, not really. I'm not like these terrorists, I don't think that Islam is like that. It really upset me, what has happened, because we are not all the same, because Islam is not like that. It upsets me like everyone else, to see innocent people killed. Situations like America and Palestine upset everyone. I just think at the moment there is a bad idea of Muslim people, because we are not all like that. I am a Muslim, but I'm not a strict practicer of Islam. What I do know is that Islam wants peace like everyone else, so when I see things like that it just upsets me like it does everyone else.

What would you see to people who believe that all Islam is like the terrorists?
No, that is a mistake. When you say terrorist, terrorists are everywhere - some catholic people can be terrorists, everywhere has terrorists. I just want to say to these people, don't think that this is the image of Islam....when I see my mum and dad, for me, that is Islam they don't care, we are just doing what we do, I try to be friendly to everyone. Actually I have a lot of catholic people around me where I live in France, they come into my mum's house and have a meal with us and there is love between us. That is Islam. I just want to tell people it is not bad, Islam is like Catholics or whoever - we do not kill each other, we do not want war or to kill innocent people for nothing - that is not Islam. Some people just have a different spirituality and a different religion, I know that religion isn't bad, and that we are all the same.

Did you have any role models when you were growing up?
I always loved football, so my role models were Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkard. They were playing for Ajax and Milan when I was fourteen years old. They gave me the opportunity to love football and to try to become a footballer, because they were great players and good examples for young players.

What did it mean to you to be voted African footballer of the year (in 98)?
A lot of great players had won it before, so it was great to win it. Morocco were doing very well for five or six years, and for three years we didn't lose a game -- we had some great players, and then at the World Cup in 1998, I did well and scored a good goal. When I got the award, I was really suprised. I am really happy that I won it. When I think about it, it is great. I was also really happy for my mum and dad because they supported me.