“You’d better make some room on your shelves because it’s my firm intention to win the Champions League here with the club.” It’s a bold statement from a 22-year-old on his first day at a new team, but when it’s Aurélien Tchouameni arriving at Real Madrid – as he did last June – you know there’s every chance of it happening. This young Frenchman already commands his position in central midfield but he wants to learn more, get better. And as a determined and open-minded student of the game with some wise old heads to learn from, he’s heading in the right direction.
It’s a habit I developed early on in my career. I’m a visual learner, so when I think about something I like to write it down so I can see it again later. I write about pretty much everything: the psychological side of things, which is really important when you play football at the highest level; the tactical side too, after meeting with our coaches and video analysts. My aim is to improve all the time. The player I am today isn’t the same player I will be in one or two years, so I want to keep improving and I feel that this is a great tool to help me do so. I had an actual notepad to begin with, but now I keep everything on my phone.
I read a lot. I didn’t like reading when I was younger, but I’m a lot more mature now and I enjoy reading books about psychology, determination, how to give yourself the best chance of striving towards excellence. There’s an English phrase I like, “Aim for the highest cloud,” which means you always have to aim as high as possible. Say you’re a striker and you aim to score 50 goals in one season – if you score 30 that would already be amazing. But if you aim to score ten goals, you’ll probably end up scoring five. You’re on a different scale, and that’s why this phrase sticks in my mind. There’s another one: “Get up every day and try to be the best you can be.” Try to improve every day to become a better person as well as a better football player. This constant drive to push myself further is something that defines me.
I like to write my psychological, tactical and technical goals down, so I often use them before games. Also, if I’m speaking to someone and I find something they say inspiring, I’ll write it down in my notepad so I can start using it in everyday life.
No, there is no added pressure. As a high-quality professional footballer, when you get to this level the pressure is part of the deal. You can anticipate it so it’s not added pressure, but rather a kind of acknowledgement. You are inspired by the players who have made history at the club before you. I had the good fortune of talking to Claude Makélélé at the World Cup. He spoke to me a bit about his experiences here in Madrid. He gave me a huge amount of advice. And when you look at the great players – whether they’re French or foreign – who have played here, it’s obvious that you feel the weight of that history.
“You’d better make some room on your shelves because it’s my firm intention to win the Champions League here with the club.” It’s a bold statement from a 22-year-old on his first day at a new team, but when it’s Aurélien Tchouameni arriving at Real Madrid – as he did last June – you know there’s every chance of it happening. This young Frenchman already commands his position in central midfield but he wants to learn more, get better. And as a determined and open-minded student of the game with some wise old heads to learn from, he’s heading in the right direction.
It’s a habit I developed early on in my career. I’m a visual learner, so when I think about something I like to write it down so I can see it again later. I write about pretty much everything: the psychological side of things, which is really important when you play football at the highest level; the tactical side too, after meeting with our coaches and video analysts. My aim is to improve all the time. The player I am today isn’t the same player I will be in one or two years, so I want to keep improving and I feel that this is a great tool to help me do so. I had an actual notepad to begin with, but now I keep everything on my phone.
I read a lot. I didn’t like reading when I was younger, but I’m a lot more mature now and I enjoy reading books about psychology, determination, how to give yourself the best chance of striving towards excellence. There’s an English phrase I like, “Aim for the highest cloud,” which means you always have to aim as high as possible. Say you’re a striker and you aim to score 50 goals in one season – if you score 30 that would already be amazing. But if you aim to score ten goals, you’ll probably end up scoring five. You’re on a different scale, and that’s why this phrase sticks in my mind. There’s another one: “Get up every day and try to be the best you can be.” Try to improve every day to become a better person as well as a better football player. This constant drive to push myself further is something that defines me.
I like to write my psychological, tactical and technical goals down, so I often use them before games. Also, if I’m speaking to someone and I find something they say inspiring, I’ll write it down in my notepad so I can start using it in everyday life.
No, there is no added pressure. As a high-quality professional footballer, when you get to this level the pressure is part of the deal. You can anticipate it so it’s not added pressure, but rather a kind of acknowledgement. You are inspired by the players who have made history at the club before you. I had the good fortune of talking to Claude Makélélé at the World Cup. He spoke to me a bit about his experiences here in Madrid. He gave me a huge amount of advice. And when you look at the great players – whether they’re French or foreign – who have played here, it’s obvious that you feel the weight of that history.
Eduardo is like my brother. Honestly, we’re always together. We’re from the same generation, albeit with a two-year gap, although I feel like that isn’t very important anymore. In the dressing room we do everything together. We share a lot of laughs with Ferland [Mendy] and Karim [Benzema], our fellow Frenchmen, and having French speakers in the team has definitely helped me to adapt.
I’m passionate about American culture. I’m passionate about basketball and American football, for example. I read a lot so that I can work on the mental side of things and keep learning. I celebrated my 23rd birthday in January and I asked my parents for a piano, which they gave me. So I’ve also started learning the piano and I’m getting good at it, which is cool.
I often go there. When I’ve got time off, I often go to Los Angeles and I’ve been to New York and Washington before, as well as Vegas with the team. I was quickly taken by it as a kid. I wanted to learn English because I think that it’s a super important language in the world that we live in. Whenever I listened to music, I wanted to learn the lyrics off by heart. Then I started taking an interest in US history and Afro-American history, with iconic figures like Martin Luther King. And, obviously, through my reading in that constant pursuit of excellence, I came across a lot of US icons, like Kobe [Bryant], Michelle Obama and so many similar figures who I saw eye to eye with. That’s why I’m particularly attached to their culture.
Anything to do with sport is more relatable, of course. For example, I once read a book about the All Blacks, about the rigour and self-demand needed for them to perform on a daily basis. I also read Michelle Obama’s book, which was really interesting. My mother gave me a book about surpassing yourself, so I enjoy reading about anything. If I feel that something can help me then I will happily make time for it.
Yes, that’s it. Always trying to achieve more was one of the key values I was taught: never be happy with what you’ve got. I always want to push myself further, even in my everyday life. I want to achieve more in everything I do, which is helping me rise to the top.
“You’d better make some room on your shelves because it’s my firm intention to win the Champions League here with the club.” It’s a bold statement from a 22-year-old on his first day at a new team, but when it’s Aurélien Tchouameni arriving at Real Madrid – as he did last June – you know there’s every chance of it happening. This young Frenchman already commands his position in central midfield but he wants to learn more, get better. And as a determined and open-minded student of the game with some wise old heads to learn from, he’s heading in the right direction.
It’s a habit I developed early on in my career. I’m a visual learner, so when I think about something I like to write it down so I can see it again later. I write about pretty much everything: the psychological side of things, which is really important when you play football at the highest level; the tactical side too, after meeting with our coaches and video analysts. My aim is to improve all the time. The player I am today isn’t the same player I will be in one or two years, so I want to keep improving and I feel that this is a great tool to help me do so. I had an actual notepad to begin with, but now I keep everything on my phone.
I read a lot. I didn’t like reading when I was younger, but I’m a lot more mature now and I enjoy reading books about psychology, determination, how to give yourself the best chance of striving towards excellence. There’s an English phrase I like, “Aim for the highest cloud,” which means you always have to aim as high as possible. Say you’re a striker and you aim to score 50 goals in one season – if you score 30 that would already be amazing. But if you aim to score ten goals, you’ll probably end up scoring five. You’re on a different scale, and that’s why this phrase sticks in my mind. There’s another one: “Get up every day and try to be the best you can be.” Try to improve every day to become a better person as well as a better football player. This constant drive to push myself further is something that defines me.
I like to write my psychological, tactical and technical goals down, so I often use them before games. Also, if I’m speaking to someone and I find something they say inspiring, I’ll write it down in my notepad so I can start using it in everyday life.
No, there is no added pressure. As a high-quality professional footballer, when you get to this level the pressure is part of the deal. You can anticipate it so it’s not added pressure, but rather a kind of acknowledgement. You are inspired by the players who have made history at the club before you. I had the good fortune of talking to Claude Makélélé at the World Cup. He spoke to me a bit about his experiences here in Madrid. He gave me a huge amount of advice. And when you look at the great players – whether they’re French or foreign – who have played here, it’s obvious that you feel the weight of that history.
“You’d better make some room on your shelves because it’s my firm intention to win the Champions League here with the club.” It’s a bold statement from a 22-year-old on his first day at a new team, but when it’s Aurélien Tchouameni arriving at Real Madrid – as he did last June – you know there’s every chance of it happening. This young Frenchman already commands his position in central midfield but he wants to learn more, get better. And as a determined and open-minded student of the game with some wise old heads to learn from, he’s heading in the right direction.
It’s a habit I developed early on in my career. I’m a visual learner, so when I think about something I like to write it down so I can see it again later. I write about pretty much everything: the psychological side of things, which is really important when you play football at the highest level; the tactical side too, after meeting with our coaches and video analysts. My aim is to improve all the time. The player I am today isn’t the same player I will be in one or two years, so I want to keep improving and I feel that this is a great tool to help me do so. I had an actual notepad to begin with, but now I keep everything on my phone.
I read a lot. I didn’t like reading when I was younger, but I’m a lot more mature now and I enjoy reading books about psychology, determination, how to give yourself the best chance of striving towards excellence. There’s an English phrase I like, “Aim for the highest cloud,” which means you always have to aim as high as possible. Say you’re a striker and you aim to score 50 goals in one season – if you score 30 that would already be amazing. But if you aim to score ten goals, you’ll probably end up scoring five. You’re on a different scale, and that’s why this phrase sticks in my mind. There’s another one: “Get up every day and try to be the best you can be.” Try to improve every day to become a better person as well as a better football player. This constant drive to push myself further is something that defines me.
I like to write my psychological, tactical and technical goals down, so I often use them before games. Also, if I’m speaking to someone and I find something they say inspiring, I’ll write it down in my notepad so I can start using it in everyday life.
No, there is no added pressure. As a high-quality professional footballer, when you get to this level the pressure is part of the deal. You can anticipate it so it’s not added pressure, but rather a kind of acknowledgement. You are inspired by the players who have made history at the club before you. I had the good fortune of talking to Claude Makélélé at the World Cup. He spoke to me a bit about his experiences here in Madrid. He gave me a huge amount of advice. And when you look at the great players – whether they’re French or foreign – who have played here, it’s obvious that you feel the weight of that history.
“You’d better make some room on your shelves because it’s my firm intention to win the Champions League here with the club.” It’s a bold statement from a 22-year-old on his first day at a new team, but when it’s Aurélien Tchouameni arriving at Real Madrid – as he did last June – you know there’s every chance of it happening. This young Frenchman already commands his position in central midfield but he wants to learn more, get better. And as a determined and open-minded student of the game with some wise old heads to learn from, he’s heading in the right direction.
It’s a habit I developed early on in my career. I’m a visual learner, so when I think about something I like to write it down so I can see it again later. I write about pretty much everything: the psychological side of things, which is really important when you play football at the highest level; the tactical side too, after meeting with our coaches and video analysts. My aim is to improve all the time. The player I am today isn’t the same player I will be in one or two years, so I want to keep improving and I feel that this is a great tool to help me do so. I had an actual notepad to begin with, but now I keep everything on my phone.
I read a lot. I didn’t like reading when I was younger, but I’m a lot more mature now and I enjoy reading books about psychology, determination, how to give yourself the best chance of striving towards excellence. There’s an English phrase I like, “Aim for the highest cloud,” which means you always have to aim as high as possible. Say you’re a striker and you aim to score 50 goals in one season – if you score 30 that would already be amazing. But if you aim to score ten goals, you’ll probably end up scoring five. You’re on a different scale, and that’s why this phrase sticks in my mind. There’s another one: “Get up every day and try to be the best you can be.” Try to improve every day to become a better person as well as a better football player. This constant drive to push myself further is something that defines me.
I like to write my psychological, tactical and technical goals down, so I often use them before games. Also, if I’m speaking to someone and I find something they say inspiring, I’ll write it down in my notepad so I can start using it in everyday life.
No, there is no added pressure. As a high-quality professional footballer, when you get to this level the pressure is part of the deal. You can anticipate it so it’s not added pressure, but rather a kind of acknowledgement. You are inspired by the players who have made history at the club before you. I had the good fortune of talking to Claude Makélélé at the World Cup. He spoke to me a bit about his experiences here in Madrid. He gave me a huge amount of advice. And when you look at the great players – whether they’re French or foreign – who have played here, it’s obvious that you feel the weight of that history.
Eduardo is like my brother. Honestly, we’re always together. We’re from the same generation, albeit with a two-year gap, although I feel like that isn’t very important anymore. In the dressing room we do everything together. We share a lot of laughs with Ferland [Mendy] and Karim [Benzema], our fellow Frenchmen, and having French speakers in the team has definitely helped me to adapt.
I’m passionate about American culture. I’m passionate about basketball and American football, for example. I read a lot so that I can work on the mental side of things and keep learning. I celebrated my 23rd birthday in January and I asked my parents for a piano, which they gave me. So I’ve also started learning the piano and I’m getting good at it, which is cool.
I often go there. When I’ve got time off, I often go to Los Angeles and I’ve been to New York and Washington before, as well as Vegas with the team. I was quickly taken by it as a kid. I wanted to learn English because I think that it’s a super important language in the world that we live in. Whenever I listened to music, I wanted to learn the lyrics off by heart. Then I started taking an interest in US history and Afro-American history, with iconic figures like Martin Luther King. And, obviously, through my reading in that constant pursuit of excellence, I came across a lot of US icons, like Kobe [Bryant], Michelle Obama and so many similar figures who I saw eye to eye with. That’s why I’m particularly attached to their culture.
Anything to do with sport is more relatable, of course. For example, I once read a book about the All Blacks, about the rigour and self-demand needed for them to perform on a daily basis. I also read Michelle Obama’s book, which was really interesting. My mother gave me a book about surpassing yourself, so I enjoy reading about anything. If I feel that something can help me then I will happily make time for it.
Yes, that’s it. Always trying to achieve more was one of the key values I was taught: never be happy with what you’ve got. I always want to push myself further, even in my everyday life. I want to achieve more in everything I do, which is helping me rise to the top.
“You’d better make some room on your shelves because it’s my firm intention to win the Champions League here with the club.” It’s a bold statement from a 22-year-old on his first day at a new team, but when it’s Aurélien Tchouameni arriving at Real Madrid – as he did last June – you know there’s every chance of it happening. This young Frenchman already commands his position in central midfield but he wants to learn more, get better. And as a determined and open-minded student of the game with some wise old heads to learn from, he’s heading in the right direction.
It’s a habit I developed early on in my career. I’m a visual learner, so when I think about something I like to write it down so I can see it again later. I write about pretty much everything: the psychological side of things, which is really important when you play football at the highest level; the tactical side too, after meeting with our coaches and video analysts. My aim is to improve all the time. The player I am today isn’t the same player I will be in one or two years, so I want to keep improving and I feel that this is a great tool to help me do so. I had an actual notepad to begin with, but now I keep everything on my phone.
I read a lot. I didn’t like reading when I was younger, but I’m a lot more mature now and I enjoy reading books about psychology, determination, how to give yourself the best chance of striving towards excellence. There’s an English phrase I like, “Aim for the highest cloud,” which means you always have to aim as high as possible. Say you’re a striker and you aim to score 50 goals in one season – if you score 30 that would already be amazing. But if you aim to score ten goals, you’ll probably end up scoring five. You’re on a different scale, and that’s why this phrase sticks in my mind. There’s another one: “Get up every day and try to be the best you can be.” Try to improve every day to become a better person as well as a better football player. This constant drive to push myself further is something that defines me.
I like to write my psychological, tactical and technical goals down, so I often use them before games. Also, if I’m speaking to someone and I find something they say inspiring, I’ll write it down in my notepad so I can start using it in everyday life.
No, there is no added pressure. As a high-quality professional footballer, when you get to this level the pressure is part of the deal. You can anticipate it so it’s not added pressure, but rather a kind of acknowledgement. You are inspired by the players who have made history at the club before you. I had the good fortune of talking to Claude Makélélé at the World Cup. He spoke to me a bit about his experiences here in Madrid. He gave me a huge amount of advice. And when you look at the great players – whether they’re French or foreign – who have played here, it’s obvious that you feel the weight of that history.
