Mike Maignan has given an interview in the latest edition of GQ Italia in which he discusses his journey in football but also things away from the field like his family and love for fashion.
Maignan arrived in the summer of 2021 from Lille to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma and he was named the goalkeeper of the season by Serie A in his first campaign with the club, which would of course end with a Scudetto win.
There is no doubting that ‘Magic Mike’ has established himself among the very best goalkeepers in world football and he continues to be a leader for this current Milan group, one which is generally still young but growing hopefully towards big things.
Maignan spoke with the magazine GQ Italia and he answered a number of different topics including whether he feels like the best in his position in the world, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
You have been among the best in Europe in recent seasons…
“But I don’t feel like a spectacular goalkeeper. I try to do things in the simplest way possible.”
What is the best quality a goalkeeper must have?
“The mentality.”
What is your philosophy?
“My philosophy, also written on my gloves and boots, is ‘foi discipline travail patiente et humilité’. It means ‘faith, discipline, work, patience and humility’. This is my daily mentality.”
What secrets do you have for self-belief?
“I have worked very hard to be where I am today. So yes, in a way I expected to reach these levels. And I believe in hard daily commitment, I have faith in my work.”
Many think you are the best goalkeeper in the world, do you think you are?
“I won’t tell you no… (laughs). There are a lot of very good goalkeepers out there, so I continue to work hard. However, I only look at myself: I know my potential, the best I can give.”
Your sense of duty come from afar and have roots in your childhood, when you lived in a difficult suburb of Paris…
“I am a self-confident person and a hard worker, but at the same time the family is extremely important for me. I think there is a moment for everything in life and you have to find the right balance to perform and at the same time dedicate time to your loved ones, because it is for them too that I do all this. I have a goal to achieve and I stay focused, that’s the most important thing.”
What are your targets?
“I have many dreams that I would like to achieve, but above all I would like to reach the highest level in football, overcome my limits and leave a mark in history.”
What was playing football like in Paris?
“There is an incredible job by Parisian coaches and young people are on the pitches from a very young age. And there is a great mentality: everyone wants to win.”
Tell us about winning the Scudetto with Milan…
“The atmosphere during the parade with all the fans, when we paraded through the city on the bus, was an extraordinary and unique moment. At Milan I found incredible teammates and fans. A family. Here I would like to win as many titles as possible.”
You are also good with the ball at your feet…
“I am a modern goalkeeper, but to be a good goalkeeper you need to know how to mix new and old school. Modernity and old game are the ingredients to obtain the best combination.”
You are a big fashion enthusiast, as demonstrated by your collaboration with Missoni…
“I have a classic and contemporary style. Hence my collaboration with Missoni, which is an elegant brand, but at the same time unique and highly sought after. Through collaboration I was able to express myself, give my opinion, they allowed me to choose the materials. For Missoni every detail counts and the same goes for me: that’s why the collaboration works so well.”
“But I don’t feel like a spectacular goalkeeper”
Actually, he’s totally right.
When you look at his numbers on fbref, he’s been thoroughly mediocre at his job of stopping shots this season, and this has been a marked dropoff from his previous seasons.
And this corresponds to what you see on the field also – too many goals let in that a true world-class goalkeeper would have stopped, and fewer stops that he made which were look world -class.
He continues to be league leading at picking off crosses and with defensive work in the backfield, according to the fbref numbers
But yeah, dunno what happened with his shot stopping, but lots and lots of goalies in Serie A, and the other top four leagues + Ligue Un have better numbers than Mike this season so far.
If Mike wants that giant world-class contract, he’s going to have to improve his shot stopping this season, otherwise Milan would do better to sell him for 100mill or so and get one of the several Ligue Un goalies who are both cheaper and are posting better shot stopping numbers than Mike this season.