10 questions for Emerson Palmieri

After scoring his first goal for Roma at the weekend against Milan, full-back Emerson Palmieri opens up about his childhood idol, the best player he has faced, and who has had the biggest influence on his career...

Who was your idol as a child?

"My first idol was Ronaldo. I remember a bit of the World Cup in 1998 when Brazil lost in the final against France and I watched all of the World Cup in 2002. I was too young to remember when he was at Barcelona but I do remember when he played for Inter and Real Madrid. I've read all about the injuries he had in the past to his knee. He was a legend, a true striker."

Did you play any other sports before turning to football?

"I swam but it wasn't for me. My mum wanted me to swim but I didn't enjoy it. I started playing 5-a-side when I was five years old and continued until I was 14 at which point I switched to 11-a-side football."

What was your first position in football?

"I started in midfield but when it came to choosing a position I opted for left back. I played on the wing in 5-a-side football."

What do you remember from your professional debut in football?

"I remember it very well: I was 16 and playing for Santos. It was a match against Paulista and I came on when we were 3-0 up. I played ten minutes and it was an incredible feeling, for myself and my whole family."

Which game do you have fondest memories of in your career so far?

"When I scored my first goal as a professional player. We were losing 2-0 away against Atletico Paranaense in the Brazilian league. The coach sent me on and I scored after five minutes, getting us back into the game. We ended up losing and I was sad for the team but it was still an amazing feeling. That match has a special place in my heart, we were away from home and my whole family was at the stadium."

Who is the best player you've ever played against?

"I could say Alexandre Pato when he was at Corinthians or Carlos Tevez here in Italy with Juventus, but if I have to pick just one I'd say Andres D’Alessandro. I played opposite him three times in the Brazilian league when he was at Internacional in Porto Alegre. He was so difficult to mark and it was always a really tough duel against him. He once told me after a game that it was the same for him against me."

Who is the best player you've ever played with?

"Neymar at Santos. I started five games alongside him – he is quite simply an extraordinary player who is able to do impossible things with the ball. It's not an accident that he's considered one of the best three players on the planet."

What's the best stadium you've ever played in?

"I really like the Stadio Olimpico. I played against Roma for Palermo in the last game of the season in 2014-15 and the atmosphere was incredible. The Curva Sud was singing, I heard the anthem before the game and the chants... mamma mia! It was the first time I had played there and the sensation was amazing. We've missed the Curva this season but anyway walking out at the Olimpico, with all the history behind it, is always really exciting."

Who has had the biggest influence on your career?

"My dad – he played football but not professionally. Together with my brother who is also a footballer, my dad has always been there for me, ever since my first steps on a football pitch. They were both fundamental for me."

What is the best thing about being a footballer?

"We get to do what we love, we play and we make friends. We're role models for a lot of people and that is really nice for me. Loads of people whom we don't even know love us. I had these role models when I was a kid and it's great to be one myself now."