Daniel Bravo’s southern accent is not that of a Parisian titi. The former PSG player is however a figure of the club whose jersey he has donned 280 times. There he won five titles including the championship in 1994 and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the capital club, the former striker turned defensive midfielder then consultant on BeIN Sports retraces his history with Paris.
What did PSG represent when you arrived in 1989?
DANIEL BRAVO. For me, it was first and foremost a big club. I was leaving Nice after playing in Monaco and I felt like I had taken a step forward. I imagined things. For me, PSG was Dahleb, Susic, the Park, I imagined large infrastructures and what surprised me was the difference with what I discovered. We trained with mismatched outfits, for example, I was completely overwhelmed. We washed our things ourselves at home. In addition, it was not going very well with coach Tomislav Ivic, it is not at all what I had imagined. Fortunately I was friends with Christian Pérez so it was good. Compared to what the club represented in my mind, the 1986 title which was still fresh, the fact of arriving in the capital, I imagined something flashy. So when I discovered the small barracks at Camp des Loges, it was a shock. The first year, I even had a shot of juice in the shower! Luckily the water stopped because it was a push button. I was all alone, I found myself on the ground. When I was able to go out to warn the others, I was all white. And Guy Adam, the sports coordinator, looked at me and said: “It’s okay you’re not dead”.
Was there a form of amateurism?
Yes. Francis Borelli was adorable but he made Francis Borelli ( smiles ). One day he summons me to his office to settle a matter of money. He said to me, winking at me: “I’m giving you a loan, don’t forget it’s a loan” to make me understand that it’s a bonus. When Canal + arrived and saw this thing, they immediately asked me to reimburse ( laughs ). So apart from the fact that we had a good team, the organization of the club and the facilities were catastrophic. The arrival of Canal + was the start of a radical change.
Why is it always a different club?
Perhaps simply because it is the club of the capital, it is jealous, often unloved. When you play in this club, you get used to it. Either you are adored or you are hated. There is no half measure. But it’s something to play for this club, to put on that jersey. It has to be earned.
In Paris, your career changed when you retreated to the position of defensive midfielder. Is this the real turning point in your career?
Yes that was decisive. When I arrived I had to have my knee operated on, so my start was really chaotic. Ivic was catastrophic on a human level, he killed me. I was never able to show my creative qualities and it took me a long time to recover from this period. It was Luis Fernandez who had the idea to make me go back. My qualities had changed a bit, I was more combative. I used my attacking technique to become what is now classic, this role of first raiser in front of the defense. If I hadn’t changed jobs, people would have spoken of me as a player who never counted in Paris. This role of water carrier brought me credibility. I showed that I had the level to play in this team. Some people tell me that I found my role too late. I do not agree. In my mind, I was a striker. But the idea of Luis gave me new impetus that allowed me to have a role in this team. Until then, I hadn’t done much, hadn’t shown what I could do.
What is your fondest memory?
Personally, it’s my goal against Bayern Munich (Editor’s note: in 1994, in the Champions League). It corresponds to my change of status. It was my second game in midfield. No one understood why I had played this role. Against Munich, I have a good match and I score this goal against Oliver Kahn. And suddenly everything changed for me, in my head but also in the minds of people. But on a collective level, the best memory remains the victory in the Cup. It was the culmination of several years running after this European success. It was exceptional.
Why is it so special to play at the Park?
Because it is the most beautiful of all! It’s a real football stadium, the supporters are close, there is a particular sound. When we live great moments in this stadium it is unforgettable. It will remain all my life as the most beautiful stadium in France. Before I left, we played a match where Luis gave me the captain’s armband, we came home with the cup, our children. We felt like we had accomplished something great. I was able to commune with the people who had shouted at me in that same stadium. I had so many love messages after I forgot them. Nobody talks to me about my rotten period anymore. There is only the end, the best. These are unforgettable moments.
Who is the best player you’ve played with in Paris?
Bats, Lama, Ricardo, Djorkaeff, Ginola… There are a lot of them. They were all awesome. But if I have to come up with one it would be George Weah. He had a Golden Ball and it’s not for nothing, we saw him do it every day. He had phenomenal power, exceptional running speed and incredible technical finesse. His head game was also fantastic. The combination of all his qualities was fascinating. We knew that if he was having a big day, he could win a game on his own. He was unstoppable. He loved soccer and he loved to win. From the outside you could imagine him dilettante but in training he wanted to score, he always wanted to win. It was impressive.
And your best meeting?
It was in Paris that I became friends with Luc Borelli who was unfortunately killed when he was in Lyon (Editor’s note: in a car accident in 1999). I shared the room with him. He was a fabulous guy. He had an important role. He was in Paris when Lama was in the France team, then in Lyon when Coupet was with the Blues. But it did matter. He was a model teammate who pushed you to practice every day, he always had the banana, he made the locker room laugh. We had evenings with him at each other’s homes, we loved wine, it was fabulous. I met a lot of important people in Paris but he was a friend and it is all the stronger since he is no longer there today.
Do you keep a link with this team which won the Cup?
It’s the same for all athletes who have known great things. We don’t need to call each other every three days. There is something that connects us for life. A sort of unbreakable thread. As soon as we meet again, it’s back to business as before. We have experienced so many beautiful things together. We know each other by heart. And even with those with whom we have less affinities, there is still great respect for having been teammates.
Do you recognize the club that you left 24 years ago?
But can we compare the PSG of Canal with that of Borelli? I think not. There are more differences between the PSG of Borelli and that of Canal than that of our time and that of today. The gap between those generations was huge. Fortunately, the club has changed. But whatever the times, there are always nostalgics. But what I like about this PSG is that he has the team to win the Champions League. Did we have it before? No. We lost against AC Milan or other great teams. They were better than us. Today I am happy to tell myself that this team has the means to win it. That makes me happy.
What is missing from the current workforce?
It’s hard to say. What made us strong at the time was our desire to succeed together. It might be a cliché but it was the love of the jersey. And yet I never saw a guy kissing the logo back then. We loved this swimsuit and you can’t buy it. With this generation of Fournier, Le Guen, Guérin, Lama… We spent six, seven or eight years at the club. So automatically, it’s something to put on the jersey. It made us want to succeed together, it was an additional strength. If I have to compare to today, the team is stronger than ours but in terms of mindset and collective strength, we were superior. But I feel it more this season. We feel that there is a state of mind.
Is the PSG a good fifties?
Ah yes ! The record could be better in particular because we could have won more championships in our time. Now the Champions League remains and for its 50th anniversary it would be a great gift the players would give to the club. I believe it.
