Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt appreciates the veterans he’s been exposed to over the years

Bayern Munich center-back Matthijs de Ligt probably did not love everything about his stay with Juventus, but one thing that stuck with him was the impact that many of the club’s veterans had on him.

Specifically, De Ligt appreciated being able to learn from some of the club most important players and seeing how they approached things day-to-day.

“I think I developed early and, unlike others, I’m lucky enough to have been playing with established players who have enormous experience for many years. I was able to learn and adapt a lot early on, at Ajax, in the Dutch national team and then at Juventus,” De Ligt told Bayern Munich club magazine Säbener51 (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “Players like (Giorgio) Chiellini, (Leonardo) Bonucci, Cristiano Ronaldo and (Gianluigi) Buffon are 10, 12, 13 years older and I orientated myself on these personalities. Maybe I’m more mature than other 22-year-olds, but I don’t see it as anything special.”

Even at his young age, De Ligt has displayed leadership qualities and there is no doubt that the experience of working with those veterans at Juventus likely influence how the Dutchman communicates and interacts with teammates on and off the pitch.