Dalot proud of way he fought for Reds career
Diogo Dalot has used his second UTD Podcast stint to reflect on how he has lived up to his promise from his original episode on the popular show, back in 2020.
At that time, before the world was hit by Covid, the defender told co-hosts Sam Homewood and David May that he would not stop fighting to earn a place in the Manchester United first team.
A loan move to AC Milan followed, and he even played against the Reds in the Europa League, but the right-back refused to accept the easy option of leaving Old Trafford.
Instead, the Portugal international has become a key member of Erik ten Hag's squad and shown an adaptability to play on either side of the back four.
Diogo Dalot – “I didn’t give up”
podcastDiogo is back on the United podcast! Sam, Helen & Maysie caught up with him at Carrington to talk about his impressive rise to the first team. Last time Diogo was on the podcast, it was early 2020 and he was breaking into the first team, now he's a regular! We had a lot to chat about. Diogo tells us how he never gave up on becoming a regular first team player and now wants to help other players coming through. The timing of this interview was perfect as it was just after his amazing match-winning goal at Sheffield United. Was this his favourite ever strike? Diogo takes us behind the scenes of the 22/23 Carabao Cup victory campaign and the subsequent celebrations at Wembley. He also talks about his loan spell at AC Milan being a game-changer in his career, as well as how he feels about becoming a father. If that's not enough, we also play a quiz (how well do you know your football player nicknames?), and Diogo answers your questions! If you'd like to write to the only official Manchester United Podcast then e-mail utdpodcast@manutd.co.uk
With Helen Evans joining Homewood and May for this latest episode, due to be released at 17:00 GMT on Monday, the chat allowed Dalot to remember how he was feeling when being a guest on the podcast previously.
With much to play for at United and Portugal qualifying for the European Championship finals with a 100 per recent record, there is likely to be renewed drive from the 24-year-old, who became a father for the first time last week.
"I remember I was in a phase of [being] with injuries, with struggling to get minutes and to play and now, looking back to that and seeing the position that I am today, that's what makes me proud," Dalot said.
"It's not the way that I might be playing or what people might say about me, it's just myself, inside of me. I look back and I see, okay, I didn't give up. And I remember that I told you that I was going to fight for my position and I was going to fight for that.
"And, sometimes, it's just the way football is. The easiest way sometimes is to go away to, I don't like to say give up because football has different paths and different ways. Sometimes, you're just knocking on a door that's not going to open. You have to go to another one.
"But I always felt that I could do something here," he insisted. "I could achieve something here, which I feel that I still can do even more. But that feeling at that moment to know that, okay, I have to. I cannot leave here without feeling that I can prove that I can play here for a while, or I can be a starter or whatever.
"And I’m happy to look back and see that progress and I fought for that. I mean I like to think that what this club brings you and you can see, not just me – other players – [have a] big mentality. When things are not going well and you just keep fighting, keep fighting, keep fighting. It’s just a matter of time for you to get the rewards and this club has this special thing of when it’s good, it makes you feel really, really special and it has the opposite [effect].
"When things go wrong, it obviously makes you feel really bad. So you have to find that balance of always trying to be the best version."
Diogo’s latest UTD Podcast will be available to watch and listen to on ManUtd.com and in the United App from 17:00 GMT today (20 November).
After 24 hours, you will be able to enjoy it through all other podcast providers.