Italian star Andrea Pirlo is not done playing football at the highest level yet. Marwan Naamani / AFP
Italian star Andrea Pirlo is not done playing football at the highest level yet. Marwan Naamani / AFP
Italian star Andrea Pirlo is not done playing football at the highest level yet. Marwan Naamani / AFP
Italian star Andrea Pirlo is not done playing football at the highest level yet. Marwan Naamani / AFP

Passionate Andrea Pirlo open to playing in Euro 2016


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Playing at Euro 2016

I have a very strong relationship with Antonio Conte, as it grew and developed during my experience with Juventus. We shared success, and now he is the coach of Italian team. I still have a relationship with him, I’m still open to the possibility of playing in Euro 2016. I’m not sure he said he wanted me to stay in Europe, he didn’t say I shouldn’t play in the US. My duty is to do my best, to make a difference, and to show everyone I can play at 2016.

Rumours that Inter Milan are chasing him

I’m not disturbed by these rumours. I’m used to these rumours. There are many teams that have approached me but I have a contract with New York City, we are starting with a new coach in January, and I want to support and contribute to this team.

On potential Manchester City loan move

I don’t think so, my contract is with New York City. Technically I haven’t started yet. The championship starts in March and I want to play a the highest level possible, and make a difference and finish my career at the top. If after that there is a chance to do that another club, I will do that.

Considering retirement after Juventus exit

For me it was not the moment to retire. I still want to play at the highest level. I have passion, I love this game. They wanted me to stay at Juventus, but I wanted to leave to start a new experience abroad. That’s why I left. Everyone who said the opposite, that they fired me, that is not true.

Best and worst moments in football

Winning the World Cup was my best experience. This is the dream of every player. There were many other titles, like the Uefa Champions League and Serie A. These are the most beautiful memories. The worst was the Champions League loss against Liverpool in Istanbul, we were 3-0 up, but Liverpool came back and eventually won on penalties.

akhaled@thenational.ae

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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE

There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.

It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.

What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.

When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.

It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.

This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.

It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.

The specs
 
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On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)

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