Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi has admitted that he did not care about playing for the Italian national team when he was younger.
The 30-year-old, who is seen as his one of his country's most important players, said that he only became interested in representing the Azzurri once he became a professional.
"When I was young, I didn't really care about the national team," he told So Foot.
"I only really paid any attention when there was a World Cup or European Championship. I never looked at the qualifiers or anything like that.
"I was only interested in Roma, the Giallorossi was my life. But when you grow up and become a player, Italy is the goal."
De Rossi has won 93 caps for Italy since making his debut in 2004 and helped them to victory in the 2006 World Cup.
Written by
Alex Meyers
Alex Meyers
