APPIANO GENTILE – September 2006, AC Milan v Lazio: Gaby Mudingayi's first game at the San Siro. Back then he was wearing the colours of Lazio. Sitting in the Inter Channel studio, he smiled as images of the match were shown on the screen during his interview for Prima Serata. He recalled: "That was an incredible moment, I'll never forget it. San Siro strikes fear into you when you go there as the opposition team. There's nothing quite like San Siro – it makes me proud to think it's my stadium now."
Mudingayi also spoke about his childhood, when he would play football anywhere he could, and revealed: "I didn't have any idols as such, just lots of players I tried to copy. For example I used to watch Makelele a lot, he was a player I liked, a real gritty character." The midfielder also discussed the beginnings of his career at Saint Gilloise, just outside Brussels, and Gent, before he made the switch to Italy. "My parents still live in Belgium and so do my parents-in-law. It's my homeland. I even met my wife there, although – incredibly - she's Italian!"
Gaby received phone calls from two of his former team-mates, who also happen to be ex-Nerazzurri players. Marco Ferrante: "When we were at Torino together Gaby was an up-and-coming youngster who would never let up for a second. A thoroughbred, a ballwinner who was useful on the ball too, a genuine all-round talent." And Ousmane Dabo: "We made for a tough pair of customers together, me and Gaby. He's a force of nature and he's got all the ability he needs to be a first-choice player at Inter." Afterwards Mudingayi said: "They were important team-mates for me, at Torino and Lazio. They were always there for me and helped me a lot from day one." He also shared a few memories from his time at Bologna when another former team-mate, Francesco Antonioli, called in.
You can read the third instalment of Mudingayi's interview here on inter.it at 21:00, just as it's going to air on Inter Channel
