AC Milan's Menez: I'm not fake like most football stars
Jeremy Menez has said football players "must be fake to be loved", insisting that he is not willing to put on a different persona just to gain affection, unlike other stars.
The attacker has been in fine form for AC Milan following his move from Paris Saint-Germain, having scored eight and set up one in his 16 league appearances. And the 27-year-old says he is happy again following the move back to Serie A, despite rarely cracking a smile on the pitch.
"I must smile more. My father and my brothers tell me so," he told Telefoot. "But it's misinterpreted because people think I'm not happy. I'm just a shy person and I think that in football, you must be fake to be loved. But I don't like that, it's not me."
The former Roma player says he was offered a chance to stay in Ligue 1, but was attracted to Milan because of Adriano Galliani and coach Filippo Inzaghi.
"In December, PSG offered me a contract, but I already decided to leave to do something else. It was not about money, my biggest pleasure is to play football. When the phone rang, I learned that Inzaghi and Galliani wanted to see me and it was an honour. I was on vacation in Ibiza and they came to see me, that was proof that they wanted me."
Menez added that he hopes to become a bigger influence for France in the build up to Euro 2016.
"I haven't done anything for Les Bleus yet and I want to open a new chapter with the French national team. I didn't give my all on the pitch and that is why I wasn't called this year. I want to come back and show my qualities to help France. I came to Milan to play all the games and come back to France.
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