David Alaba is just 45 minutes into his first European Championships, hoping the dark horses of Austria can cause an upset of Greece 2004 levels and win the tournament against all odds.
If the Bayern Munich full-back, currently in action for his country in their opening match, against Hungary, does end up reigning victorious in Saint-Denis on July 10th, he will have emulated his footballing idol, Patrick Vieira.
Speaking to France Football, Alaba revealed his support for Arsenal, growing up as a youngster in the early '00s and in particular his admiration for Vieira, who memorably captained the 'Invincibles' of 2004 to Premier League title glory.
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"In the first place, Patrick Vieira. What a player! He inspired me through his presence, his style of play, his strong personality. I was a fan of Arsenal, who dominated everything around 10 years ago.
"I only had eyes for Vieira. Our styles don't resemble each other particularly but in this position he's an example, notably in his way of imposing himself in duels."
Despite spending most of his time at left-back for Bayern, Alaba is a natural central midfielder, where he began his career, which is perhaps why he identifies so strongly with the Arsenal and France legend.
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(H/T Squawka)
Topics: Euro 2016, Patrick Vieira, Football, David Alaba, Arsenal, Austria, France