David Alaba: The music-loving son of Austria's first black soldier, who grew up hating Bayern Munich
Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2021 by Marca.com
David Alaba was born in Vienna, the city of legendary composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, where classical music is almost a religion. Despite coming from a family that adores music, the current Bayern Munich defender decided to devote himself to football.
Alaba received piano lessons, plays guitar and owns a mixing desk where he spends his spare time to escape from the stress of elite football.
"It's clear I'm not the best singer and don't have the best voice, but you can work a bit of magic in a studio," he told Bayern Munich's official website back in 2018.
"I'm pleased with what comes out at the end."
A very close family ... and Ribery
For Alaba, his family is something sacred, as his bonds with both his parents and sister are very tight.
When he joined Bayern Munich at the age of 16, his parents were always close to him to help Alaba adapt to his new environment.
Following his arrival in Bavaria, it was Franck Ribery who took him under his wing and became his footballing mentor.
Austria's first black soldier
Born in Nigeria, Alaba's father George move to Austria to study economics, later becoming the first black soldier to join the country's army.
Meanwhile, his mother Gina, who was born in Philippines and worked as a nurse, was named Miss Philippines.
His mother's nationality is the reason why the defender can be often seen with the Philippines flag stitched onto his football boots.
A hatred of Bayern Munich
As a youngster, Alaba was a one of the best prodigies at both SV Aspern and Austria Vienna.
There, he faced Bayern Munich several times in youth tournaments, with the Bavarian side thrashing every opponent on Austria soil.
Hence, his frustration over the Bundesliga champions grew until the moment he moved to Munich.
Bernat described him as a beast
Shortly after joining Bayern Munich, Juan Bernat gave an interview for MARCA, where he hailed Alaba's quality.
"[Alaba] is a beast," said Bernat.
"He has surprised me a lot.
"He can play as a full-back, a centre-back, a midfielder... He is a physical marvel, a top player who can go to any team.
"And besides, he is a set-piece specialist. He's technically very good and that's why he's at Bayern Munich.
"What stands out the most is his physical power."
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