De Ligt felt like 'child in a candy shop' upon meeting Juventus idols Ronaldo and Buffon

Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt has discussed what it felt like when he first arrived in Turin. The 20-year-old Dutch centre-back joined Serie A giants Juventus in the summer from Ajax for a reported fee of €75 million and expressed his surprise at playing alongside childhood heroes Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon. De Ligt admitted that the first time he entered the Juventus dressing room he felt as excited as a kid in a candy shop.

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De Ligt joins Juventus from Ajax

De Ligt was on the radar of top clubs across Europe following his stellar displays for Eredivisie champions Ajax last season. The young defender captained Ajax and led them to the semi-finals of the Champions League, his goal incidentally knocked out Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo in the quarter-finals of the tournament in the process. His impressive displays for Ajax forced the hand of defending Serie A champions Juventus to splurge €75 million for his services. 

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De Ligt reveals excitement to play alongside childhood hero Cristiano Ronaldo

Upon his arrival in Turin, De Ligt spoke to Foot Truck in an interview claiming that he wasn't able to fathom the fact he would share the pitch with his childhood idols, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon. De Ligt stated that he felt like an excited child in a candy store upon seeing Cristiano Ronaldo - a five-time Ballon d'Or winner - and World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon in the Juventus dressing room. De Ligt was only 19 when he made his big-money move to Serie A and was seemingly overwhelmed by the occasion. 

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De Ligt on initial struggles in Serie A

Although De Ligt was tipped for immediate success at Juventus, his initial days at the club were quite rough. The young defender was on the receiving end of more attention than he could handle at a tender age after scoring an own goal. De Ligt revealed he wasn't able to focus on his football due to the burden of his hefty price tag and the constant attention from the media. However, De Ligt concluded his interview by explaining that he felt a lot more comfortable after the initial two months in Turin as he was getting used to his surroundings and adapting to life in Italy.

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