“We are lying to ourselves” » Maxime Sivis breaks the barrier between football and the tragedy of the world, with a speech about Palestine, Iran and Sudan: “People are fighting to survive”

He talks about the difficulties of adapting in Romania, confessing that he had some reluctance and prejudices about Eastern European countries. Today, however, he perfectly understands Bucharest's nickname of “Little Paris”. He gives labels to his colleagues in the locker room: the funniest, the grumpiest, the “coolest”, and in the end he surprises the world of “king sport” with an atypical speech.

He talks about the problems of the world, about the conflict zones of Gaza, Sudan or Iran, having a speech that leaves the sphere of football and enters abruptly into the global reality. Sivis admits that what is happening in Palestine affects him “the most” and that we are often “lying ourselves” into thinking we are doing enough. For him, the privilege of playing football and living “in beautiful hotels and countries” contrasts starkly with people “struggling to survive”.

In the face of war and suffering, the footballer speaks of peace, solidarity and responsibility, asking questions we rarely hear from the pitch. “There is room and wealth for everyone in the world, so why fight?” he says. And the message he would address to the whole world, if he had only one minute, is simple: “Seek peace.”

VIDEO. Maxime Sivis: “We will be in the race to win the title this season”

– What do you want from 2026?
– I want us to play even better than in 2025. I think I had a very good year, both in terms of ranking performance and playing. I wish, both for the team and for me, that we have even better results than in 2025.

– What are the chances to win the championship this year with Dinamo, to be champion in Romania?
– I couldn't say the percentage of chances, but I think we will be in the race to win the title this season. And I hope we can enjoy it at the end of the season.

– Will you continue at Dinamo from the summer? Are you under contract for another year or two?
– For two more years.

– How do you feel at Dinamo after two years?
– I feel good, I feel much better, I can say. I had a long adjustment period and I did not expect this. I thought I would adapt much faster. It is known that football is relative, every footballer is different and has a different adaptation time. It took me six months to adapt to the new life, the new championship, my new team. I felt I settled in well before the play-offs last season. At the moment I feel better and I feel that I have received trust from the club. It took some time for me to adapt, but I feel very good at Dinamo.

4 offensive contributionshas Maxime Sivis in 14 games of the current Superliga season: 2 goals and 2 assists.

– What would be, from your point of view, your assets in the fight for the title?
– I think we have a great chance, we must not minimize our daily work. I think no one expected us to reach this high if we give the time two years ago. It's been two years since we had a good collaboration with the staff and the players. This year we will fight until the end. Last year, it's true, we fought until the play-offs, and in the play-offs we kind of let our guard down. But I believe that this year we will fight until the end.

How the “dogs” full-back adapted to Romania: “I had a limited vision of eastern countries”

– Your first experience outside of France was at Dinamo. What exactly pushed you to Romania?
– Honestly, at first I didn't expect to come here. It is true that I had a rather limited view of the Eastern countries. But the club granted me the right to visit the capital and the country for a few days, to see how I feel here, and honestly, after an hour in Bucharest I felt at home. People are welcoming and I often feel like I'm in France. It gives me the impression that I am in Little Paris: there are many traffic jams just like in Paris, it is the capital and it is full of life. When I got here it was summer, so it was hot. I immediately got into the rhythm. That's why I didn't even hesitate. From the moment I set foot in Bucharest, I didn't hesitate for a second.

• Before arriving at Dinamo, Maxime Sivis played for Angers B, Quevilly Rouen, Concarneau, Red Star and Guingamp. He is in Romania from the summer of 2024.

– What is the strongest opponent you have met in Romania?
– Mitrita.

– And abroad, before you came to Dinamo?
– Before I come, Gael Kakuta.

– Who do you think is Dinamo's strongest and most feared opponent this season on the way to winning the championship?
– Craiova. Craiova is a tough opponent to beat. It was seen on the road, it was difficult for us to handle them. I think we managed in the end because they got a red card. They are a team that knows their game very well and therefore I consider them to be a very difficult opponent this season.

– Do you prefer FCSB, Dinamo's great rival, not to reach the play-offs?
– No. I prefer them to reach the play-offs because we have shown this season that we can keep up with them and put pressure on them. I think, therefore, that it is a team from which we can take points. I don't mind if they make the playoffs.

He labels his colleagues in the “pack”: Gnahore, the funniest. Armstrong, the coolest.

– In training, who is your toughest opponent from Dinamo?
– Musi.

– Who is the funniest?
– Shit.

– The grumpiest?
– I oscillate between Karamoko and Ikoko.

– The coolest?
– Danny. Danny Armstrong.

– And the most beautiful?
– Nikita Stoinov.

– What did you know about Romania when you came to Bucharest?
– Honestly, not much. Almost nothing. I won't lie, I was focused on France because I always played in France, so I wasn't very open, say, to other countries, especially to eastern countries. But I was very impressed when I discovered this country.

– What diopters do you have? Do you play with lenses?
– No. They're more like rest lenses, to rest my eyes when I'm tired.

– What do you like most about Romanians?
– Kindness. They are very kind people. When I walk down the street, even through the malls, I always have a smile on my face. The world is well received in shops, restaurants.

– Is there anything you don't like in Bucharest?
– The traffic.

– But what do you think about Romanian cuisine? How did you adapt? Do you like something in particular?
– Nothing in particular, but I find enough people serving halal, turkish, lebanese restaurants, so honestly, I feel good here.

– Papas?
– Neither.

– Do you understand Romanian?
– A few words.

– Can you speak it?
– No, no. I'm trying to learn English well and then we'll see with Romanian.

700,000 eurosis the market share of Maxime Sivis, according to the specialist portal transfermarkt.

Maxime Sivis, speech with echoes: “We are very lucky to be where we are and to have the jobs we have”

– What do you think of what is happening worldwide? The pandemic, after it the war in Ukraine, Gaza? Do you get chills thinking about what could happen?
– It's complicated what's happening now. I take Palestine as an example, because what happens there affects me the most. Likewise in Sudan, Iran a few days ago. I think we are very lucky to be where we are and to have the jobs we have. We don't even realize the chance we have. Right now there are people struggling to survive, not even to eat, but to survive. It's very complicated. I believe that we do not mobilize enough, we lie to ourselves, we have the impression that we are doing a lot and, when there, we do nothing for them. During this time, they fight. We are fine, in nice hotels, in nice places, in nice countries, and so it's complicated.

– If the whole world could hear you for one minute, what would your message be?
– To seek peace in the world. It seems to me that we are not fighting for the good things. There are things that are beyond us when it comes to politics, leaders, great powers, we are beyond. There is room for everyone, there is wealth for everyone in the whole world, so why should we fight each other? It's not worth the effort, life is too beautiful and too short to spend it like this.

The message I have for our fans is to keep watching and supporting us, giving us momentum as they have done since we arrived at the club. They never left us, even in the most difficult moments. That is why we are here today.

They are a big part of the reason why we are still here, because they drive us every day, with every game, be it home or away. We always feel supported. Even when I'm playing away I feel like I'm at home. So, keep it up. It will be a pleasure to give them something at the end of the season. Come on, Dynamo!

– Maxime Sivis, Dinamo defender