De Rossi reveals Boca Juniors coaching wish

BUENOS AIRES -- Italy World Cup winner Daniele De Rossi has expressed a desire to return to his former club Boca Juniors as their head coach.

De Rossi parted ways with the Argentinian side in January, ending a professional career spanning two decades.

Injuries restricted the 36-year-old to just seven appearances with Boca, whom he joined in July after 18 seasons with Roma.

"I have in mind the idea of returning as the coach of Boca," he told Argentinian newspaper La Nacion. "I could be last on the list, but that's my idea. If things had gone well, I would have already ... started my coaching career at the club."

De Rossi said his decision to leave Boca was based on family reasons. But his brief spell at La Bombonera left him craving more and he now has a goal to guide the club to glory in the Copa Libertadores, South America's premier club competition.

"The day I terminated my contract, I was in the Bombonera offices and suddenly I saw the Copa Libertadores trophy in a window. I said to myself: 'I have nothing left to give as a footballer ... [but] I want to return as a coach because this team is in my heart'," he said.

"It was an incredible but short experience. Too short for what I wanted to do. But it was very intense. Very strong," added De Rossi, who was capped 117 times for Italy and was a part of the Azzurri team that won the 2006 World Cup in Germany.