Napoli, Simeone and the Champions League: ‘It’s an obsession, I got it tattooed’

Giovanni Simeone and the Champions League, a story made of dreams and pursuits, ever since he was a child. “I watched all the matches I could when I was in Argentina, in the afternoon due to time zone issues. It’s the competition of the best, I also followed the interviews. The first Champions League I remember perfectly is the one that Milan won in 2007: since then I’ve always had the obsession with playing this tournament,” the Napoli forward told UEFA’s official channels.

So, as a kid, he decided to get the competition logo tattooed on his arm and make a promise: “The day I got there – he continued – I would have kissed it to exult. My mother gave me permission, but my father didn’t want to . He said I was crazy, he never believed much in tattoos. I, on the other hand, looked at him and said to myself ‘Why do I want to train? Because I want to get there’ and I motivated myself more and more. I was following a dream that I didn’t know I could achieve, but I’ve always worked as hard as my father showed me.”

ADVICE

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The figure of the father Diego, former Inter and Lazio and now coach of Atletico Madrid, was fundamental but never intrusive. “He taught me about ambition. I didn’t choose a career in football for him, but because it’s always been my dream to become a player. Many say we have a similar personality: on the pitch all grit and courage, off the pitch a calm person, balanced, a family man. The best advice he gave me is that until the last day there will always be something to learn, and it’s also the only one,” explained Giovanni Simeone.

THE SECRET

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He seems to be talking about himself, when he reflects on what is the most component of Luciano Spalletti’s team, the undisputed leaders of the championship ready to amaze even in Europe. “We can count on every player, not just the eleven who take the field. There are many who come off the bench and make a real difference, this makes us much more complete as a team. The fact that we have the same level of motivation says a lot about the group that we are, from the coach to the players,” he concluded.