Juventus Turin can move to the top of the table in Serie A against CFC Genoa 1893 on Friday evening (December 15, 2023, 8:45 p.m.), at least temporarily. Federico Gatti has been one of the top performers in the Italian record champions’ team for weeks. The defender receives recognition not only because of his current good performance – but also because of his life and career path.
World climate summit, war in Gaza, war in Ukraine – and then Federico Gatti. The media hype in Italy surrounding the Juventus defender is official, as even the RAI interviewed Gatti in its most-watched news program shortly after 8 p.m. and the 25-year-old was allowed to tell his Cinderella story. The story of how he went from being a temporary bricklayer to becoming a key player at Italy’s record champions.
Gatti ostensibly shot his way into the headlines and the main news program with two goals. The defender is primarily responsible for ensuring that Juventus stays ahead of leaders Inter Milan in the championship race in the Italian league. Gatti scored the winning goals in the last two games, both in the 2-1 win against Monza and the 1-0 win over champions Napoli. That makes him the man of the hour in Serie A.
One biography like a fairytail
Gatti’s life story has made him a national topic of conversation. The Juve player told this, as friendly and open as usual, in the Italian Tagesschau: “In my first years as a footballer, I also worked as a bricklayer and window fitter and sometimes carried boxes to the market in the morning“. Everything so that his family, who were not doing well at the time, can make ends meet financially. It is not only the “Corriere dello Sport” that sees the sporting rise of the 1.90 meter man as “una favola”, a fairy tale.
Gatti’s career in fast forward: At 19, while his peers in Serie A are having their polished shoes carried into the dressing room, Gatti is active as a hobby in the sixth division and is striding across the tough pitches in the Turin area. As a 20-year-old, he made the jump to Verbania in the fourth division. For the first time there is a little money for playing football. But Gatti’s father becomes unemployed during this time, and his son works in construction alongside football training to keep his family afloat.
Regardless of the hardships between the trowel and the concrete mixer, the tough defensive man climbs the football hierarchy. Every year we go through Pro Patria in the third league and Frosinone in the second league to the Italian record champions Juventus Turin. “Grit, humility and courage“, writes the “Gazzetta dello Sport”, accompanied Gatti on his way to the top.
To the top with will
What sets the Juventus defender apart on the pitch? Willpower squirting out of every pore. The Piedmontese native also has excellent timing in duels. Gatti can sink his teeth into an opponent as if zonal marking had never been invented.
With this duel strength, the Repubblica reverently judges, Gatti is reminiscent of none other than Giorgio Chiellini, who is the benchmark for consistent defense not only in Italy. However, anyone who critically observes the currently celebrated Gatti must realize that he is not a case for football aesthetes; in some scenes the defender appears very awkward. However, according to older experts, this is also reminiscent of Chiellini in his early years.
Mishap own goal from Gatti against Sassuolo
Gatti says about himself and his remarkable rise: “I am where I am now because I never gave up“. His story also saves him from being carried out of the corner at the first crosswind. What happened to the Juventus defender at the end of September would have caused self-doubt even among experienced players.
In the game against Sassuolo, Gatti scored the “own goal of the year” (goal): Juve’s keeper Szczesny stands far next to his goal and plays to Gatti, who is standing on the edge of the penalty area, in a relaxed build-up – and he kicks the ball straight into his own empty goal. Since he had already encountered other problems in life, Gatti was not affected by this. Already after the end of the game he joked: “It was Szczesny’s first assist and my first goal – unfortunately into his own goal“.
Big goals with Juventus and Italy
Gatti defended his regular place in the Juventus defense despite the mishap. More than that, it seems to have strengthened him. In the meantime, Gatti has also scored three goals in the right goal in Serie A. Thanks to his header strength and – as in the hustle and bustle in the penalty area in the final minute against Monza – with his foot and the pure will to decide the game for his team.
Qualities for which they value him in the club. It is said that he was popular in the team from the start because of his warm nature.
His last-minute goal against Monza caused the Juve fans to escalate: Federico Gatti
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri praises Gatti for his footballing skills during his time in Turin.Made giant steps“. The man of the hour says about himself: “When I go on the pitch I forget everything else – that’s what I did in the Promozione (Note d. Editor: Italy’s sixth league) played, that’s how I play now too“. His qualities have brought Gatti not only into the Juve regular lineup, but also into the national team. The 25-year-old’s goals for the near future: “Be there at the European Championships in Germany and win something with Juventus“.