Ciro Immobile gave a detailed account of the early stages of his life, where his passion for football came from and the various steps of his career.
The 32-year-old Italian striker is the talismanic driving force in Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio squad and he’s continued his goal-scoring exploits this season. Immobile has scored six goals and provided three assists in nine Serie A appearances this campaign, being a leader on the pitch and reference point for the rest of the squad.
Contributing to Dario E. Viganò and Valerio A. Cassetta’s book ‘It is not only fatigue, it is love – I campioni dello sport tra passione e solidarietà’ (via LazioNews24), Immobile first spoke about where his eye for goal comes from.
Football is a passion passed on by my father, but also by my whole family, from my uncles to my grandparents, who in the past were also owners of an amateur club in our city.
My father was also a striker in the Eccellenza and Promozione categories, and he always scored a lot of goals.
When I was little he took me to training sessions and if I touched the ball someone would notice that I was good.
Many of his teammates would tell him: ‘Your son will be stronger than you. But I still tell him today: ‘Dad, you’re the strongest one, you used to score more goals.’
He recalled some of the sacrifices he made in his journey to becoming a footballer.
The day was always the same: school in the morning, a sandwich at lunch on the Circumvesuviana and training in the afternoon.
Do I have the feeling I’ve missed something from my childhood or adolescence? When you experience certain moments you don’t think about it, because after all you play football, you work hard, but you do it to realise the dream you have in your drawer.
Today I obviously reflect on the fact that my life has always been about commitment and planning, but I admit that I have never thought: ‘Today I’ll skip training and go out with friends’. For me, duty has always come first.
The Italian striker looked back at where he started playing football.
These are beautiful memories that I always carry within me. It was the beginning, the beginning. You never forget where you started.
My grandparents owned a delicatessen and there was a church with a beautiful square in front of the shop.
We would all gather there to play. We used to make the posts out of shoes, bags and everything. Other times, what times!
Immobile spoke about his childhood neighbourhood Torre Annunziata.
It formed me as a person. It’s true that I left early, but being a very small place I knew everyone. I know the events, the path my friends and fellow citizens took… It’s a very important reality for me, because it was the beginning of everything.
He admitted that it’s a difficult place to grow up.
It’s true, it was. I didn’t live in a beautiful area of Torre Annunziata. I come from a very humble family. I remember that anything could have happened every day. It’s a difficult reality, but if you have the right head and go on your way, you can walk it smoothly.
He spoke about the importance of his family.
My family is at the heart of everything, they spurred me on, helped me and gave me a hand to chase my dreams. I will never finish thanking them. If you don’t have a healthy family behind you with certain values, you don’t reach a certain level.
The 32-year-old discussed his love for his wife Jessica.
It was the classic love at first sight. She also comes from a similar family to mine. Father postman, mother cook. A family that I liked from the start.
When I met Jessica, I immediately sensed that she could become the woman of my life, the one who would live by my side forever. That’s why I said that sentence to her. We have the same interests and values, and that helps us.
He gave some advice to young people during this difficult time.
Before the arrival of the pandemic, every year I used to go to a football school in Campania to tell my experience. Kids are often pushed to do something that is bigger than them.
And if they are under pressure they cannot give 100%. That’s the biggest limitation. I believe that everyone has their own path.
My advice is to follow it without having distractions. And if one has a dream, one must follow it to the to the end, obviously helped and spurred on in difficult moments by others. Pushing someone towards something that is not their path would be a mistake.
Whoever starts practising this sport must above all have fun. This is my advice. Then with a bit of luck, if you have the ability and it’s your moment, the opportunity will come for everyone.
Finally, Immobile commented on his career and his happiness at joining Lazio.
Fresh out of the Juventus Primavera team, I spent some years a bit tormented by loans and co-ownerships, with many changes of city and teams with which I gained experience.
In 2016 I arrived at Lazio, I found a wonderful club and environment and signed a contract practically for life. I’m doing well in Rome. I feel at home.
