It was written years ago that the colour blue would be part of his destiny when he wore it at Empoli in 2017. Then with the move to Napoli came another blue jersey, and now another that unites the hopes of a country, that of the national team.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo excitedly confirmed at a press conference that “blue is a colour that has in fact distinguished me in recent years. And it is no coincidence that my daughter is called 'Azzurra’”.

The national team full-back’s story is full of sacrifices - "which have brought me this far, to be part of this group" - and of desire not to give up, even when his professional footballing career seemed to have almost reached a point of no return: “Practically everything in my life changed in the space of five years. I found myself without a team, but I was good at not giving up: now I'm enjoying this fantastic experience”.

While there is an entire nation to support the Azzurri, there is an entire town cheering on the on-pitch performances of one of its most famous citizens: Ghivizzano, a small village in the province of Lucca where the number two Azzurro jersey of Giovanni Di Lorenzo is projected onto the towers of the town: "They have set up the big screen in the square, they are all excited about this event... I have a special relationship with my brother Diego, who is four years older than me: We often call and confide in each other. In the most difficult moments of my career, there have been people who have allowed me to overcome that difficulty with their closeness. And my brother is one of them”.

Italy’s next match is against Austria, in the first knockout stage match that the Azzurri will face in this tournament: “They are a strong team, they play at a really high tempo, and are tough to face. But we’re training and preparing as best we can for this game. Alaba? An exceptional player, but all Austrian footballers are to be held in high regard.

Fearful about this match? The atmosphere here is excellent, our group is fantastic and there is the right mix of tension and concentration. We must have the same enthusiasm that we have had in the last few games, without falling into presumptions”.

 

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