© figc.it

There’s a boy who started in Como, on a small pitch in Rebbio, and ran. He kept running. He ran even when others slowed down, and above all when there was suffering involved. He ran for himself, for his team, and for the entire nation. His name is Gianluca Zambrotta, and his story is one of silent hard work.

The 2006 world champion said this to Vivo Azzurro TV: "I was born and raised in Como, and I had my first kicks of a ball way back in 1986. I used to go and play at the local youth club, either walking or by bike. Everything began on a little pitch in Rebbio, with US Alebbio and coach Giorgio Taiana (now advisor to the amateur club), which I still look back on with so much affection. Everything started there”.

There’s always a beginning in the lives of those who make their mark. His is simple. Humble family, textile work. Zambrotta recalled, “Como has always been the city of silk”. And even he, as a qualified textile expert, “risked” ending up in a factory if football hadn’t played its part.

And so, even when destiny seemed like it was taking him in another direction, there are impactful choices which stand the test of time. Just like when he said yes to Italy’s call up, always and whenever. “We also went when we were injured, just to get support from the doctor so that we were as close to playing as possible. There’s nothing else to say about the Azzurri shirt: you love it, and that’s all”.

GATTUSO: Today, in a time when clubs seem to take priority, Zambrotta has great belief in the appointment of Gennaro Gattuso as Italy manager. “Rino can bring back enthusiasm and identity to the national team. He is prepared, he has experience, but above all, he is someone who has risen to every challenge with hard work and humility”.

These are shared values, embedded within the DNA of a generation that grew up in barren fields, between youth clubs and uphill races. Because before becoming world champions in 2006, there were guys everywhere with bigger dreams than fear. It’s that fire within which counts, and Zambrotta can still see it in the eyes of those with that hunger: Rino is one of them.

And perhaps that’s the point to start from. From simple stories, built on hard work and determination, just like Gattuso and Zambrotta. Before cementing their spot in the national team, they both had to start from the bottom to pursue their dreams.

HIS DEBUTS. Football chose him, and he never looked back. He made his Serie B debut with Como on 28 May 1995 (Como 2-0 Cesena) under manager Marco Tardelli, 1982 world champion. He then spent two years in Serie C1 and scored in his division’s Coppa Italia Final against Nocerina (4-0). In 1997, he moved to Bari: Eugenio Fascetti turned him into a full-back able to play on both sides, in a revolutionary 3-5-2. He ran, put everything in, and made a big impact despite rarely scoring.

In February 1999, he got his first national team call-up. His first game was a 0-0 draw against Norway in Pisa: "I was at Bari, and there were true legends in front of me. But I only thought of working". Then, Juventus, first with Ancelotti, followed by Lippi. He made him a full-back, a decisive move. "Camoranesi was stronger in 1v1s. In that role, I got game time for my team first, then with the national team, after Maldini retired".

As such, Zambrotta became one of the World's most complete full-backs. At Juventus, he shared a room with Zinedine Zidane, and then Pavel Nedvěd, Ballon d'Or winners in 1998 and 2003, respectively. Actions spoke louder than words, and that's how it played out on the pitch.

WORLD CHAMPION. In 2006, the World Cup came along. A dream, but also a fear. It was painful at first: a rectus femoris strain. But Lippi believed in him and the group: “He did a unique job. He built a wall to protect us, and if anything came out of place in this wall, he would get angry, as he did in that famous press conference”. From the Round of 16 against Australia to the semi-finals against Germany, right up to Berlin. “Every time I look back at any pictures, it feels like yesterday. Being part of Azzurri history fills me with pride. Knowing that I contributed to one of those four stars is something that I will always carry with me”.

TECHNIQUE AND IMAGINATION. But it doesn’t stop there. After ending his playing career, Zambrotta became a role model for young footballers. He founded the Eracle Football Club, an amateur club, allowing players to grow freely, letting them experience football under less pressure, including his son Riccardo, born in 2012. “I try to pass on the lessons that my parents gave me: freedom, no pressure and fun”.

These are lessons that are also coming back into the plan to rebuild youth football, which he is developing together alongside Cesare Prandelli, Italy's head coach from 2010 to 2014, and Simone Perrotta, another 2006 World Champion. "We want young players to have fun, without over-insisting on tactics. We are emphasising technique and imagination. Today, there are fewer talents than ever, and we must go back to really searching for them”.