Article by Maria Olteanu – published Wednesday, 07 May 2025, 08:17 / Updated Wednesday, 07 May 2025 08:39
By 23, he played in the lower leagues, fought with alcohol and depression and defeated the cancer twice. Today it is a European champion and Italy and will play the second final of the Champions League in two years. The veteran of inter, Francesco Acerbi (37 years old)has a remarkable life story. Tuesday evening, on return with Barcelonawas the hero of his team, scoring the 3-3 goal, in the 90+3 minute, which pushed the duel into the extensions, where the Italians gave the bump.
Inter Milan was on the verge of elimination In the return of the Champions League semifinal Against Barcelona, after washing an advantage of two goals. The 37 -year -old central defender, Acerbi, saved the team, after reaching the attack, shot strongly under the transversal and sent the match in additional time. Inter defeated the Catalan giant in an electrifying match, score 4-3, and qualified in the final with the general score of 7-6.
During the holiday, Acerbi took off his shirt, revealing a multitude of tattoos. In addition to the imposing angel wings on the back, its body is decorated with two lion portraits. They symbolize the power and did them after defeating the cancer, according to Sport.Aaktuality.sk.
Francesco Acerbi, a story of life -long life: After his father's death, he took refuge in alcohol
He was diagnosed with cancer while playing at AC Milan. Until then, he had evolved in the lower leagues in Italy, debuting in series A three months before turning 24 years.
In Milan he had to launch his career, but the opposite happened. Shortly before the transfer, his father died, and the young footballer fell prey to despair.
“I wanted to show my father as far as I can reach. After his death, I felt a huge void, and football lost its meaning. From that moment, everything went wrong and I reached the bottom.
I had forgotten how to play football and why I was playing. I started drinking and, believe me, I was drinking anything. Many times I came to hangman training, “he told La Repubblica in the past.
He fought with depression, insomnia, sometimes he didn't eat. “Treat” emotional pain with alcohol. Because of this, he did not impose on AC Milan, playing only 6 matches in the championship.
Acerbi: “If it wasn't the cancer, I wouldn't have played football anymore”
After transferring to Sassuolo, during the preseazon routine medical control, he had abnormal values in blood tests. Subsequent investigations revealed that they were suffering from testicular cancer.
Six months after the tumor removal and 13 matches played, he dropped an anti -doping test. Denied that he had used forbidden substances. It turned out that the reason was the irregular level of hormones caused by cancer recurrence.
It followed nine weeks of chemotherapy and missed the rest of the season. He came out the winner and the second struggle with the ruthless disease. He resorted to specialized help and completely changed his lifestyle. He gave up alcohol and nightlife, began to eat healthy and, in addition to physical workouts, trained his mind.
“It seems a terrible paradox, but cancer saved my life. I had something new to fight. It is essential to have challenges in life, whatever they are.
I thought I would play at the highest level at AC Milan for 15 years. But if it wasn't the cancer, I would have finished at 28. I would probably have been in the second league. With the cancer, my life has just started, I received a second chance ”he told him.
Revealed that he still works with a psychoanalyst. He stopped setting big goals, he began to enjoy the little things. And, paradoxically, since then he has obtained great successes.
The second earliest winner of the Champions League?
He debuted in the national team of Italy only at 27, and in 2021 he became a European champion. From Sassuolo, through Via Lazio, he arrived at Inter Milan, with whom he won the title in the previous season. It has two Cups of Italy.
Now he will play the second final of the Champions League. If Inter will win, at 37, 3 months and 21 days, it will become the second oldest winner of the competition, according to the legendary Paolo Maldini (38 years, 10 months and 27 days).
Acerbi has become a model and an inspiration in Italy. Visit regular children with cancer in hospitals and work with people with disabilities. In 2015, he received the Pallone D'Argento Prize for Fair Play, moral integrity and helping the weak.
