Feature Photo: © Getty Images
***
We don’t have to explain what Famiglia means to an Italian, right? There should be no need to resort to worn-out clichés to exemplify how important next of kin are to any Belpaese native, even on a football pitch. Federico Chiesa is one of the most promising talents in the depressed Italian calcio panorama and, after today’s heart-warming hug with his little ballboy brother, he is among our favorites even more.
It happened in the 56th minute of this afternoon’s Fiorentina-SPAL game at the Artemio Franchi Stadium, with the Viola already leading 2-0 over Leonardo Semplici’s visiting Ferraresi. Chiesa scored a third to put the match in ghiacciaia (“in the icebox,” as we say in Italy when a game is virtually over). Then, he promptly ran across the pitch to hug a 14-year-old ballboy standing next to the home side bench.
That boy happened to be Lorenzo Chiesa, the brother of Fiorentina’s number 25, and the son of Enrico, who collected 503 caps in professional football mostly during the glorious ‘90s. A warm cuddle, a gentle ruffling of his baby brother’s hair, then Federico went back to complete Fiorentina’s demolition of SPAL, who have been impressive so far this season, to capture a provisional 2nd place in the Serie A standings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzTg9mYlBnQ
The third in line in the Chiesa Dynasty joined the Viola’s youth team this summer from satellite club Settignanese, just like his older brother Federico had done in 2007. Serving as ballboy for the senior squad’s home games is part of the traditional gavetta – working your way up the ladder. But 14-year-old Lorenzo must have enjoyed today’s occurrence as much as his father Enrico did, his eyes glowing in the stands at the sight of two of his sons united in what he was also best at – calcio.
Federico Chiesa’s affection brought back memories of another touching goal-scoring celebration, Alessandro Florenzi’s crazy run to hug his nonna, who had come to see him live for the first time. That was on September 22, 2014 when having scored Roma’s second goal in a 2-0 win over Cagliari, Florenzi went all the way up to the Olimpico Stadium stands to give grandma a hug.
The way Florenzi dodged his own teammates (check 0:10 in the video below) in order to perform his adorable celebration, just like today’s empathy between the Chiesa Brothers, reminded us of a very key rule of life below the Alps: There is nothing like family to an Italian. Even when it comes to football.