GianluigiDonnarumma
theemotionaltribute he penned
onInstagram:“DearMisterErnesto.
Iftoday,I’vefulfilledmydreamtoplay
inSerieAandtotread theturfat the
SanSiro,I oweitaboveall to you.
I learntsomuchfromyou andnot
onlyhow to actonthepitch.You
spentyourwholelifeteachinglittle
playerslike me theloveofthissport.”
Donnarumma,whorecently
sealeda Bosmanfreetransferto
ParisSaint-Germainfollowingsix
years as astarterwithMilan,isa 1 00
percentfootballnatural.Withinthe
Donnarummafamilyunitthegame
wasa religion,itsinfluence all-
pervasive andinescapable.Hisfather
Alfonso,a carpenterbytrade,was
soccer-mad,instillinghisloveofthe
Milan clubtoboth hissons.Hisuncle
Enrico,oncea keeperwithlocalclub
JuveStabia,alsoplayedakeyrolein
theindoctrinationprocess,takinghis
nephewto ClubNapoliatthe ageof
justfourandprofferingallmanner
oftricksofthetrade.
Brothers...Gigioand
Antonio Donnarumma
JUL 3 0, 2015
Justa monthafterturning
professional,Donnarummaplays
hisfirstgameforMilan,comingoffthe
bench in an InternationalChampions
Cupfriendlymatchagainst Real Madrid
inChina.Thegameisdecidedby
penalties,withDonnarumma
oneof twoplayerstomiss.
Arch-rivals...Inter
strikerEderclashes
withDonnarumma
during thekeeper’s
firstMilan derby
OCT 25 , 2 015
Makes his
competitivedebut
ina 2-1SerieAwin
v Sassuolo,becoming
thesecond-youngest
goalkeepertostart
inItalianfootball
history.
JAN 3 1, 2016
Appearsinhis
firstDerbydella
Madonnina, against
Milan’sarch-rivals
Internazionale,
helpinghisside
toa comfortable
3–0victory.
MAR 24 , 2 016
Makes hisItalyU2 1
debutina 4–1win
overtheRepublicof
Ireland,becoming
theyoungestplayer
evertoplay forthe
teamat 17 years
and 2 8 days.
Timeline
Serie Astage;the Revelation of the
Yearaward he picked up in 2 01 6;
his debutfor theItaly Under 21 s
atthe ageofjust 17 ; thefirst of
his 33 caps fortheAzzurri.
UnderstandablyGigio was
heartbroken on hearingthe sad
newsofFerraro’s death. Hence