World Soccer - UK (2021-10)

BIOGRAPHY

JuventusandRomawerereported

tobeamongthe interestedparties,

thoughthemostinsistentofall were

Internazionale,whohadcultivated

a goodrelationshipwith the

Donnarummafamily, invitedhim

toAppianoGentile(Inter’straining

ground)forafive-daytrialand

arrangeda schoolfor theyoungster

• thenaged 14 – to attend.The
  affairlookedinthebag.
  Notso.Shortlyafter returningfrom
  hisIntertry-out,
  Donnarumma
  wouldperform
  a stunningvolte-
  face,signingfor

Milaninthe summerof 2013.

Thecost?A cool€250,0 00. “Yes,

Donnarummawas reallyclosetoa

movetoInter, probablyjust a step

away,”revealedformerMilanvice-

presidentAdrianoGallianiin 2 01 9.

“ButMauro Bianchessi(Milan’s chief

coach)pushedmetogofor him.

WewenttotheDonnarumma

homeandmanagedtoprise

himawayfromInter.”

Thistug-of-warhasencouraged

Hiselder brotherAntonio,nine

yearshissenior,was a fullypaid-up

memberofthegoalkeepingfraternity

aswell,goodenoughtobeinducted

intotheMilanyouthranks,where he

twicepickedup nationalsilverwareat

juniorlevel.Keentokeepupthefamily

tradition,the adolescentGigiotook

mentalnotesandworkedashard as

hecouldinpracticesessions,preparing

himselffor thedaywhenhisturn

wouldcome.

Eveninthe earliest stagesofhis

soccerevolution,Gigiohadallthe

basicsnaileddown.Hewas athletic,

hadhair-triggerreactions,was by

naturecalmandcomposed,read

thegamewelland cruciallyhad

thephysiquetofillthegoalup.As

a ten-year-old,healreadymeasured

a multi-storey6ft 2 in,soobtrusive

inhisappearancethatparentsof

opposingplayerswerequickto

screamage-fraud.Towardoff the

foul-playjibes, hismotherMaria

learnttoalwaysbeonhand with

thenecessarydateof birthpapers.

Byhis earlyteens,SerieA scouts

werebeatinga pathto hisdoor.

thepropagationofallkindsofurban

myths.AccordingtoClubNapoli

chairmanCiroAmore,Gallianiwas

effectivelypersuadedtoswoopbya

cousinofsuperagentMinoRaiola,

whohas handledGigio’s affairsfor

thepastsixyears.AsforGiocondo

Martorelli,Gianluigi’s formeragent,

heswearsthatthe youngster actually

signedfor Internazionale,onlyto

changehismindwithin 24 hours

andpledgehimselftoMilan.

AUG 2 1, 2016

Makes thefirst

penaltysaveofhis

career, keepingout

a stoppage-time

effortfromTorino’s

AndreaBelotti on

thefirstdayofthe

2016 -17season.

SEP1, 2016

ReplacesGianluigi

Buffonathalf-time

tomake hisItaly

debutagainst

France,becoming

hiscountry’s

youngest-ever

goalkeeper.

DEC 2 3, 2016

Liftsthefirst

silverware of his

career, savingPaulo

Dybala’spenaltyin

a 4-3shootout

victoryover

Juventusinthe

ItalianSuper Cup.

JUL 1 1, 2017

Signs a new

contractwith

Milanuntil 2 02 1,

followingplenty

ofspeculation

overhisfuture

atthe club.

Icon...Buffonand

Donnarummaon

internationalduty

“He[Berlusconi]had twochoices:hecouldeither

fireme andplay[Diego]Lopez,orretainmeand

seeDonnarummaasthestarter.Hekeptme”

SinisaMihajlovic,formerMilancoach