Milan legend Pato gave an interview at the Trento Sports Festival, organized by La Gazzetta dello Sport. This is the second part of the interview.

By the way, there was big news about you recently: you and the consortium you represent acquired a British football club, Northampton. As a new club owner, how are you preparing for this new role? Will you be personally involved in the club's management and project planning?

Exactly! First of all, for all Milan fans here, even those who support other teams, you can now have a second team to cheer for, and that's Northampton. Everyone can start buying our shirts!

Look at the big screen, it's you!

Yes, I look quite handsome and stylish in that photo (laughs). But getting back to the main point, we really decided to invest in football. This is a project I've been studying in depth for a long time – I spent three full years researching, traveling around the world to understand more deeply the business and operations of modern football. I also took some specialized courses, and that knowledge gave me enough confidence and determination to take this step.

As I gradually stepped away from the front line of my career as a player, I started thinking that if I ever wanted to do something in football, I would like to be involved as an owner. I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to be a head coach or sporting director on the sidelines; I preferred a broader perspective. Now, after three years of studying and networking with industry professionals, I finally had the opportunity to acquire this club. I firmly believe that through our efforts, one day we will take the team to the Champions League.

We sincerely wish you all the best! Although this path is long and difficult, dreams will eventually come true...

Yes, the process certainly won't be easy, but we will fight for it.

That's great, we hope you come back to share the story of this new adventure with us!

No problem, it will be a very exciting story to tell.

Great! You just mentioned you have a three-year-old son, which reminds me of your childhood. At just 11 years old, you left your hometown and your parents to pursue your football dreams at Internacional's youth academy. Now that you're a father, what new feelings do you have when you reconsider the sacrifices your parents made and their willingness to let you pursue your dreams back then?

Yes, you're absolutely right. Now that I'm a father, looking at my own son, my heart fills with emotion, even tenderness... because it really wasn't easy. I deeply understand everything my parents did back then, and the pain they endured to persevere.For example, I've only been away from home for five days this time, and I'm already eager to return, because I miss my son so much.

I understand perfectly how you feel...

Yes, you have three children at home, so you understand even better that feeling of missing your own flesh and blood. When I left home, my parents entrusted me to their grandparents to care for.

Yes, we also left our children with their grandparents to care for them, exactly the same situation as your family...

Exactly, so my parents now take meticulous care of my son. And the way grandparents care for their grandchildren is, all the rules you worked hard to establish, as soon as grandma and grandpa arrive, they completely spoil the grandchild...

Grandparents are simply "rule breakers," they spoil children too much!

Haha, yes. But on the other hand, that was an extremely long journey, and even recalling it today, it still seems difficult. Time cannot be reversed, but that's life, and fortunately, everything turned out well. I'm extremely grateful to my parents; they gave me infinite strength, allowing me to become who I am today. I often tell myself that I'm willing to do anything for them throughout my life, within my means, because they gave me something I perhaps never would have had, or perhaps never would have dared to have back then – the courage to risk everything and pursue my dreams.

Let's give the warmest applause for such great parental love!During your childhood, you not only faced loneliness and homesickness, but also suffered from a terrible illness – if we may be so direct, it was an aneurysmal bone cyst you had as a child. Fortunately, a doctor named Paulo Roberto Mussi decided to operate on you for free, perhaps seeing the spark of a future champion in you even back then...

Yes, that's true. Unfortunately, I contracted this disease when I was young. As you know, my family's financial situation was very difficult at the time; my parents simply didn't have money to pay for the expensive surgery, and we didn't have comprehensive medical insurance.But the situation was critical. The doctor said that if the surgery wasn't performed immediately within a month, I could lose my arm; it would have to be amputated.

Here, I also want to say to all parents in the world, make sure to record more videos and take more photos of your children, because when they grow up, these will be the most precious memories. Back then, my father had some video tapes of me playing football when I was even younger. He took those video tapes to Dr. Mussi, showed him the videos, and said: "Doctor, look, this is my son, he has great talent for playing football! Football is his life, and his dream is to become a professional player. We really don't have money now, if you could help us, please save our son..."

After listening, Dr. Mussi said very generously: "Don't worry, we'll arrange the surgery immediately! You don't need to pay a single cent; all expenses will be covered by me." This is Dr. Paulo Roberto Mussi; his generosity is incredibly moving.

This is truly a wonderfully beautiful story, demonstrating immense human compassion, incredibly noble selflessness, and the remarkable resilience of your father in saving you back then...

Yes. The most touching part is that he brought hope to our entire family. After the surgery, my arm was in a cast, but I even went to play football with the cast on! Yes, I never stopped playing football for a moment.

There's also a touching little story about my hometown, Pato Branco: Dr. Mussi lived in a very beautiful building in our town. When I was 12 years old, shortly after my surgery, my parents and I passed by that building once, and I looked at it and said to my parents: "Dad, Mom, when I grow up and make money, one day I'll buy an apartment in this building for you!"

Really?

Yes! Later, at 16 years old, when I signed my first contract as a professional player, I was promoted to the main team and received my first salary, I immediately went and bought an apartment in that building for them! Now my parents and Dr. Mussi live in the same building, door-to-door neighbors, seeing each other every day.

Traduzido por IA.

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