Rafael Leão seemed more relaxed than ever sitting on the couch of the new 19F podcast with Moise Kean, Capo Plaza and Shaila Gatta, in Italy. At 24 years old, he continues to fight to leave his mark at AC MIlan, a club he joined in 2019 from Lille. He was one of the youngest on the squad and remember what it was like to share a dressing room with a star like Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede marked him with his unique advice, which he gave him on days when he did not play a good game. In addition, he addresses other topics such as the influence of his father, Bennacer…
“I have always had important teammates, like Zlatan. When he played well, Ibrahimovic didn’t say anything to me. When he played badly he made himself heard, but in technical matters, in details. When he made a mistake in the controls, he told me: “With that quality and talent you have, you can’t make a mistake in the controls, you have to go for the goal.” It was curious that he only spoke to me when he played badly…”
Instead, he points out the player who helped him the most in that Milan locker room. “Bennacer helped me a lot. I have a great relationship with him, he is my brother and I hope he returns soon. There is no particular episode, he helped me every day and supports me a lot. “He is really my brother.”.
“Some fans called me and said, ‘Can I kiss your feet’? “They knelt down and came to my feet.”
Leão also referred to the strangest episode he has experienced with a fan: “I was in the restaurant with Portuguese friends. When we were about to leave, I turned left and there were several AC Milan fans calling me ‘Rafa, Rafa!’. Then they asked me ‘Can I kiss your feet’? They knelt down and approached my feet, I said ‘No, no!’ He was a young boy and you don’t know how to react... She kissed my shoes,” she admitted with a laugh.
“When my father went to work in Angola for six months, I had a crisis in football….”
Finally, the Portuguese wanted to remember the influence that his father gave him when he was starting out in this sport. “He always gave me different advice. To never give up, stay close to family, always believe in myself, that was the best advice. My father was fundamental for me and he still is, he left work to watch my games, If I had been alone with my mother, all this would not have happened…”
“When he went to work in Angola for six months, I had a crisis with football. I was still at Sporting, the sporting director called me and told me that it would be better to look for another club. I called my dad and he came home right away. I thought I was older and more mature than I really was, but without him I can’t read situations well. When she left she understood how fundamental she was,” she stated.
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