Following his involvement in AC Milan’s new fourth kit reveal, Rafael Leao has given an interview to discuss the excitement of the shirt’s release alongside several other topics.
If you were to select names to promote a new fourth shirt, Rafael Leao’s name would be very near the top, if not at the top. The Portuguese winger is stylish, on and off the pitch, and is a shirt seller, given his importance to the team.
This is his fifth year with the Rossoneri, and whilst it may not have been his best on paper, the winger is still a pivotal figure. He has captained the side this season, but, in an interview, he explained that he ‘always felt like a leader‘.
Regardless of his current dry patch in front of goal, Leao is and will continue to be, one of the club’s most important and influential figures, and this has been proven in recent days with the rumours of PSG’s interest in him.
Leao sat down with Tommaso Naccari of GQ Italia, to discuss his book, the new kit, life in Italy and many more topics, his words have been relayed by MilanNews.
You have just published a book, ‘Smile’, in which you tell a lot about yourself….
“One of the things they tell me most often around, from children to guys who are maybe a few years older than me, is that they would like to get to my level, not necessarily in football, but in their field, in their passion.
“They would like – in a nutshell – to make their dream come true. I made it, I was very good and very lucky, somehow I wanted to give back some of my luck,” he said.
“So in my book, I hope that people can find a message not to give up, to pursue the goal or, once they have achieved it, not to look back or not to hold back on the journey. I hope it can be useful.”
You have had people like Paolo Maldini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo who have helped you on your path…
“The first two helped me, especially Zlatan when I was already an adult when I arrived at AC Milan. Cristiano Ronaldo is obviously an idol of mine. But the only people I’ve held up as examples since I was very young have been my mother and father, my family.”
Milan’s fourth shirt, made by Puma in collaboration with PLEASURES, was presented today…
“I am delighted with this collaboration. It also seems to me that Milan is the right team, at the moment, to do certain things: we are a very young team, very colourful, we are a symbol, as are the details on the jersey. And then I’m excited at the idea of being able to wear it not only on the pitch but also out and about”.
How do you find it in Milan?
“Milan is a beautiful city. I didn’t even think it was so welcoming. It took me a while to adapt, about two years, but that was because I didn’t speak Italian well. That was the only obstacle. Then for me, it is perfect, the climate is very similar to Portugal.
“I also like that when it’s cold, you feel the cold on you, like now. If someone my age were to move here now, I don’t see where they could go wrong. You can do a lot of things, there are a lot of restaurants, you can buy and be passionate about anything. It’s certainly not a boring city. Of course, I also have to say that the key thing is maybe finding the right people to live it with, that’s crucial.
“If you surround yourself with people who are not right, the risk of getting lost, of getting distracted, is high…”
Why do you make music?
‘When I go into the studio I put all the emotions I don’t put out there, I also need it a bit to get rid of stress.”
Milan, an ideal city for music…
“The great thing about this city and my musical journey is that it introduced me to people like Capo Plaza, Sfera Ebbasta, and Lazza. I ended up several times with them in the studio and, for sure, we talked about music, about my music. They’ve always been very nice and given me a lot of good advice, but then I think that, because we don’t talk about football, it’s other topics. With them, for example, I often talk about living in Milan, and what it’s like to be there. Also because some of them grew up there.”
Do you only listen to rap music?
“No, I listen to everything. Obviously mainly rap and trap, but I realised that any genre can influence me, maybe I listen to a song that has a particular melody and that comes back to me in the studio, and it helps me write.
“Why rap? The reality is that the thing that made me decide that was my favourite genre is the lyrics. They are all lyrics about how important it is to never give up, to always hold on.”
What is music for you?
“For me, music is fundamental, not just making it. I live alone here in Milan, so it’s my company all day long. As soon as I wake up there is music, when I go to training there is music, even in the dressing room there is music.
By the way now I am also among the teammates who can select the playlist more than others… Music for me is more than a sound, a background.
Rafa in his element. Who cares about goals and assists when you can be on the cover of GQ. He deserves a raise for this achievement.