Folorunsho, the masked Nigerian that Spalletti has fallen in love with: “If you don’t make it to Serie A, you’re an idiot”
ELooking at the list from Italy, there is a name, however long and exotic, that draws powerful attention. It is that of Michael Ijemuan Folorunsho (Rome, 1998).
Your case is curious. He has gone from not playing the African Cup… to playing the Euro Cup. “I wanted to play in the AFCON. I wrote to the coach [José Peseiro], but he didn’t answer. Finally I contacted him on the phone and he promised me that he would call me, but the days passed and he didn’t,” they scrolled from their surroundings to the ‘OwnGoalNigeria.com’ portal.
Luciano Spalletti, who had already summoned him in March, included him in the final list of 26… without having debuted for Italy. However, In the opening of the Euro, against Albania, he resorted to him in the added time to ‘defend’ the 2-1.
“It’s a beast. It gives you different solutions from a physical point of view [mide 1,90 metros]he has an outside shot and is good at heading shots, a very important aspect, in this type of competition, in set pieces,” says the ‘Nazionale’ coach, referring to the Hellas Verona ‘all-rounder’.
It is a beast. He gives you different solutions from a physical point of view, he has an outside shot and is good at heading shots.
From Lazio to Third
A ‘beast’ who had a hard time making his way into the ‘calcium’. He went from excelling in the youth team with Simone Inzaghi and being called up with Lazio to a ‘Coppa’ match against Inter in 2017… to play in the Third Division. “I thought I had already arrived, but I realized that I was living in the clouds. I was not ready to take the leap and I found a completely different world in Serie C,” he acknowledges.
I thought I had already arrived, but I realized I was living in the clouds. He wasn’t ready to take the leap.
Gaetano D’Agostino opened his eyes. “He was a bit of a ‘runaway horse’, but I quickly saw great potential in him. I once told him: ‘What do you want, to stay in Serie C forever? “If you don’t make it to Serie A, excuse the term, you’re an idiot,” recorded on exentrenador in the VIrtus Francavilla to ‘Gianluca di Marzio’.
His good work – he scored seven goals in 31 games – caused Napoli, with whom he has a contract until 2027, to pay one million euros for him in 2019.. He did not manage to make his way with Ancelotti, nor with Gattuso… nor with Spalletti himself and then began a rosary of assignments that led him to go through Bari, Reggina, Pordenone and Hellas Verona.
Marco Baroni, with whom he met in Reggina and Hellas Verona, rescued him from ‘hell’. “It changed my career. It opened my mind. Before meeting him, I thought I could only play indoors, but he made me understand that I can play various roles, that location matters little. “If necessary, I would even play as a goalkeeper.”he points out when referring to the new Lazio coach.
Baroni changed my career. He opened my mind. He made me understand that I can occupy various roles. If necessary, I would even play as a goalkeeper.
That’s how it is. This season, at Hellas Verona, he has played as a midfielder, interior, midfielder, on the wing, second striker, ‘false 9’… His five goals in 34 games – special mention for the one he scored against Juve – have been crucial in avoiding relegation.
Hence his celebration – covering his face with one hand and pointing a gun with the other – has gone viral. “My best friend told me that I should invent something of my own to celebrate goals and the ‘Folo Mask’ brings together things from the most important people in my life,” says Folorunsho, whom they came to define as a “Guarín with more legs.” Only one wish: that he doesn’t show his mask against Spain…
