Rafael Leao has stressed the importance of remaining true to himself as he continues to forge a career both in football but also away from the field.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport writes, this has certainly been a season of growth for Leao, also (and perhaps above all) from a character point of view as he has battled moments of adversity.
An example of this is the goal drought that he suffered in the league from September into the new year, something that the media were keen to remind everyone about at every opportunity.
However, the Portuguese winger maintained trust in his skills and he was still decisive in that run, something which shows how much he has improved from a psychological stand point.
Leao spoke to Undici about the way that he likes to carry himself not just in football but in life, with his comments relayed below.
“I want to be an example of someone who showed his whole personality on and off the pitch. I am a person who doesn’t want to do just one thing. I like making music, I like doing photos, and I do it because it’s something I like,” he said.
“I realised I was stronger than the others when I was little. We played among children, but I did different things than the others. Then at 18, when I arrived in the first team, there in my head I thought: maybe I can reach a great level in football.
“I don’t really like talking to journalists and TV channels, seeing my face in the media. But when I was younger it was worse. My strategy has always been to be myself. Always being with the same people, my family, the friends of my neighbourhood in Lisbon.
“And then there are my team-mates, my second family: they are the ones who are close to me when things aren’t going well.
“My book? It’s the opportunity, for people who don’t know me, to understand my personality. It’s more or less a gift from me to all the people who support, children, young people, those who want to reach a high level of football or even other jobs in life.”
Leao will join up with the Portuguese national team for their friendlies over the break, while hoping to finish the season strongly with Milan and do well at the European Championships this summer.
