Andrea Belotti is once again known as ‘Gallo’

Although it may be forgotten by some, Andrea Belotti – known as ‘il Gallo’ for short – was among the eleven Azzurri who played in the 2021 European Championship final. Admittedly, he was also the first to miss from the penalty spot, but Mancini and Vialli’s Italy won, so who cares? Five years on, having to shoulder the burden of a string of difficult seasons and a cruciate ligament injury that had sidelined him just when it seemed he might return to his former glory, he found himself having to come to terms with the negative outcome of the medical examinations that were supposed to see him return to Cagliari after so many months on the sidelines. The club’s medical and coaching staff were not fully convinced, and so, at the age of 32, Belotti found himself having to come to terms with a status he was perhaps unaccustomed to: free agent.

He could have waited for a call from Serie A, but instead he chose to take a step back. It was by no means a foregone conclusion to choose not to cling to his past. He did not care about his status and challenged himself anew, embracing a different role, far from the spotlight. In the end, it was he who brought that spotlight to Modena, with his skilful play and his goals. He began with an overhead kick reminiscent of his Torino days; he scores a goal every 49 minutes—a rate that is certainly unsustainable but which has propelled Modena to the top of the table, in a league so far dominated by a top-class Palermo side. He agreed to start on the bench to regain his confidence on the pitch, and now he seems indispensable.

He has never been a big name, not even when there were those who, on his behalf, claimed he could expect offers of 100 million euros. Belotti’s life and career have since taken a different turn, and perhaps this is why his statements are a tribute to understatement – perfectly in keeping with the ‘football lingo’ that players learn by heart from their youth days onwards. Belotti did, however, make an interesting point whilst looking at the young players crowding the Modena changing room: “I know they’re watching me. That’s why I want to set an example through my work, my sacrifice and my day-to-day attitude. I feel I’m a role model for these lads. Serie B hasn’t changed my approach; hard work and sacrifice remain the same regardless of the league you play in: a big name and a successful career aren’t enough; you have to prove your worth every day.” He spoke of the decision to drop down a division as a carefully considered choice, to feel once again like the young lad who had fallen in love with football. He didn’t need this feat to give meaning to his career. What he did need, however, was to feel like ‘Il Gallo’ again, without looking for shortcuts. And he needed to make peace with his own body – the tool that had made him great and the one that had let him down just when a striker, at least in theory, reaches the peak of his career. Seeing him like this, finally happy, one can’t help but thank Modena for allowing him to start scoring again and to celebrate after every goal.