Inter defender Francesco Acerbi opens up about how he dealt with testicular cancer: ‘It’s impossible not to have fear, but without it, I would have retired.’
The Italy international turns 35 today and released a heartwarming interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Acerbi was diagnosed with testicular cancer twice: first in the summer of 2013, shortly after his move to Sassuolo, and then again at the end of the same year.
“A challenge is always necessary for life. I needed it, first with my father and then with the illness,” Acerbi told Gazzetta.
“I spoke to a psychologist, after my two cancers. He explained to me how to react and take a step forward. It’s important to have a few people around you, two or three who you can really trust. It’s important to understand what you really want from life. It doesn’t matter if you play r not, your time will come sooner or later.”
Does he feel lucky?
“I do. I had two cancers, but I didn’t care. I knew I could beat them. I was almost happy, it may sound like a paradox. I was saying: ‘Ok, I will face them’, like a football game.
“I repeated t myself: ‘I don’t have fear’, but then I understood that it’s impossible not to have it. I was hiding it inside myself. Now, once in a while, I think: ‘What if it comes back for a third time?’ If it happens, it will be another challenge to win. In the end, I grew up by challenging my father.”
Acerbi’s father died in 2012 shortly before his transfer to Milan.
“I wanted to show him where I could get. He died in February, shortly before my move to Milan in 2012,” said the Inter defender.
“After his death, I felt empty and football was meaningless. From there it all went downhill. I was arrogant, the others were not good enough. Until I got cancer…
“Once upon a time, I thought I would play 15 years at Milan, at a high level. Today I say no. Without cancer, I would have retired at 28. Perhaps I would be in Serie B, at Cittadella, but with cancers, my real life began, giving me a second chance.”
Acerbi joined Inter on loan from Lazio last summer and has played 22 games across all competitions this season. The Nerazzurri have an option to make his move permanent in the summer.
He made his senior Italy debut in November 2014 under Antonio Conte and has 28 appearances and one goal with the Azzurri.
He has played for Pavia, Reggina, Chievo, Genoa, Milan, Sassuolo and Lazio.