Video: Jorginho fights back tears as his mum recalls when he left for Italy

Italy and Chelsea star Jorginho fought back the tears in a video published by Chelsea where his mum recalls his first trip to Italy.

The Italy international began his career in Europe playing in Hellas Verona‘s youth sector. He moved to Italy from Brazil when he was just 15.

Chelsea chose the 30-year-old for a video on International Women’s Day and it turned out to be a very moving one. It’s a conversation between Jorginho and his mother Maria, who still lives in Brazil. She is the biggest inspiration for the ex-Hellas and Napoli midfielder. His mother, who was also a footballer (watch her skills in the video), began talking about Jorginho’s early steps in the world of football. The midfielder didn’t play at home but on the beach.

“When you were two, you were desperate to play football at home,” said his mum.

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“You were like: ‘Ball mum, ball mum…’ You wanted the ball all the time and given that the love for football runs in the family, my dad loves it, I love it, I already knew how it would be.

“As your loving mother, I knew that you’d become a football player. I really thought that. So I’d take you to the beach.”

Maria started crying when recalling Jorginho’s departure for Italy and the Italy international struggled to hold back the tears.

“I cried a lot in that airport when I saw you leaving without a penny in your pocket,” he recalled.

“I was like: ‘I’ve got no money, I can’t give you anything. You replied: ‘I’ll get by.’ You were on the other side of the ocean, just 15 years old, without a penny in your pocket. It was really hard on you. When the plane took off, Fernanda and I stayed there hugging each other and crying for a while. We got over it eventually. It was happiness and sadness at the same time. Not being able to help you. I wanted to help you, so you didn’t have to miss so much.”

“You already had helped me so much. I had enough I didn’t need anything else,” replied Jorginho.

“Your love and support were really already enough, I didn’t need anything else. I couldn’t have been strong without you, my mum, my dad and the love that I received. It was because of you too.”

For Jorginho, football runs in the family.

His mum, Maria, was his inspiration.#IWD2022 pic.twitter.com/ElKikL6cY4

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 8, 2022