Objective focused on Georgia and the European Championships, Khvicha Kvaratskelia he is living a dream which is that of the entire nation which faces a major international competition with the aim of trying to amaze but perhaps above all with the intention of affirming: “We are here too”. The Napoli footballer gave a long interview to The Players Tribune in which he spoke about the European Championship but also about his experience in Italy.
Kvara: “Naples? Influenced by my father”
Yesterday the market bomb with theagent and the transfer player’s father who spoke openly about farewell to Napoli, and an equally blunt statement of denial from the blue club. Now Khvicha reveals that her father also had a hand in her Neapolitan choice: “Coming to Naples was all thanks to my father. His idol was Maradona, he was a good footballer who also played in Azerbaijan. My father always talked to me about Maradona, and when my agent told me about Napoli’s interest, I was thrilled. My father told me: “You can’t say no to Napoli, to Maradona’s club”. So there wasn’t much to discuss”.
“Live is life”: the song of destiny
A rite of passage if there is one in the Napoli locker room is that of singing. It’s up to all the new players who arrive: stand up and show off their singing skills. Not even Kvara was saved who has a particular memory of that moment: “Before me he sang Kim and chose “Gangnam style”. Then it was my turn and I chose this song that one of my classmates had sung when I was at Rubin Kazan. Immediately afterwards my teammates said to me: “Do you really want to make a good impression on the Napoli fans?”. But I didn’t understand what they were referring to. Only after dinner did Mario Rui explain to me that song “Live is life” had become a symbol thanks to Maradona”.
Then the Georgian talks about his first days at Napoli: “I still remember seeing Maradona everywhere I looked and I immediately told my father. The first day of training I went by taxi and I thought that I would never be able to drive in Naples, but what made an impression on me was the fact that everyone already knew me, around the city even the older people knew my name which is also complicated”.
The impact of Maradona
You never forget your first time at Maradona Khvicha Kvaratskhelia he still seems emotional when telling it: “I will never forget the first time. I entered and already in the locker room everything was special. Usually before races I don’t go around the field. Never me, but it was the first and I thought I should. Everything was wonderful, the stadium was already full during the warm-up. I struggle to describe those emotions with the fans singing “Diego, Diego”. The Napoli fans are really special, when we won on the Juventus pitch, on the return we received a unique welcome. I can only say that I am really very happy to play for Maradon’s clubto”.
