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From Jakarta to Algarve, Rafael Leão shares his incredible journey and the deep connection he has with AC Milan. Discover the passionate fans who fuel his game, the serene beauty of his Portuguese homeland, and the cherished family moments that ground him.

Leão opens up about his early football beginnings and the invaluable lessons learned from his father, who remains his guiding force. He also reflects on the unwavering support of his family, including his brother, as he navigates the challenges of professional football.

Explore the personal side of this talented footballer, from his favorite Portuguese dish to his adaptable music taste, and understand what makes him tick both on and off the pitch.

#RafaelLeao #ACMilan #ForzaMilan #Rossoneri

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Sports
Transcript
00:00Ciao Rossoneri, let's go to Casa Milan and come with me.
00:21It was very good, my first impression was in Jakarta.
00:25We have a lot of fans there.
00:26And it was incredible because we are on the other side of the world.
00:32We can feel the support and how big our club is and how big the support and the fans are.
00:39Our fans give us strength and support us in every game.
00:44I like to feel that support and I like to feel that in the game.
00:48Because it's a small help sometimes but in some important moments can be a big help.
00:57100%.
00:58I spend every season at least one week there with my family in Algarve, yes.
01:04Because it's special.
01:06A lot of people go there on holiday.
01:08You have a little bit of everything.
01:10You have good weather, good food, you have some peace if you find the right spots and the right place.
01:18Olhão is, for me, we say Ria Formosa.
01:24It's the sea from Olhão, the sea that covers the city.
01:30We call it Ria Formosa and it's one of the most wonderful things in Algarve.
01:36I think everybody should go there because Portugal and Algarve are a very special place.
01:42I love to see the sea and to be near the sea because I was born there and I was
01:49raised there.
01:50I don't like a lot to dive in the sea because I'm a little bit afraid.
01:55I really love the beach and to spend some time with the hair of the sea.
02:01You feel there is something special, something different and when you are there you can understand what I say.
02:08In Portuguese it's called choco, sepia, but you do like in a fridge and then with potatoes, sweet, normal potatoes.
02:18And with the sauce, with the potatoes is my favorite dish.
02:21Since I remember I played football, I don't know, probably...
02:25Officially I go to my first club, Olhanense, with four years old.
02:30I start playing with the older guys, like six or five and a half.
02:35And I'm the smallest one there because they don't have a team for me in that moment, I just want
02:41to play.
02:42So that was my first memory.
02:44They always try to help me and to give me some lessons.
02:47I spend a lot of time with my grandfather, but I don't know a lot of him playing.
02:55More about my father because some people tell me.
02:57Even today he helped me every week in every game.
03:01He's my first help in every moment.
03:05He plays so he understands better than the other people how it is to play and to do some things
03:12on the pitch.
03:13He's the first person to tell me the truth and to want more from me.
03:18Even if I score five goals in one game and I miss one chance.
03:24The first thing that he will say to me,
03:26I had a chance, you can do better, why you do that.
03:29He's the first person to tell me the truth and try to push me to my best level.
03:34I think my mom is louder than my father.
03:37My father is more low profile, more quiet.
03:40And my mother, at the end, she's more louder because she cannot handle the stress.
03:44I already live what he's living now.
03:47So it's easy to tell him some things and to help him sometimes.
03:51So I think it's a good support for him.
03:55He's my brother and he spent a lot of moments with me.
03:58And he's been already in big moments with the best players in the world.
04:04So I think it's the best preparation for him to be ready if one day he reaches this level
04:10or he plays at a higher level.
04:14He can be a good professional and a good person.
04:18I don't show a lot because the people that know me, my friends, my family,
04:23they know how I am, what I like.
04:26And sometimes when I do some interview like this, the people know me better
04:30and they start to know me better and to know what I like and how I am.
04:35The truth is that we live together for three years now.
04:39And we married only a few days ago, but it's been like we are married for a lot of times.
04:47It's very important because without my family, without my wife and my son, it will be very difficult.
04:55I just want to say that I love her a lot and I thank you for everything that she does
05:01for me and for our family.
05:05He likes to be the star. He likes to speak with everyone.
05:10He's more like the mom. Margarida likes to make friends everywhere she goes.
05:16I'm more quiet and our son is like the mom.
05:20He wants to speak with everyone. He wants to say hi to everyone on the street.
05:24It's really, really funny.
05:27I know some easy things like ciao, domani, calcio, atacante and I understand almost everything.
05:37How do you say pistols? Pistole? Okay.
05:44I prefer the life of the city even when I am in Paris.
05:50We choose to live near the center.
05:53I think it's better because when we are not training, I had something to do if I want.
05:59And I think it's safer for the family.
06:02I came from two amazing cities but I would love to live here because they had some things similar to
06:10Portugal.
06:12And it's also an amazing city.
06:15More quiet than Paris.
06:17That for me it's better because I don't love chaotic things.
06:22I heard a lot of Portuguese rap.
06:25But I like to hear a little bit of everything.
06:30Depends on the mood.
06:31I also listen a lot of Drake.
06:34Sometimes Brazilian music.
06:37Depends on sometimes French music.
06:40After three years in Paris, it's almost impossible to not hear the French music.
06:46So a little bit of everything.
06:48NBA.
06:49I like a lot and that's the game that I enjoy to play the most.
06:53I like to watch NBA in Philadelphia.
06:56Now they have LeBron James.
06:58That's the new team of LeBron James.
07:00Even other sports like Formula One, Ferrari.
07:04My favorite driver, it was Hamilton.
07:07But my favorite team was Ferrari.
07:08Movie theater but with good popcorn.
07:11Series, Peaky Blinders.
07:13Film can be Ape Planet.
07:18One of my favorite foods is pasta carbonara.
07:21When I was like a child, young.
07:25When I lose, nobody can speak with me because I'm getting crazy every time.
07:31I'm worse.
07:32I'm worse than when I'm losing because I get very, very angry.
07:36But when I win, I speak a lot also.
07:39I remember when I withdraw 2-2 against Sporting and I score two goals against Mr. Ruben Amorim.
07:46I'm very, very happy with that.
07:48I don't speak with the coach about that.
07:50Only with the coach Carlos and the coach Fidal.
07:54In that moment, he already knew me because it was in an advanced stage of the championship.
08:02I had already a lot of games in Benfica.
08:05But yeah, it was good for him to know me better.
08:10Ciao Rossani fans, it was very nice to speak to you and to feel your support.
08:17Thank you so much.
08:17Thank you so much.

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