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Demetrio Albertini: my match for the Jubilee Albertini is a man who seems a theoretical paradox, a very skilful player always playing in the midst of the battle, having to put up with harsh words and tones. Yet, he is a silent representative of a faith that is hardly compatible with the rough football world. "This is true, but it is sufficient to find a person to talk with. It is possible to talk of religion also in a world that is considered aimless and only inclined to outward appearance", says Demetrio Albertini, a practising Catholic and also a football talent of the Nineties. Demetrio had already felt the emotion of playing in front of the Pope. The Jubilee match was then "an important event for all the young and also the Pope, who still has the energy of an adolescent. It is however a strong emotion to have the opportunity to meet a protagonist who has changed history in these last decades. I would compare this event to the recent two goals I made to Barcelona. Both are things that only rarely happen in one's life. And if I have managed to meet the Pope in two occasions, maybe I will be able to repeat this exploit in football, too". Another little peculiarity that marks Demetrio's past is the example given by his brother Alessio, who is a priest in a small town in the Padua province, and who has always been a reference for the champion playing with Milan. Usually a football player represents a model for the rest of his family members, but in this case the opposite is true.  "First of all, Alessio is some years older than me. Also, he has always been so confident about his future and what he wanted from life that it was inevitable for me to make him my confidant, a constant reference". Alessio has officiated at Demetrio's wedding with his wife Uriana, who recently has also given birth to a baby, and has always given him advice when he wanted to carry out some social initiative. Naturally starting from his parish recreation centre. "It is a normal thing to me. It is no use wasting donations and other forms of support in remote places. I think it is better to act in one's own small way, with some little acts. Personally, I really prefer to meet a needy person and offer him my help rather than taking part in other public but not too concrete initiatives". Demetrio-football-recreation centre: this has always been the triangle of a steady growth that has allowed the little boy to overcome all obstacles and has taken him to the top of world football. He started his career playing in the small football field near the parish, and now that he has become a champion, he likes to emphasize the usefulness of the parish in educating boys-athletes. "First of all, it is necessary to say that the Church has understood the importance of sport to convince the youth to frequent the parish. Nowadays there are too many factors and distractions that contrast with the work priests carry out to gather the young people. Moreover, I think that those who act in a wrong way are parents, who usually put too much pressure on their kids, thus creating great expectations when they see some talent in them. Therefore there is a tendency to bypass parish recreation centres and send kids to football schools as soon as possible. This is a wrong choice, since the parish helps the youth to grow up also from a human viewpoint, giving them that sense of group and all those little details that make a teenager's life happier. This is my experience and today, even though being a successful football player, I don't regret anything of my childhood". Paolo Ghisoni

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