FEDERICO CHIESA

Federico Chiesa is one of the greatest talents on whom Italian football will rely in order to flourish again after the unsuccessful campaign to the 2018 World Cup. Having followed in his father Enrico's footsteps, Chiesa arrived in the Fiorentina academy aged 10 and he gradually became a regular in the Primavera squad and then the first team squad. Now, he is geeting ready to turn himself into a key element of the future Italy national team. Chiesa has been experiencing a constant growth, reviving his father's goalscoring proficiency as well as displaying an extraordinary maturity both as a professional footballer and a man.

This is the text Chiesa will read on the opening day of the 2018 Viareggio Cup before the match between Sassuolo and Club Brugge at Stadio dei Pini in Viareggio:

"I am cordially greeting all participants, players, directors, coaches, journalists, the fans of football and particularly those of this historical tournament, the cities and people they represent, on behalf of the organising committee, the publich authorities and the citizenry of Viareggio. I am declaring open the 70th Viareggio Cup in the name of the sport we practise with passion and we honour with competition, loyalty and fair play. It must represent a training for upright and noble virtues as well as an ideal bridge for the will of those youngsters who are free and yearning for knowing, understanding and confronting each other. I wish that the victory, as a symbol of sporting gallantry and respect for rules, repays those who will have deserved it onto the football field with solemnity and honour".