| World Cup Star - Legrottaglie |
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Nicola Legrottaglie has been a rock in the centre of the Juventus defence for six seasons. His most memorable game  for Juve was in the Champions League. “We played Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and won 2–0. It was a wonderful match. I think that it will be remembered for a long time, and to have been a part of it brings me much joy and satisfaction.” He is approaching 20 appearances for Italy. He has already played in South Africa in the 2009 Confederations Cup. “The game against USA was fantastic! Because we won… it was the only match Italy won, and also the only one I played. It was really a positive experience.” He is planning on being there again in 2010. “Every player wants to play in the World Cup. For me, it would be a big dream come true. “I grew up knowing about Jesus but for years I wasn’t interested. Then I decided to put him to the test. I said, ‘OK Jesus, I want to see if you really exist, if you’re really there… if you’re really real or if everything that I’ve been told is just a fairy-tale.’ By doing this I saw within myself that Jesus is real, Jesus is alive, Jesus is not a fairy-tale, and Jesus really rose from the dead in that tomb and he is alive today. When you seek him today, He answers you.” It proved to be a life-changing decision. “Jesus changes your mind completely. He changes the way you think, the way you act, which is a consequence. Then you can take on any situation, good or bad, with the peace and serenity of a child. And you know that in everything, and every problem, you have a Father that can take care of it. So I live like this today, I know that my Father, who is my true Father in heaven, is taking care of all of my situations.” So has becoming a Christian made Nicola lose the traditional bite of an Italian defender? “Absolutely not. It is my job to defend the goal. God calls me to do my job at 100 per cent. Give your best, says the Bible, as if doing it for him. I can’t tell the attackers, ‘Come and score’.” “Being a Christian on the field does not mean letting your opponents win… no! It means giving 100 per cent, so that your team wins, but at the same time eliminating all those attitudes that can scandalize other people. We have to give our best, 100 per cent, but at the same time behave like Christians.” |
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