2025-08-22, 07:55 AM - Word count:
"I've always preferred the mountain to the beach" is what Tommaso Cappellari said to our reporter right after exiting Rionegro-José Maria Cordova's airport. Atletico Medellin's academy team new signing decided to tell us a bit about his life and how he got all the way to Medellin. "I didn't really like football as a little kid" he admitted with a smile "I was maybe 13/14 when I started to get interested in football". The italo-croatian midfielder had to work hard to catch up to his peers in order to be seen by scouts. His big opportunity came after winning an amateur tournament when a retired local scout asked him if he wanted to participate to the next tryouts for the local team's academy and, without missing a beat, Tommaso accepted. At the tryouts he surprised everybody with a great vision, finding his teammates with passes most would have not seen. Despite his clumsiness whenever he received the ball and his below average pace, he seemed to have a secured spot in the academy, or at least so he thought. Days passed and no one called until the news went public: due to cuts in funds, the academy was dismantled. Upon hearing the news he was devastated, his dream was over, all his dedication went down the drain in a few hours, until the phone rang. The same retired scout called him and said that a club in South America, upon seeing the highlights of the tryouts, had an academy contract ready for him but that he would have to fly out the same day to sign it. After hanging up he immediately started packing a bag with all his belongings and jumped on the first plane for Medellin, leaving his friends and family behind in order to live his dream. Before entering a taxi that would have taken him to the signing ceremony he spoke directly to the readers saying "No matter how old you are, no matter where you come from, if you have a dream and work hard for it; you'll make it. It's never too late for anything".
His story is inspiring to every person out there who thinks that they are too late to accomplish their dream. Wether it is re-enrolling back in school or chasing your dream job, you should listen to this young man and say "It's never too late for anything."
His story is inspiring to every person out there who thinks that they are too late to accomplish their dream. Wether it is re-enrolling back in school or chasing your dream job, you should listen to this young man and say "It's never too late for anything."
