Gervinho: ‘People said I was done but they were very wrong’

Interview from THE GARDIAN

By Fabrizio Romano

Great article about GERVINHO come back to ITALY SERIA A afetr 2 and half years in CHINA

Parma’s winger, back in Italy after a spell in China, on crying when he joined Arsenal and why his upbringing means he has no regrets

“I never let myself go. In China you have to be in peak form because you need to do well. You earn a lot – I had a huge salary – but then you have to prove you are worth it. Every match is a challenge and I played next to or faced some truly great players.”

“Not even one,” he replies emphatically. “You must never forget where you came from. I was born in a tiny place in Ivory Coast, so being a protagonist in this life is a dream. I started playing football in Abidjan, my African town, without even having shoes on my feet.

“But in that academy (first JMG soccer academy) it became a philosophy. They tell the kids: ‘You play with no shoes on, so you learn how to better control the ball. When you have shoes it will be much easier and you’ll become champions.’ And after many years, after reaching some milestones, you finally get those boots. Joy after suffering, always with a smile. Unforgettable.”