Alessandro Bellemo: The Interview

Alessandro Bellemo arrived in Como five years ago. At that time, Como 1907 was in Serie C. Alessandro comes from Chioggia, in the Veneto region, where he started playing football following in his brother’s footsteps.

Chioggia and his brother

“My father Bruno and my grandfather Stellio have always followed football – says Alessandro – and my older brother, Stefano, started playing in the team of my city, Chioggia. As a younger brother, I wanted to become like him. We started playing in the streets, in the small fields. My brother was the one who most influenced me at the beginning. He then pushed me to keep going when I moved from my city’s team to play in Padua.”

From books to documentaries

Alessandro says one of his favourite players as a child was Kakà. Now, he prefers watching other sports than football, apart from Serie B games: “In my spare time, I try to do other things and watch other sports.” His hobbies include crosswords, books, and documentaries: “I have often thought about enrolling in University, Sport Science, but every time I seemed convinced, I eventually backed out. I am sorry, but I think that having reached this level as a professional footballer, I need to concentrate fully on work. I always try to inform myself, watch documentaries, and follow travel bloggers in my spare time. And I enjoy reading different books, depending on the moment. Like Liliana Segre’s book, which I read after we had the pleasure to meet her at the pre-season retreat in Bormio, or some books I read to improve my English.”

A group of friends

Alessandro says that his experience in Como has been fantastic. Como Magazine asked him if, five years ago, he could have ever imagined that it would have been that exciting: “The ambition has always been there, and we have always felt it. But saying and doing are two things. We did well, and the Club did well to provide us with everything we needed.” Among his favourite moments of his years in Como: “I carry two wins in my heart: the one against Livorno, which came after a defeat, and the one against Alessandria, which meant promotion to Serie B in 2021.” Part of Alessandro’s heart is now in Como together with his friends: “The teammates I met when I arrived became my friends.” Among them, Matteo Solini, Alessandro’s neighbour: “I share so much with Matteo. We live in the same block of flats and always go to training together.”

Spaghetti with clams

The lakefront in Como is a special place for Alessandro. He enjoys strolling and relaxing there. Even after five years of living in the city, he rediscovers the beauty of the place every time he sees it. As a true ‘chioggotto’ (a person from Chioggia), his favourite dish is spaghetti with clams, which he loves to eat at the Delfino Blu restaurant in Lipomo. Of Delfino Blu, he says: “It is not just a restaurant, it is a family. And the place where we celebrate our wins.”

Grandpa’s bracelet

Alessandro tells us about his pre-game routine: “If I am home, I need my girlfriend to wish me luck. If I am away, I need her to text me. And then I always carry one of my grandfather’s bracelets.”

Training

Alessandro says he is the first to arrive at training and the last to leave: “The first thing I told my girlfriend when she decided to move here was: I am always at training” (laughs). In his life as a professional, he says: “I dedicate a lot to rest, to the gym, to eating healthy. Sometimes, I am less strict when we win.” His typical day starts with training until he returns home in the afternoon, rests, goes shopping, has dinner, and rests again: “If I have a day and a half or two days off, I always go to Chioggia. Otherwise, I go to the lake or Brunate.”

Values and a lot of work

Looking back, Alessandro says: “I would do everything I did. I was lucky enough to have a family that educated me well and taught me the values of life.” To a young man who would like to follow in his footsteps, he says: “Nothing is impossible. Stick to values, be willing to make sacrifices.”

An incredible season as captain

Alessandro says that being Como 1907’s captain is an honour for him: “I earned the captain’s armband, but in the squad, there are several captains who are the pillars of this team.” About the fans, Alessandro says: “I feel their affection, which is mutual. I think the fans appreciate that I’ve always done my best, that I’ve never been out of place as captain, that I try – even if perhaps I don’t always succeed – to do things well.”