Here are the words of Rafael Leao as he presents his book to the media, as relayed via Milan News.
From Benfica to Sporting:
"The Benfica scouts saw me and had me sign, I spent a week waiting for the van to arrive take me from school to the training center, but it never came. So, I went to Sporting. Does Benfica regret it? Definitely (laughs)."
In 2018, the attack on the Sporting training ground:
"It was a difficult moment for me. I was 18, just arrived in the first team. I had never seen anything like it. I'm an emotional guy, it was a tough moment."
And here your dad comes into play. He takes you first to Porto and then to Lille...
"It was a tough decision for me, I was used to being in Lisbon with my friends and family. Going to a city I didn't know was hard. Then I went to Lille, a tough period that made me grow as a man. A new league, I had the pressure of being the 'Portuguese Mbappé.' I had to adapt to a new country."
The pressure kept mounting... Leao said:
"The first three months were tough, also because of the language. At that moment, I had to step up to reach a high level, the league was of a good standard. I was in good hands with the coach and teammates. I had to switch my mindset to meet the expectations I had. It was a fundamental moment to understand who are the people who truly care about you and want to take you to the top, to make you a top player."
On leaving Portugal for football:
"It's a decision I had to make on my own. Maybe if I didn't have my dad and mom behind me, I wouldn't have reached this level. I come from a tough neighborhood. I had friends who could have reached top levels, but they didn't because they didn't have a family behind them. I'm lucky to have a mom and dad like mine."
On the battle against racism, Leao said:
"As players, we must be the first to try to do something. Milan always tries to do something in these situations. It was difficult for Mike and for all of us. We must insist and always do something more. Racism will never end, but we must always try to do something more."
On Del Piero and his appreciation:
"We haven't spoken, but he's a player I watched as a kid. I chose the number 10 for players who brought something different, with magic. He's a player who was important for football."
Did you think about scoring a Del Piero-like goal?
"No (laughs). I try."
Passion for surfing:
"I like it because it's a way of life. When you're on the crest of the wave, you have to give your all, and when you fall, you have to give everything to get back up, like in life. If you fall, you always have to be ready not to give up."
The dispute between Sporting, Lille, and TAS. A case that went on for so long, Leao commented:
"It was a difficult time. It wasn't my fault, I just wanted to use football to be happy without thinking about these kinds of things. These are things you don't look for but they come anyway. I have to thank my family, Milan, and football. Every time I stepped onto the field all the problems went away."
On Paolo Maldini, Leao said:
"Maldini told me that I shouldn't just think about dribbling but also about being effective. An important person for me, on and off the field, also for my growth."
On Zlatan Ibrahimovic:
"I knew what he could do from a technical point of view. But from a mental point of view he has always been close to me. I'm still young, I'm not perfect, I have a lot to learn, figures like that are important for young people who want to win."
The celebrations for the nineteenth league title:
"The Duomo was all red and black, I've never seen anything like it. It was my first major trophy. I always imagine the Duomo all red and black throughout the year because it's incredible, I have no words."
When do you think an event like this could happen again?
"We'll try. It's not easy, of course. Now there's an important match on Friday. The Europa League is a goal, but we go step by step. We want a warm San Siro against Slavia, we want to win to move forward."
The renewal until 2028, you said you didn't do it for the money but for a pact of love with Milan. What does it mean? Leao replied:
"I came to Milan as a child, the first years were difficult because I didn't play much. They helped me grow as a player and as a man. Then difficult times came and they were always here. So I couldn't leave them, because that's how I was raised. Loyalty, always."
The tattoo "Only the family":
"A tribute to my family and friends"...
Your alter ego "Way 45":
"A tribute to my neighborhood. Music is to express my feelings. I don't like opening up to many people, music is an opportunity to let those close to me hear my words. It's not a job obviously."
Your clothing line "Son is Son":
"I like fashion. It's thanks to my dad, he wouldn't let me leave the house dressed badly. He wasn't rich but he always bought me nice clothes, he always wanted me to look good. I've imagined for a long time to create a brand but I waited for the right moment."
Where do you see your future?
"At Milan" (Smiles)
Who is the player who impressed you the most this year?
“Theo Hernandez."
The Primavera have reached the quarterfinals of the Youth League:
"They are the future of Milan, young people with great quality. I want to see them more often in the first team, it's a project for Milan's future. They can reach a great level"
Europa League objective?
"Step by step. There is the first leg against Slavia Prague at home which we want to win to move forward in Europe which is an objective."
The choice of the number 10 shirt, Leao said:
“It is a different shirt, the shirt of the players who bring something different to the pitch. I chose it because it is an important shirt and I felt like an important player...".
Was the goal against Atalanta one of the best of your career?
"It's a goal I wanted to score because I hadn't scored in Serie A for 5 months (he smiles.). Doing it in a match like that, in front of our fans at San Siro was different for me."
The somewhat polemical celebration:
“Criticism pushes me. Constructive criticism, of course. But football is like that, the important thing is how the team goes."
Sunday's performance as a new beginning?
"I had good performances before too. All I needed was a goal, I had good games with assists. But when you score a goal it's always different."
