This morning, the pages of Il Corriere della Sera feature an exemplary gesture made last week by AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The newspaper headlines:
"Nicolò, the memory of his grandfather, Maignan's jersey, and the champion's surprise."
Last week, the former Lille goalkeeper organized a meeting with the young boy, signing the shirt in the mixed zone of San Siro after the 0-0 draw against Genoa.
While this might seem like one of the club’s typical initiatives for Fondazione Milan, it was not. Instead, it was the Frenchman himself who wanted to meet Nicolò. After hearing the story of his young fan, Maignan decided to make this simple yet profound gesture, proving that sometimes, even the smallest acts can mean so much.
Seven-year-old Nicolò, like Maignan, is a goalkeeper. During a casual match with friends, Nicolò broke his elbow and was rushed to the hospital for surgery. At the time, he was wearing Maignan's green jersey, number 16, a gift from his late grandfather Giuseppe, who had passed away the previous Christmas. As is common in such medical emergencies, hospital staff had to cut and discard the jersey to proceed with treatment.
The operation was successful, and Nicolò was told he could return to playing football after a period of rest. However, the young Milan fan was heartbroken and inconsolable over the loss of the kit, which was far more than just a shirt to him—it was a cherished memory of his grandfather.
In this case, credit is due to the hospital nurse, who, being a Milan fan herself, managed to recover the shirt and returned it to young Nicolò. A few days later, the jersey was signed by his idol, Maignan, bringing joy to the young boy and honoring the memory of his late grandfather.
