Calafiori on how he changed at Arsenal and ‘most difficult time’ after injury | OneFootball

Italy international Riccardo Calafiori says the final part of rehab was the most difficult moment for him after a shocking knee injury in 2018 and explains how he has changed at Arsenal, on and off the pitch.

The Italian defender, a product of the Roma academy, released an extended interview with Arsenal’s official website, discussing his life and career, starting with his time in the Giallorossi youth sector.

“As young players we never really spent much time around the squad, not until you approach playing for the first team,” he said.

“When you start training with them then it happens. But in fact, I was one of the few that spent much time around them, because of my injury.

Calafiori on how he changed at Arsenal and ‘most difficult time’ after injury

epa11852594 Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal celebrates after scoring during the English Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC, in Wolverhampton, Britain, 25 January 2025. EPA-EFE/VINCE MIGNOTT

“I was 16 when I got injured, so I wasn’t a part of the first-team squad yet, but I did my rehab with them. It was amazing for me to spend time with them, and they gave me some advice, it was the first moment that I felt a little bit part of the first team. It gave me that taste of what life would be like there.

“Ten minutes before the injury, I had cramp, so I could have come off. But I wanted to stay on because I was young, it was my debut – of course you want to play. But it happened. It happened to be that way, you cannot change these things.

“The most difficult time for me was the last few months, because I felt ready in my opinion, but couldn’t come back yet. I was close, but not close enough, and I’d had enough of the rehab. I was bored of the gym, bored of everything – I just wanted to play football again.”

Calafiori took nearly one year to return to action, receiving massive help from some Roma stars at that time.

“I was so quiet, so shy!” he added.

“But they would come over to me and speak to me, and I’m so grateful for that and all the help they gave me. Some big players were there at the time too, players like Daniele de Rossi, and we became really close friends because of that,” Calafiori recalled.

“Also in the team at the time were Alex Kolarov, Edin Dzeko – all top players for me, and so that was good to be around them.”

The former Bologna star went on to discuss the influence of his ex-Roma coaches and what he learned from them.

“I think actually they were all different and they all gave some different things to me,” he argued.

“Like one, for example, was tougher than the others and although I didn’t play for him a lot, maybe I learned how to stay mentally strong in difficult moments because of him. Maybe another coach gave me the confidence to realise how good I was. Every one of them gave me a different aspect that I needed.”

Calafiori continued studying at the beginning of his professional career.

“I enjoyed school when I was younger, but at high school, I was actually at the Roma high school, where all the players went. So I would see them all day long – at training and at school – it was a lot. Like having another family,” he said.

“The problem was it was all boys, no girls at the school – at that age that was tough!

“I always enjoyed English actually. Even if I wasn’t doing a lot of it at high school, but language has always been my passion. I like to learn new languages, also I’m pretty good at maths, so I liked that too. But really my parents were always angry with me for not applying myself enough to my school work.

“I had a lot of potential, but basically I was the opposite at school to how I was on the pitch. In football if I was not good at one thing, I would work and work extra hard to improve, but at school I was the opposite. There I was like the talent who doesn’t want to improve, you know? All my effort went into my football, but I think it worked OK in the end.”

Calafiori joined Basel from Roma in 2022 but only spent one season with the Swiss club as he joined Bologna one year later. This past summer, he signed for the Gunners after an impressive European Championship with Italy.

“Everything is different, everything,” admitted the 22-year-old.

“Starting from the city, which is huge, to everything I have been used to. There are a lot of opportunities here, lots of things to do if you want to, but also because of the programme in England we play so much so you just want to rest and stay at home.

“I’ve changed a lot, if I think back to how I was last year, I would say I’m a completely different person now. For example now I’m living alone, whereas last year I was living with my ex-girlfriend, so everything is different at home.

“I’ve started playing the guitar, I’ve got some new hobbies – I’ve changed a lot. I like to learn new things, if I see something that looks difficult, I want to learn it, that’s why I started the guitar.”

Riccardo Calafiori Italy EPA-EFE/DAVIDE CASENTINI

Calafiori has been facing quite a few changes on the pitch too.

“Yeah of course, mainly in terms of my position, where I was playing more as a centre-back last year,” he admitted.

“My whole career was mainly at left-back, but then my best season was last year when I was at centre-back. So I’ve changed a lot, but I like the fact I can play in both positions, and maybe even try another one – I don’t know.

“My style of play is not that much different though. I was doing the same things I am doing now as a left-back, as I was as a centre-back, especially when we attack. That was a big reason why I wanted to come here as well.

“Training here is very different too. We spend a shorter time on the pitch, but it’s much more intense – everything is more intense!

“At the beginning I found that difficult, but now I’m used to it, I like it. I think training is different everywhere you play though, even just within the Premier League training will be very different at Arsenal to other clubs. The ideas, the coaches, how they want to play, how they want to train – it makes a big difference.”

Calafiori has quickly become a cornerstone of the Azzurri squad. He is contracted with Arsenal until 2029, but has he already thought about what he’ll do after hanging his boots?

“I have to say I don’t think I will stay in football after I finish playing, but what I have learnt so far in life is what I am thinking now could be completely different to what I will think in three years,” he argued.

“So never say never, but at the moment I don’t know what I would do. I hopefully have 10 or 15 years to think about it!

“Actually, when I was injured I got interested in the medical side of it, and in fact my dream is to be a chiropractor or an osteopath, but I know that’s very difficult. It’s a lot of study, but maybe one day!”