CAGLIARI. The fascination of football. She gives legends carved in the memory of a green rectangle and at the same time manages to tell life stories that fascinate and captivate. Like that of Marco Francescoli. Difficult to go unnoticed in Cagliari and surroundings with this surname. Yesterday the great Enzo. El Flaco. Prince. The son of Barrio Capurro in Montevideo. Today there is Marco, a thirty-two year old exponent of that same lineage that has given so many successes to the rossoblù cause. His story is a concentrate of rare passion. In the background the ball, but in the foreground the everyday life of a boy who with a loyal and sunny character has conquered all those who in recent years have had the good fortune to know him.
A step back in time. The year is 1989. Marco, second son of the Francescoli family, was born in Paris. The experience in the French capital will have the consistency of a blink of an eye. Just a year later, in the hot summer of the tricolor world cup, he flew to Italy. Destination Sardinia. The Cagliari of the Orrù family, on the occasion of the return to Serie A after seven years of absence, relies on the Uruguayan triumvirate which has remained engraved in the indelible memory of the island fans. In the 1992-93 season there is even a historic qualification for the Uefa cup. Year after year Marco grows and begins to give the ball to you. «What a thrill the years of the first Cagliari experience. I lived in a house in Margine Rosso, on the coast of Quartu Sant’Elena. A stone’s throw from the Poetto beach. How many evenings spent in the company of dad’s inseparable friends, Fonseca and Herrera. And then there was above all Mario Ielpo. At the time for me he was not the Cagliari goalkeeper. Just a splendid neighbor who had children of the same age as I played with very willingly ».
Francescoli’s rossoblù fable turns to the end credits and Marco follows his father first to Turin and then to Buenos Aires. The balloon continues to roll. But the garden of Margine Rosso leaves room for much more legendary prosceniums. Marco is talented. Chromosomes hardly lie. His technique and the superfine touch of the ball opened the doors of the Estudiantes first team to him. Argentinos Juniors also set their sights on the talent of the Francescoli family, but shortly before the fateful signing, Marco decided to drastically change course.
“I remember that period was like yesterday. A fundamental crossroads of my life. I was waiting for a place to become available in Argentinos as a non-EU citizen. In those weeks I have reflected a lot. In the end I decided to say enough. I moved to Miami and finished my studies. Football remains a great and beautiful passion. I now have a real estate company based in Miami along with two partners. I do not regret the choice made ».
Papa Enzo never intruded on his son’s private life. «He has always respected my decisions. If I ask for advice, he is always ready to give me his experience. But he never exerted any kind of pressure, whether we were talking about football or everyday life ». The young Francescoli is not afraid of crossroads. Like when on the pitch he has to choose under the breath of his opponents whether to shoot on goal or invent an assist (“Never had any doubts, I’ve always preferred to send a teammate on the net”). So in life, taking the right path is often a matter of the heart. «A few weeks ago I decided to settle permanently on your beautiful island. I turned my life around. Just commute on the Miami-Cagliari route, coming to Sardinia only on vacation with my mom «.
The other pillar of the family has more difficulty carving out his space under the Italian sun. “Dad was supposed to come to Sardinia on the occasion of Cagliari’s centenary, but the Covid emergency forced him to forfeit. He has been missing from Cagliari since 2009, when he came to the island to help me with the move ». Memories gallop backwards to stop in another enclave of life in the shadow of the Four Moors. «In those years I had a wonderful experience with the Cagliari Primavera led by Giorgio Melis. Beautiful memories and solid friendships cemented over the years. Like the one with Alberto Usai, now a pillar of Ferrini Cagliari, who at the time gave me a great hand when I didn’t know even a word in Italian ». Cagliari welcomed him with open arms. «With the great warmth that you Sardinians know how to offer. In this you are very similar to us Uruguayans. After the initial distrust, you are able to give your heart and soul to those in front of you. Sardinia has bewitched me. Great people, above average quality of life. Sea, sun and good food “.
And speaking of good food, Marco smiles as he recalls the fleeting meeting a few months ago with Massimo Cellino. «He too has noticed that I appreciate the island’s specialties. My physical form is no longer that of when I played with the red and blue colors! ». To keep fit Francescoli chose to play with Jasnagora Cagliari in the Serie B five-a-side football. “We are a beautiful family. I really enjoy. In the past I have tried futsal in the Delfino thanks to another Sardinian brother of mine, Alberto Melis ». In short, the years go by but the ball never strays too far from the talented foot of this boy who grew up with the dream of retracing the deeds of his idol Zinedine Zidane. “I was lucky enough to meet him on two occasions thanks to my father. A great footballer, but above all a man of depth who managed to keep himself humble despite an exemplary career. It is an honor to meet him ». The same Zidane who, grown up with the myth of Prince Francescoli, did not hesitate to call his son Enzo in honor of him. The magic of football textures.