Talent Rooted from Pescate’s Oratory: The Life of Manuel Locatelli

For passionate football fans, the name Manuel Locatelli instantly brings back memories of Euro 2020. But there’s much more to the story of this Italian football gem, the beloved son of Simona and Emanuele Locatelli. From a young age, Manuel was naturally drawn to playing soccer with his older brother, Mattia. His father, Emanuele, who is a football coach, was the first to teach his sons the game. He coached Manuel and Mattia at the oratory in Pescate, a town just south of Lecco.

Manuel quickly stood out, not only as a match-winner but also for helping his academy win titles. After securing victory in the Epiphany Tournament, he caught the attention of top scouts from major Italian clubs. This article delves into Manuel Locatelli’s journey through Atalanta BC and AC Milan, including the heartbreak he faced at AC Milan. Amidst a technical crisis and intense pressure, Locatelli became a transfer scapegoat early in his career. But how did he rise above these challenges to become a Euro 2020 sensation? This article reveals his remarkable journey.

Preamble:

The story of Manuel Locatelli goes far beyond his technical skills on the pitch. It’s a biography that delves into the key moments of his childhood and his early life as a promising footballer and introduces you to the people who shaped his journey—his parents, siblings (brother Mattia and sister Martina), and his wife, Thessa Lacovich. It also explores his personality and the experiences that have defined him.

To give you a taste of the engaging journey Manuel Locatelli has taken, we’ve put together a gallery highlighting the key moments of his life and career. This collection shows just how far he has come in his remarkable journey, from his early days to his rise as a football star.

Manuel Locatelli Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, he bears the nickname – “new Pirlo“. Manuel Locatelli was born on the 8th day of January 1998 to his mother, Simona Locatelli and father, Emanuele Locatelli, in the city of Lecco, Italy.

The Italian footballer came to the world as the last-born child, otherwise known as the baby of the house.

Manuel is one of three children – himself, a brother, and a sister- born out of the union between his parents (Emanuele and Simona), who are pictured here.

Manuel Locatelli’s Early Life and Growing Up Years:

As a child, little Manuel was naturally drawn to the hobby of playing local soccer with his older brother, Mattia Locatelli. The boys’ interest in the game was massive thanks to their supportive parents, especially Emanuele (their Dad).

Truth be told, there exist other childhood memories Manuel Locatelli just wants to keep. Memories that he, together with Mattia and Martina, go back to, no matter how old they have become. Such is summed up to no other than this sibling bonding photo.

Manuel Locatelli Family Background:

The combative midfielder hails from humble origins – in a household whose lifestyle is more centred on football. Put simply, all the males of Manuel Locatelli’s family are into soccer.

Manuel Locatelli’s father, Emanuele, is a football coach. Interestingly, he was the first soccer teacher his two sons ever had. Emanuele coached Manuel and Mattia at the oratory in Pescate, a town located south of Lecco.

Later on in life, Emanuele left his coaching job to work as a banker. On the other hand, Manuel Locatelli’s mother is a housewife. Together, both Simona and Emanuele operated a middle-class household.

Manuel Locatelli Family Origin:

Where the footballer comes from, Lecco is a city of approximately 48,131 inhabitants located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.

The city is home to Italian tourism, including cruises, sailing, water tours, etc. Manuel Locatelli’s parents settled in a house near a lake.

It’s important to remember that this region was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. The Lombardy region in northern Italy played a key role in prompting Italy to declare a nationwide lockdown. It was also a major factor in the World Health Organization’s decision to declare COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

Manuel Locatelli Education:

As in the rest of Italy, going to school in Lecco is compulsory from 6 to 16 years of age. Manuel Locatelli’s parents (Simona and Emanuele) ensured their kids were not left out.

The Italian, alongside his siblings, Mattia and Martina, are pictured above carrying their bags and getting ready to hit the school.

The eldest, Martina, was more determined to reach the highest level of education (get a PhD). The brothers, Manuel and Mattia, later stopped advancing in their education – all for football.

Manuel Locatelli Football Story:

He, alongside his brother, Mattia, laid the foundation for their dreams at the Oratory, located in the town of Pescate. In case you don’t know, the Oratory is a small chapel (in the Roman Catholic Church) meant for private worship.

Manuel learned football at this place, which is located just six minutes away from the heart of Lecco city, where his family lived. Pescate offers the best fields for playing local football. Emanuele Locatelli coached his sons alongside other kids at Pescate.

The Epiphany Tournament:

Early on as a child, Manuel distinguished himself among other football kids (including his brother) – all of whom were coached by his Dad.

Thanks to his potential, Olginatese, an Italian association football club located in Olginate, Lombardy, acquired him.

At his new club, Manuel distinguished himself as not just being a match-winner but helping the academy collect titles. If you aren’t aware, he became the most outstanding player in the 2004 Epiphany Tournament.

Below is a piece of photo evidence. The youngster is observed in his Olginatese shirt – as he is being awarded by Giampaolo Redaelli, the honorary president of the club – all thanks to his brilliance in the 2004 Epiphany Tournament.

Manuel continued to show good performance at the Olginatese football school. He played there as an attacking midfielder between 2003 and 2005.

Atalanta B.C. Discovery:

Since winning the Epiphany Tournament, the boy became a subject of interest for top scouts from big Italian teams in Serie A. One among them is Paolo Rota, a football scout from Atalanta BC.

Because Paolo Rot lives in Locco, it was easy for him to spot local talent in the area. This was how he discovered Manuel.

Upon realizing the boy has a huge talent, the local scout quickly went on to convince Manuel Locatelli’s parents about his Atalanta’s interest in their son.

Paolo Rota together with Emanuele, travelled to Bergamo (an Italian city), where Manuel had a successful trial with Atalanta. At the age of nine, the youngster enrolled with the club after passing his football test.

Manuel grew into a soccer super kid with Atalanta Academy. He was particularly known for his high work rate and the act of catapulting the ball into the net.

Upon scoring his greatest-ever goal, young Manuel dedicated it to his whole family – his parents, brother (Mattia) and sister, Martina. This was for them, people who always believed in his dreams and supported him on every occasion.

AC Milan Academy:

Scoring that kind of goal, which made all the fans jump to their feet, is a sign that the best was yet to come. Soon, Manuel began attracting AC Milan scouts.

Locatelli decided to leave Atlanta BC because the club was so unstable. At that time, an episode of irregular or unpremeditated fighting occurred with their management.

AC Milan took that opportunity to steal Atalanta’s rare gem thanks to the work of their scouting manager, Mauro Bianchessi.

Joining the Italian giants was a dream come true for Manuel, who (together with his family) has always been a Rossoneri fan.

The youngster was quick to make an impression with AC Milan’s youth. By doing that, he gained national recognition.

To the joy of Manuel Locatelli’s family, their boy (in his early teenage years) got called to the Italian national youth team – after winning the silverware (above).

The AC Milan Academy Rise:

During his time with AC Milan Primavera, Manuel Locatelli formed the habit of bewitching both club and national coaches, including the fans.

So much so that he was considered and appointed captain of both his club and junior national team. During this time, the youngster got the nickname – “director of the future.”

Considered to be among the world’s top promising young footballers, Manuel Locatelli received a great accolade from The Guardian (in 2015).

The media outlet named him one of the best 50 young players in the world, born in 1998. Other notable names in the Guardian list include Dayot Upamecano, Spanish Dani Olmo, United States’ Christian Pulisic and Argentine’s Federico Valverde.

Road to Success Story:

Thanks to his performance at the youth level, the final phase of Rossoneri Nursery became easy for the midfielder. Together with Gianluigi Donnarumma and Cutrone, Locatelli signed his first professional contract with Milan in the month of July 2015.

Arsene Wenger Interest:

Following academy graduation, Manuel Locatelli continued his adventure – now with AC Milan’s big boys. His midfield prowess attracted one man, Arsene Wenger (former Arsenal coach), who sent his chief scout Neil Banfield to Italy to monitor him closely.

Manuel Locatelli Injury Torment – When the going got tough:

Unfortunately, his ascension to the senior team met an obstacle that nearly consumed his entire career. Like Stephan El Shaarawy, Manuel suffered from back-to-back injuries – which kept him away from football – for months.

For almost two seasons, the poor lad was largely left behind and almost forgotten by AC Milan. This was a time the Rossoneri club lost several of its legends (Pirlo, Nesta, Gattuso, Seedorf). Sadly, they could not boast of their young talents raised in their academy.

The AC Milan Betrayal:

With a technical crisis hitting the club coupled with the pressure to perform, Manuel Locatelli became a transfer scapegoat.

In the 2018 summer season, AC Milan made a decision that left him feeling betrayed. The club brought in Chelsea’s Tiémoué Bakayoko on loan and pressured Locatelli to join a lower-ranked Serie A team.

While the Rossoneri preferred a loan option, an angry Locatelli pushed for a full transfer. He agreed to leave the club, citing betrayal and a perceived lack of trust. Finally, he agreed to join Gianluca Scamacca‘s Sassuolo team on loan with a buy transfer obligation.

Manuel Locatelli Biography – The Success Story:

Following a beautiful debut season with the Black and Greens, the Italian club decided to buy him (on a permanent deal) from AC Milan. Now a happy man, Manuel Locatelli repaid the faith shown to him by Sassuolo’s coach, Roberto De Zerbi.

But rather than crumble, Manuel Locatelli went from strength to strength, achieving footballing stardom in the process. Loca Studies (another of his nicknames) became a Sassuolo leader and a reference point for his teammates.

Here is a video of Manuel Locatelli’s Sassuolo – just before he achieved fame in Euros.

Characteristically possessing the qualities of a deep-lying playmaker, Manuel got noticed by Italian national team manager – Roberto Mancini. To the joy of his parents and family members, he (in Sept 2020) got called to make his debut with the senior Italy squad.

Euro 2020 Performance:

In June 2021, Roberto Mancini included Manuel Locatelli and his fellow Sassuolo teammate Domenico Berardi in Italy’s squad for UEFA Euro 2020. His call came following an injury to Marco Veratti.

To the amazement of country fans, he, alongside Leonardo Spinazzola, became Italy’s main man for the tournament group stage.

On 16 June 2021, Locatelli did it all for Italy by scoring two goals in Italy’s second group stage match, a 3–0 win against Granit Xhaka‘s Switzerland.

Without a doubt, football fans are on the verge of seeing another Xavi Hernandez or maybe Zinedine Zidane blossoming his way into becoming a world-class central midfielder.

Manuel Locatelli is indeed one of the best among the endless line of talents coming out from the Italian Football Federation. The rest, as we say of his Biography, is now history.

Manuel Locatelli Wife – Thessa Lacovich:

Are you here to get info about the multi-talented midfielder in love? Do you have a burning desire to discover who Manuel Locatelli’s girlfriend and wife are?

That person is no other than Thessa Lacovich – the lady with a colossal beauty. From what we gathered, the love pair (pictured below) have been with each other since 2016.

Thessa Lacovich family have their roots in South America – precisely Costa Rica. Upon migrating to Italy, she began school in the big city. Manuel met her just before he obtained his professional contract with AC Milan.

By implication, Thessa Lacovich had been with her husband to be, during the months of his injury torment, and at the time, AC Milan declared him unwanted.

As of the time of creating Manuel Locatelli’s Biography, Thessa is now a BSc Holder with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan.

She is a graduate of Media Advertising. As of June 2021, the beautiful Wag works as a self-employed Digital Communication Strategist.

More about Manuel Locatelli’s Wife – Thessa Lacovich:

Aside from being a lady with beauty and brains, she is also very active in her hobbies.

Looking after an entire yard of horses takes a great deal of commitment. However, Thessa seems to have no problem with that. She finds time to support her husband as well as looking after their dog.

Without a doubt, Thessa and Manuel have remained one of the most established couples in modern-day Italian football.

Hmmm… Judging by the way these two love birds are going, We are sure that Loca would – in no time – pop the question. More so, a catholic marriage would be the next formal step. Behold the loneliest moment in a dog’s life.

Lifestyle:

The Italian midfielder earns a lot of money. However, he is not after the pleasures of exotic living. Find below Manuel Locatelli’s car. His car is simple and looks average. It is a clear sign that the Italian is an antidote to showcasing luxury – despite his huge salary.

Holidays with Thessa Lacovich:

Locatelli sees the desert or arid landscapes as awe-inspiring, just as the way he views the seaside.

For this reason, the midfielder ensures that aquatic and terrestrial vacation is a sure thing for him and the lady of his life – Thessa. Behold the beautiful scenery that elevates the mood for the two love birds.

Personal Life:

In this section, we’ll tell you something secret about him that is far from football. It is what we believe you don’t know about the Italian star.

Before we proceed, let me ask you… Have you noticed the Footballer’s gestures after he hits the back of his opponent’s net? .. Now, let’s proceed.

Manuel Locatelli Goal Celebration – The Meaning of the Letter T:

From the photo above, you must have realized something. His ‘Letter T celebration’ did not start during Euro 2020.

Manuel Locatelli repeated these hand gestures with Sassuolo even before the Euro 2020 tournament. Explaining the reason for his goal celebration, the Lecco native once told sports journalists;

The Letter T is for Thessa, my partner. and also for Teddy, my little dog who is sadly no more.

Poor Teddy. You and Thessa are the reason for Manuel’s Letter T celebration.

On his Instagram profile, Manuel Locatelli mourned the death of his Dog by posting a very touching message. In his words,

Teddy, I can only say Thank you. I Thank you for teaching me what it means to love animals.

You have been a fantastic dog and I and Thessa are lucky to have met you in my life.

You will always be in my heart. Have a nice trip my puppy.

Manuel Locatelli Family Life:

For the Lecco native, having a supportive household is one of his life’s greatest blessings. Truly, football fans would never have known him if his parents (notably his Dad) hadn’t laid a solid foundation for his career. Here, we’ll tell you more about his family members.

About Manuel Locatelli’s Father:

One working definition of the word ‘Sacrifice’ is giving up something temporarily good for something that is eternally better. This defines the personality of Emanuele Locatelli. If you could recall, he took it upon himself to coach his sons – at the early stages of their careers.

Research has it that Emanuele Locatelli is an emotional man. Once upon a time, the father of three wept continuously (in his car). It happened at the time Manuel Locatelli signed his first professional contract.

Narrating to a Sports journalist on how his Dad was moved, Manuel once said,

My father said, let’s go son.

then we got in the car together. We look into each other’s eyes and then, he got an emotional breakdown.

About Manuel Locatelli’s Mother:

When your youngest child becomes successful and famous, your job as a mom is over. This is the feeling of Manuel Locatelli’s Mum – Simona.

There is a saying that the Last born of families tend to be closer to their mums. The truth is, we are not surprised to see Manuel and Simona being close together here.

Manuel Locatelli Siblings:

Emanuele and Simona have raised children who have become successful in their career paths.

Among Manuel Locatelli’s siblings, we notice that he appears to have the taller gene despite being shorter – in his childhood days. Now, let’s tell you more about Mattia and Martina.

Manuel Locatelli Brother – Mattia:

He is the first son of the family. Like his little brother, Mattia also became a professional footballer – who still plays as a striker. He is pictured here alongside his wife, Arianna Bonfanti – who is a lawyer.

Although not the family’s breadwinner and as successful as Manuel, Mattia has done well in life. He plays football as a central striker for Sondrio Calcio, U.S. Inveruno and his family’s hometown – Lecco.

Someway along the road to success, Manuel Locatelli’s Brother went through some disappointments. That made Mattia post this picture on his Instagram with the caption;

Sometimes a dog that wags its tail is more sincere than a man who smiles.

Now the question is, who is Mattia referring to?

Manuel Locatelli Sister – Martina:

Like many firstborns of families, she led by example. Today, Martina is celebrated as much as her brother, Manuel.

If you are not aware, she holds a doctoral degree (PhD). Manuel describes Dr Martina as someone that everyone would like to have as a sister.

Untold Facts:

Having journeyed through his Life Story, we’ll use the concluding section of our Biography to unveil more information about him. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

Manuel Locatelli’s Dad was mistaken for another man:

During his stay with AC Milan academy, many people felt he was the son of the club’s playmaking attacking midfielder, Tomas Locatelli. This was because of their striking resemblance and the fact that both share a similar family surname.

While responding to an interview, Tomas Locatelli once said,

Everyone asks me if Manuel is my son and unfortunately I have to say no. I wish he was.

Love for South Africa:

Manuel Locatelli is a huge fan of the country. During one of AC Milan’s tours, he took an opportunity to visit a school where he had great fun with the kids. Manuel called this an unforgettable moment.

Manuel Locatelli Profile:

The combative midfielder reminds soccer fans of Martín Zubimendi and Martin de Roon, plus he has attributes similar to Christian Noorgard.

As observed from his SOFIFA June 2021 ratings, Locatelli is a well-rounded midfielder who possesses all attributes ranging from power, mentality, defending, attacking etc.

Manuel Locatelli Religion:

The Euro 2020 star was born and bred in a devoted Catholic family. During his early life, it became evident that Manuel Locatelli’s parents made him and Mattia play his football in a local soccer field of a Catholic chapel.

EndNote:

While writing Manuel Locatelli’s Biography, we learned the following lessons. First, we should not let rejection create self-doubt.

If you can recall, AC Milan rejected his plea to be a regular starter for their first team. Despite that, Manuel never doubted his ability to deliver elsewhere – where he would be appreciated.

Secondly, Manuel Locatelli’s Bio passes the message that – we must not be afraid to change. Remember, he lost his Rossoneri dreams but gained something even better.

Finally, it behoves us to appreciate Emanuele Locatelli (the Super Dad), who played a foundational role in his son’s life. Truly, the impact of Manuel Locatelli’s parents on his life cannot be filled by any person(s).

Thank you for journeying with us so far on this lengthy piece of Biography writeup. We care about the accuracy of our articles on Italian Footballers. Finally, we would appreciate it if you could give us your feedback about the Italian Footballer’s Bio in the comment section.