Alessandro Riggi is a GISS player from Montréal, born 1993, now playing for Trento Calcio 1921. We met him and we had a nice conversation about is football experience in Italy.

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Alex tell us about your first steps in soccer and your experience in Canada.
I first started played at 3 years old and grew up in the Montreal Impact academy system (MLS team), the level was good and I always played at the top level in Canada! It was fun as I had family and friends always close.

GISS Residency Program led you to Europe and then brought you to CFR Cluj and Trento Calcio. What can you say about this soccer academy?
GISS has given me a great opportunities with Cluj as I was able to learn and a lot from a champions league side who even beat Manchester United! Saw some great football and took part in great games and gained a lot of experience. Afterwards GISS sent me to Trento where its a level that I can play every weekend and show my talent! So im very happy at the moment here.

How it’s going with Trento Calcio so far? What about the team and the whole organization?
Trento is going very well for me as the coach and players like me and I am supported by the people behind the club also! I feel important in the team and want to continue helping them untill then end! Everyone demands a lot from Trento calcio so its good to be in the environment as we absolutelly need to get results every single week! It’s a good pressure a player wants to have!

What has impressed you about the italian Calcio?
Calcio is very tactical and I am happy to be here as i feel that I will improve a lot in certain aspects to complete me as a player and this will help me progress and play in higher divisions. And what I also love about italian football is how the fans are always behind their team and demand a lot from them! No matter the division they live for their team and deman results. I also really like Trento’s stadium it is beautiful!

What would you say are your strength and weaknesses as a player?
My strengths are dribbling, crossing, speed and scoring and weakness is heading.

Do you enjoy your stay in Trento city?
I like the life here in Trento it’s calm and its a beautiful city, people are nice and the center is beautiful and historic.

You have italian roots. Does this aspect facilitates your adaptation in Italy?
Yes it does, because I knew how to speak italian before coming and I understood their way of living as my grandparents and father are born in Italy.

What is your goal for the future?
My goal for the future is to improve as a player and play at the highest level, I want to eat, sleep and breath football at the highest level as it has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy.