Piazza Pontida, in the heart of Bergamo. It is a sunny Thursday afternoon when I meet Robin Gosens (26) in September 2019. We have an appointment for an interview.
It is his third season in Italy at the time – and his unconventional career is really picking up speed. The evening before, he had to play at AS Roma with his club Atalanta and won 2-0. Despite his return journey at night and a morning training session, Gosens comes to town relaxed. Wonderfully uncomplicated.
By his side: Friend Rabea, now his fiancée. Anyone who experiences the two together knows why they have been a happy couple for over eight years.
We’re sitting on the piazza in front of the Biif restaurant, and I quickly notice: This is not a normal football meeting. At first Gosens asks more than I do. After my career, after my job. We’re talking about the sometimes crazy football industry, about its development, which he finds questionable as part of the whole.
And he reveals: If he had been trained as a youth player in the youth performance center of a Bundesliga club, he would never have become a professional. The fact that he was able to develop instead of being “locked in” shaped his personality extremely.
As honest, as clear as it comes across in interviews on TV, that’s how it ticks in real life. What is particularly noticeable: his down-to-earth attitude. Arrogance and airs? Nothing! I’m surprised how well Gosens speaks Italian, even though he only lived there for a good two years at the time.
After many years as a sports reporter, I know that Robin Gosens’ appearance is a lot for a football star – but not something that can be taken for granted.
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