The Slovakian hero who belongs to Naples.
Today's date belongs to one of the most underrated prodigies of our time. After beginning his club career with Slovan Bratislava in 2004, He moved to Italian club Brescia later that year. In 2007, he was purchased by newly promoted Serie A club SSC Napoli.
I'll spend the next several paragraphs telling you all about Hamsik’s career statistics, numbers which of course, speak for themselves; 10 years, 452 games, 113 goals (15 headers, 65 right foot, 33 left foot), and 97 assists. It's quite possibly the best €5.5m De Laurentiis has ever spent in his tenure as Napoli president.
He was that solely dragoman in that Naples based club, where he was admired for years of his professionalism off the field and leadership on it. A player, a man who was called as "Moi Capitano" by the Napoli fans with love and pride. He was very much Naples adopted son, unlike Insigne. Hamsik has gone out of his way to embrace the culture of his adopted home from day one, and it’s inarguable that his feelings toward the city come from the fact he completed his journey from a boy into a man in Naples.
Many pundits, column writers and rival fans have questioned his decision to remain in Naples during years which were nowhere near as it can be called "enjoyable." And that's the hallmark measurement of that particular player. Times got tough, results didn't go to Napoli's plan, big players came and went on, but he remained as the sole and solid stagnation. Whilst many players kiss the badge, beat their chest, quote club mottos, and pander to fans before sulking off; he remained steadfastly loyal, a word which is becoming rare to rarer in nowadays.
At the end of the day, for some players, simply pulling on that jersey every week is enough and is something that no amount of money or winners medals can match.
Francisco Totti once said, "Winning one league title at Roma to me is worth winning 10 at Juventus or Real Madrid."
It's the mentality only those with true loyalty to their clubs, nurtures in themselves. As he was one of them. You can see how Napoli has become synonymous with his name. In these last ten years, Napoli means him and he means Napoli. The elation whenever he scored, the dedication in his work rate, the emotion when things didn't go to plan and the pride as he puffs his chest out leading his team onto the Naples Stadium week in and week out -all these things made him the fan favourite of the club, sometimes even higher than Diego Armando Maradona!
Through all these, I think you've guessed his name. Yes, it is Marek, Marek Hamšík! The Slovakian cult hero who belongs to Naples.
Not only the Napoli fans, but every football fans would love to see you a few more years in European football. But destiny was something else. So, stay fit, happy and healthy. All the Napoli fans still chant your name,
"Sempre il Nostro Capitano. Marek Hamšík!"
©Soham
