“The Egyptian FA have tried to persuade me to play for them but all I’m dreaming about is the blue jersey [of the Italian national team],” El Shaarawy said. “I’m very attached to my roots, but I feel Italian more than anything else.”
The 19-year-old is one of Italian soccer’s rising stars, having established himself with the reigning Serie A champion, and earned the nickname “Il Faraone” (The Pharaoh).
He graduated from the youth academy at Genoa, but never stuck with the first team. He spent the 2010-11 season on loan, playing for Padova. His standout performances earned him Serie B Player of the Year honors and caught the attention of Milan’s scouts.
Last June, Milan swooped in and bought 50 percent of El Shaarawy’s rights for $13.1 million. The amount represents an investment in the Italian giants’ future.
“He’s just a youngster but he’s got all the makings of a star,” manager Massimiliano Allegri said. “He’s the type of player the club needs to invest in to lay the foundations for a new era and nurture a new generation.
“Stephan has a lot of years ahead of him, and he has to absorb as much as he can from his surroundings and keep progressing at a steady pace. I’m sure he’s not going to burn himself out, though. Milan look at more things than technical ability when choosing young players.”
Allegri has brought El Shaarawy along slowly. It was only on Feb. 1 that he made his first Serie A start, but he notched his first top-flight goal a week later. The child of an Egyptian father and Italian mother hopes there will be plenty more to come.
“I’ve always loved the club,” El Shaarawy said. “Kaka was my role model when I was young, and my aim now is to go down in Milan history.”
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Thumbnail photo via Flickr/A.C. Milan
