Il signore delle Asturie-El señor de les Asturies

Il signore delle Asturie

The Gentleman of Asturias

On a day when it would be all too easy to celebrate Italy’s victory in the 2021 European Football Championship—and to condemn those who booed every opponent’s national anthem, including the English players who removed their silver medals the moment they received them—I’m publishing this modest tribute to a great, extraordinary man.

In Munich, he led his team to win the first Champions League title in its history.
Until May 31, 2025, Paris Saint-Germain had never lifted the European trophy.

Luis Enrique paid tribute to the opposing team for their sportsmanlike conduct, shown even in defeat, and declared that such behavior is a valuable lesson for children.

In life, just like in football, you win, you lose, and you must know how to lose.
There are many people who only know how to win;
they don’t know how to lose and show respect for their opponent—
as Inter did today.

A true gentleman indeed… My congratulations to you.

Il signore delle Asturie

Asturiano di Gijon,

con la stoffa del campeon,

da ragazzo militava

su nel Golfo di Biscaglia

nello Sporting cittadino.

Approdò da re Juan Carlos

con i blancos madridisti,

per portare gli scarpini

blaugrana a Barcellona

e vestire quella maglia

indossata con onore.

Quante corse e che sudore:

ogni volta che giocava

ci metteva sempre il cuore

e lo stesso ha solo fatto

diventando allenatore.

Poi così ha pur reagito

anche quando il dolore

lo ha colpito tanto forte

come un tiro di pallone

che sul palo o la traversa

fa tremar tutte le porte.

Lui un toro nell’arena

infilato sulla schiena

da infami banderillas,

ha reagito e s’è rialzato

col sorriso sopra il viso.

Sa lottare come pochi,

e infondere anche agli altri

il suo senso dell’onore,

accettare le sconfitte,

festeggiare le vittorie,

riconoscere ai “nemici”

ogni emerito successo

perché lui, Luis Enrique

è davvero una gran signore!!!

A Luis Enrique

Firenze, 8/7/2021 ore 15.54

Immagine dal web

The Gentleman of Asturias
To Luis Enrique

Asturian from Gijón,
with a true champion’s soul,
as a boy he played up north
in the Gulf of Biscay shore,
with his hometown Sporting club.
He arrived from King Juan Carlos’ land
to join the Madrid blancos team,
before donning the blaugrana boots
and the jersey of Barcelona—
a shirt he wore with honor.
Oh, how he ran, how he sweated:
every time he took the field,
he gave it all—his heart, his will.
And the same he did again
when he stepped up to coach the game.
He stood firm and showed his grace
even when deep grief struck him
like a ball shot toward the post
that shakes the goal and hits the frame.
Like a bull inside the ring
stabbed cruelly in the back
by the coward’s banderillas,
he rose again, with a smile,
his courage shining all the while.
He knows how to fight like few,
and inspire others too,
with his noble sense of honor—
to accept the bitter losses,
to rejoice in earned success,
to pay tribute to the rivals
when they show their worthiness.
Because he—Luis Enrique—
is truly a gentleman,
one of the finest there can be!

El señor de les Asturies

(Luis Enrique)

Asturianu de Xixón,
cola traza d’un campeon,
de rapaz xugaba
nel Golfu de Vizcaya
nel Sporting de la so ciudá.

Llegó a la corte de Juan Carlos
colos blancos madrilanos,
pa calzar les botes
blaugranes en Barcelona
y vestir esi camiseta
que llevó con honor.

Cuántes carreres y cuántu sudor:
cada vegada que xugaba
ponía siempres el corazón,
y lo mesmo fixo
cuando se fizo entrenador.

Tamién asina reaccionó
cuando’l dolor
golpeólo tan fuerte
como un tiru de balón
que da nel palu o na traviesa
y fai tremar toles puertes.

Él, un toru na plaza
pincháu na espalda
por infames banderilles,
reaccionó y alzóse
col sorrísu nel rostru.

Sabe lluchar como pocos,
y infundir tamién a otros
el so sentíu del honor,
aceptar les derrotes,
celebrar les victories,
reconocer a los “enemigos”
cada méritu y ésitu
porque él, Luis Enrique,
¡ye de verdá un gran señor!