Gianluca Lapadula admits he considered quitting football before success at Milan. “Maybe it was best to go through all that to realise what it means to be here.”

The 26-year-old striker is in his first Serie A season, having pushed Pescara to promotion via the play-offs last term with 30 goals and 12 assists in 44 games.

“Over the years I saw many teammates change career because they couldn’t afford rent or reach the end of the month on their wages,” he told redbull.com.

Gianluca Lapadula admits he considered quitting football before success at Milan. “Maybe it was best to go through all that to realise what it means to be here.”

The 26-year-old striker is in his first Serie A season, having pushed Pescara to promotion via the play-offs last term with 30 goals and 12 assists in 44 games.

“Over the years I saw many teammates change career because they couldn’t afford rent or reach the end of the month on their wages,” he told redbull.com.

“I have always been positive, my heart always believed in my chances, even when I was the only one who did. Maybe it was best to go through all that to realise what it means to be here.

“I had moments when I thought: ‘Why am I doing this?’ I remember an incredible sequence of events. I was at the Treviso youth academy and the club went bankrupt. I went to Serie C2 at Vercelli and a year later they went bankrupt. I went to Ivrea, who went under, then Atletico Roma in Serie C1 who went bankrupt, so I went to Ravenna and they went bankrupt too.

“At Ravenna I played only because all the other strikers were injured. My motivation was rock bottom, as the Coach told me: ‘Everyone else is crocked. You’ll have to play.’

“In the first half I was stuck between two centre-backs who were twice my size. At half-time I begged the Coach not to substitute me, as I had a feeling. At the 70th minute we went 1-0 down, but at the 82nd I got the ball in midfield, skipped two tackles and smashed it in off the upright. It was my first professional goal.

“I had that breakthrough in a game against Salernitana that I wasn’t supposed to take part in. You can’t explain a moment like that.

“Now I always have a smile on my face at Milan because I want for nothing. I don’t have to worry about my wages. Considering what I’ve seen elsewhere, everything here seems more precious. I appreciate it to the full."

Lapadula is famous for his work ethic and willingness to chase down every ball.

“I don’t do that just because I’m at Milan, because I played the same way in Slovenia with Nova Gorica and with San Marino in Serie C1.

“You can either pull off a great shot or get it wrong, but it’s always a consequence of what you are prepared to try. It comes from the heart.”

Lapadula’s mother is from Peru, so he received an offer last year to be part of the Peruvian squad going to the Copa America.

“It was extraordinary. The Coach came to Pescara to meet me, everyone said I couldn’t turn down a chance like that, but I decided to believe in what seemed impossible.

“I won that gamble when Giampiero Ventura called me for the Italy squad. I bet on myself and that is always the best investment you can make. It’s incredible how our sensations lead us to make choices that initially we don’t even understand.”

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