Francesco Andrealli called up by Peru: “I dream of playing at the World Cup”

Before joining the national team camp, Francesco Andrealli gave El Comercio his first interview with a Peruvian media outlet.

The youngster described himself as a midfielder who prefers to play in front of the defence:

“I feel more comfortable in midfield, as a number 6. I’m a ball-winning player who moves the ball and tries to organise the play.”

Andrealli also spoke about his dream of playing at a World Cup with Peru, his excitement at the possibility of making his debut against Bolivia and his desire to perform well at the next South American Under-20 Championship.

During the interview, he recalled the transformation of Como’s youth academy. In the past, the club’s youth teams frequently had to change training grounds because they did not have a dedicated facility. Today, however, Como can rely on separate facilities for the first team and the academy.

The midfielder also discussed the most demanding period of his development. At the age of 15, he would get up at six in the morning to travel to Como, where he attended school and trained. The bus journey took around an hour, and he would not return home until 8:30 in the evening. According to Andrealli, that experience played a major part in his development.

The 19-year-old regularly trains with Como’s first team and regards every session as an opportunity to observe the more experienced players and learn from their movements. One of his main goals is to make his senior debut for the club, but he knows that he must continue working patiently without trying to rush the process.

While awaiting his first appearance for Peru’s senior national team and a possible Como debut, Andrealli already holds an important role with the Primavera side, which he captains:

“My coach asks me to be a leader. He told me that I have to work hard and with great intensity if I want to become a footballer one day.”

The full interview by Raúl Castillo Vela is available on the El Comercio website.