From 700 grams to Italy shirt: Gabriel Capicchioni, symbol of hope | OneFootball

Sammarinese Gabriel Capicchioni, 19, weighed just 700 grams. Today he wears the jersey of Titano. He wrote to the Tin department of Rimini where he spent the first months of his life. "Without them, I wouldn't be here"

From 700 grams to the national team jersey: the story of Gabriel Capicchioni, a symbol of hope

At birth, he weighed just 700 grams. Today, at 19, Gabriel Capicchioni is not only in full health, but also wears the jersey of the San Marino national football team. A story of rebirth and resilience that starts from the neonatal intensive care unit in Rimini, where he spent the first months of his life, and arrives on the playing field, with a message that wants to give courage to those who are facing the same difficult path.

A fight that started too early

Gabriel was born on May 12, 2006, at just 28 weeks of gestation. For a long time, he remained hospitalized, between incubators and specialized care. "I was very small - he says - but today I am healthy and strong. Only later did my parents explain what they experienced: my mother, for example, could not see me for hours after giving birth".

The young footballer does not forget the support he received and decided to write a letter to the department that followed him: "Without those doctors, I wouldn't be here. It was a suggestion from my mom and my grandmother, who has always maintained contact with the volunteer association La Prima Coccola. I didn't think twice: it was right to tell my story and thank those who made my life possible".

From fragility to strength

Today Gabriel has just graduated and plays for Virtus Acquaviva, a Sammarinese team that plays in the local championship. The call to the national team arrived like a dream come true: the symbol of a growth that, against all predictions, transformed fragility into determination.

But he doesn't limit himself to football. His goal is also to return to the neonatal department that welcomed him at birth: "I would like to see with my own eyes the place where everything started and bring hope to the families who are living those difficult hours today. To parents and grandparents, I say: have faith. I am the proof that even the smallest, with the right care and with a lot of love, can become strong. You are in good hands".

A message that goes beyond sports

Gabriel's story is much more than a sports success: it is the demonstration that life, even when it starts uphill, can give extraordinary goals. Every step on the field, every training session, and every game become an anthem of hope, addressed not only to boys like him but above all to those who are struggling to see their child grow.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.