Giuliano Simeone: Why he skips his surname and his bond with Cholo | OneFootball

Being coached by your own father is not a common situation in elite football. Giuliano Simeone, forward for Atlético de Madrid, addressed this topic head-on in a conversation with Jorge Valdano, where he shared insights about his relationship with Diego Simeone and explained why he chose not to wear his surname on his jersey.

“It’s something that sometimes feels strange to me, because of what others might think of me,” Giuliano admitted on Movistar Plus+ when talking about his daily life with Cholo in the Atlético dressing room. Far from avoiding the subject, the 23-year-old striker took it with humor when Valdano interrupted him with a sharp remark: “The best thing you can do is, when your teammates speak badly about the coach, you speak even worse.” “No doubt about it!” he replied, laughing.

Beyond the jokes, Giuliano emphasized that his relationship with his father within the club is natural and without privileges. “It’s very natural… I don’t know why, maybe he hides it very well,” he said, implying that their interaction is strictly professional. When asked about his football identity, he didn’t hesitate: “Am I a Cholo follower? Yes, of course,” although he also admitted admiration for other coaches like Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

In another part of the interview, Giuliano shared a family anecdote that illustrates his father’s character. “I can’t live with my father. When I turned 18, he told me: ‘You’ve turned 18, leave my house and become a man,’” he recounted, laughing, about a decision that marked his personal independence.

One of the most striking points was his explanation about the name he wears on his jersey. “When I moved up to the reserves, it was the first time I was going to have a name on the back. My brothers and my father used Simeone, but I always wanted to make my own path apart from the surname,” he said. That’s why he chose to play with Giuliano: “For myself, for my name. It was my decision and I liked it. I want to be known as Giuliano.”

Before establishing himself at Atlético, the striker had formative spells at Real Zaragoza and Deportivo Alavés, experiences that were key to his development. He even recalled a critical moment after a serious injury: “I saw my ankle bent the other way and said, ‘I’m never playing football again.’”

With personality, a sense of humor, and a well-defined identity, Giuliano Simeone made it clear that, although the surname carries weight, his goal is to build his own path both inside and outside the dressing room.

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