Milan, June 6 (LaPresse) – "Dear Neapolitans, 12 years ago I arrived in this city to sign with SSC Napoli. Today I am not here as a player, but as a man who has fallen in love with this city. For this reason, I want to thank the mayor and the City Council who made this gesture possible. It is truly an honor that touches me deeply." This is what Dries Mertens said in his speech at City Hall after receiving honorary citizenship of Naples for his sporting achievements and more.
"I believe I am here not only for what I did on the field, but especially for how I lived off the field. Naples is chaotic, noisy, sometimes a bit dirty, but those who see only this have never truly known the city. For me, it is the view of Vesuvius, always there, strong and special. The true Paradise has always been here," added the former Azzurri player, recalling how "Neapolitans are passionate not only about the stadium but also about family and life. Here I understood that it takes very little to be happy. This city has changed me inside and out of the field, it made me feel at home. It is here that I built my family, I gave my son a typical Neapolitan name (Ciro), so he will always carry the story of this city with him. A story of love and true bond, Naples will always be in my heart and from today, I will also be a little in the heart of Naples."
"If I am here today, it is also thanks to very important people in my life, my parents. Thank you for the education you have always given me," he continued emotionally, "and then the most important person: my wife, who in difficult moments has always been the rock of the family. No one is perfect, but she is very close," he concluded.