Former Football Prodigy Hachim Mastour Seeks Career Revival in Italy

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, he shared his thoughts on his beginnings, the difficulties he has faced, and his future plans.

Currently based in Reggio Emilia, his hometown, Mastour is training under the supervision of physical trainer Stefano Cellario, with the goal of returning to the Italian pitches. "Now I’m in Reggio Emilia. I’m ready for something to come. My dream is to establish myself here in Italy," he explains.

Revealed at a very young age, Hachim Mastour experienced a rapid rise and very strong media exposure, particularly during his debut at AC Milan. Rubbing shoulders with renowned players like Kaka and Robinho. "At that age, I had no fear. But I came from the youth sector and I lacked a person to guide me," he acknowledges today.

In hindsight, Mastour believes he would have benefited from a more measured approach. "Filippo Galli had told me, and he was right. I should have taken more time to appreciate each step," he confides.

The challenges related to media pressure and career management led Mastour to go through a period of depression, which he places around the Covid-19 pandemic. "I no longer found the pleasure of going on the field. It was a very difficult phase on a personal and professional level," he admits.

To overcome this ordeal, he relied on the support of his family and on religion, strengthened during his stay in Morocco. "I got closer to God and prayer. I am Muslim, I read the Quran. In Morocco, I became even closer to religion," he explains.

Free from any contract since his passage in Botola, where he played for Renaissance de Zemamra and Union Touarga, Mastour is considering the future with pragmatism. In addition to his goal of returning to the pitches, he aspires to resume his studies. "I had started studying accounting, but my career pushed me to stop," he indicates.