Former Inter full-back Felice Natalino has opened up with his experiences with being forced to retire from football due to a heart condition.
Speaking to Italian newspaper Il Foglio yesterday, the 29-year-old talked about the situation of Nerazzurri and Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen, whose future in football is also placed in doubt after his cardiac arrest during a European Championship match against Finland.
Natalino made his debut in the Nerazzurri first team and even played in the Champions League, but was unable to continue in football after 2012 when a heart condition was discovered which would make it unsafe to do so.
The former player believes that Eriksen should give strong consideration to leaving the game, as his safety may never be fully guaranteed.
“Everyone makes their own choices, but if [Eriksen] really understands what happened to him, I think he will think twice before returning to the pitch. His wife will surely tell him to stop. He died and then he was reborn,” Natalino claimed.
“I had an attack similar to his, but I was already in the hospital, and they prevented him. His heart stopped, and it was not certain that it would start again. I saw the pictures, I thought he had a really bad time.”
Furthermore, the ex-Inter man thanked the club for supporting him throughout his brief career and for not abandoning him during his health issues.
He singled out Nerazzurri Sporting Director Piero Ausilio as he talked fondly of the club’s support for him.
“If you don’t have a family that helps you it’s hard, but if you find yourself abandoned by the club it’s even harder. I will thank Piero Ausilio forever, and the others. I have never felt abandoned.”
Natalino is currently employed by Inter as a youth scout, and was happy to remain involved in football and attached to the club.
“It is a responsibility, playing at a high level is not easy and giving players a chance is always nice. I am in a healthy, happy, peaceful environment. It could not be better.
“Then there’s Acadamy Lamezia, my dad founded it. After I stopped playing, we decided to go for it. We also have affiliation with Inter.
“I lead a quiet life, with little activity. Before COVID I used to go to the gym, and have a a few five-a-side football matches with friends. But with COVID everything stopped.”
The former player also talks about his feelings of regret when he sees what some former teammates have gone on to achieve, playing at the European Championships this summer.
“I played with Marco Verratti, we were in the youth national team together. Then with Jorginho at Verona, Alessandro Florenzi at Crotone. It’s a little tough to think about, but I’m not envious.
“I think, maybe I could have been there too. But then, it’s not certain. Maybe I would have ended up in Serie C.
“I feel indebted to football, I feel I have to give something back. I hope that we can forget about my story, and that we can remember Felice Natalino for something else,” he concluded.
