Now that Jorginho has been at Arsenal for almost eighteen months—and that he will be staying longer after agreeing to a new contract—how much do you actually know about his professional history?

The Italian international has a well-known trophy-filled career to date and has excelled on major stages for both club and nation, but here are 20 things you might not know about our number 20:

It is true that Jorginho was born in the southern Brazilian town of Imbituba. Because his paternal great-grandfather was from Lusiana, Veneto, he is of Italian origin. He remarked, thinking back on his choice, “Italy was an easy choice. Brazil never offered me the opportunity to realize my goal. Despite my foreign birth, Italy chose me to perform for them. Italy was there for me when I needed them.

resolute youngster

Our newest recruit, who was five years old, was already planning for his future. When his father inquired about his career goals, Jorginho said, “I want to be a football player.” He asked again what his future contained, to which his father replied that it would be difficult, would require him to spend time away from the family, and might result in catastrophic damage. Once more, the response was, “I want to be a football player.”


maternal affection
Jorginho attributes most of his success to his mother, a former amateur football player from a football-loving household. He has stated in the past, “She was the one pushing me to practice. It was my mother who grabbed the ball and exhorted me to hurry up! Now let’s practice. Come on, let’s go. Left, left, right, right. I would kick the ball high, and she would say, ‘No, control it like this.’ Numerous afternoons spent at the beach followed.


initial sacrifices

When Jorginho started playing 11-a-side football as a teenager, he was noticed right away at a Brazilian event. But it would mean leaving his family behind at the age of thirteen to attend a soccer school in Guabiruba that specialized in arranging for those who passed to relocate to Italy, 120 kilometers away. After making an impression, Jorginho left for Verona two years later.