Person of Influence | The Boy is Finally Home - Simone Rota

Simone Rota was born in the Philippines and as baby was left to the care of the Buklod Kalinga, an orphanage managed by the Franciscan Sisters in Paranaque.  He was subsequently adopted by an Italian couple and raised in Italy along with another baby named Valentina.

Growing up in Italy meant that he grew up in a predominantly football crazy country and it was not a surprise that this boy loved his football.  He played it so much that he made a career out of it.  He played in various leagues in europe since 2001, advancing the ladder each time until he came to the Philippines in 2014.  

It was also in the same year that he was included in the Philippine National Football Team , the Azkals, in 2014 and earned his first international goal as well.

His lifestory of success is so interesting that a short film was made solely about him.  His background, his history to what he is today.  He is still young as it is and will surely see more of him in the future especially in the field of sports particularly football.  Who knows we will see a sequel to this film.

We don't know where to watch his film but it was already shown in a number of short film festivals and we were just lucky enough to have watched it along with him at the lecture of his coach, Thomas Dooley.

Thank you Simone for uplifting philippine football, thank you for giving us hope, to you sir, in bocca al lupo.

For a Filipino baby who grew up abroad, plays in the Philippines, I guess he found his way back home. He is finally home.

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other images credit to their owners