Sandro Tonali: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of a Football Prodigy

What’s the simplest thing to do today? What’s easy, takes just a few seconds, but leaves a mark forever? Destruction—cancellation—the complete annihilation of a person through the power of the internet.

Sandro Tonali is a name that’s been in the spotlight a lot over the last six months, and you’ve probably heard of him, even if you aren’t a football fan. He’s been judged, condemned, and “crucified” so many times recently that it’s hard not to have come across his story.

But who is Sandrino?

That’s the nickname his family gave him—Sandrino. It’s not just a term of endearment; it’s also his grandfather’s name. Born on May 8, 2000, under the sign of Taurus, in Lodi, about 40 kilometers from Milan, Sandro grew up in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano. He was raised by his parents, Mariarosa Crivellari and Giandomenico Tonali, alongside his older siblings, Enrico and Matilde.

Sandro’s parents weren’t intellectuals, nor did they inherit any aristocratic titles—they were honest, hard-working people who valued family above all else. This upbringing gave Sandro a special bond with his maternal grandmother, Biagia, reinforcing his deep attachment to family.

To understand the life of a professional athlete, you must realize that the journey starts early, around 6 or 7 years old, and involves huge sacrifices. It’s easy to sit at home, watch a football match on TV, and criticize players for their behavior or language on the field. But let’s take a moment to see what happened to Sandro Tonali during the years when he should have been a normal child, going to school and ideally getting perfect grades.

Tonali’s football career began in earnest when he played for Lombardia Uno during the 2007-2008 season. He then spent three years at Piacenza before moving to Brescia in 2012. This marked the beginning of a significant chapter in his life.

In 2017, at the age of 17, Tonali made his debut for Brescia's first team in a match against Avellino. Over time, he earned a regular starting position, showcasing his immense potential. On August 25, 2019, Tonali made his Serie A debut in a match against Cagliari.

His rise to fame wasn’t unnoticed. Tonali was named the best young player in Serie B for the 2017-2018 season at the AIC Gran Gala del Calcio awards. That wasn’t all—UEFA also named him as one of the 50 most promising young footballers to watch during the 2019-2020 season.

With such accolades come intense media attention, which can be both a blessing and a curse for young athletes. One of the major blunders the media made with Tonali was comparing him to Andrea Pirlo, simply because they both played for Brescia and had long hair. This kind of comparison can be detrimental to a young player's career, setting unrealistic expectations. Tonali himself distanced himself from these comparisons, asserting that his playing style was closer to that of Gennaro Gattuso, his footballing idol.

At this point, transfer rumors started swirling. Some saw Tonali as a perfect fit for Napoli, while others wanted him at Juventus or Inter. But Sandrino had only one dream: to become a key player for his favorite club—AC Milan.

And in September 2020, his dream came true when Tonali joined AC Milan.

Tonali’s first season at Milan was challenging. He faced stiff competition for a starting spot, especially in midfield, where the club had several talented players. Despite these challenges, Tonali gradually earned his place in the team under manager Stefano Pioli’s guidance. Over three seasons, Tonali proved himself, displaying his vision and ability to control the tempo of the game from midfield. He played a total of 78 matches for the club, scoring 7 goals and providing 9 assists, and was instrumental in Milan’s 2021-2022 Serie A title win.

Tonali’s performances attracted attention from major English clubs. In 2023, Newcastle United signed him for a staggering €70 million, making him the most expensive Italian footballer in history. It’s important to emphasize that it wasn’t Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, Franco Baresi, or Gianluigi Buffon who set this record—it was Sandrino Tonali.

While Tonali’s story is one of success, fame brings its share of dark influences. Being in the public eye constantly and having such a high valuation attracted negative elements into his life. Unfortunately, Tonali succumbed to one of these pressures—placing illegal bets on football matches. It wasn’t a one-time mistake either; Tonali had placed multiple bets on unlicensed platforms. For these transgressions, he was fined and handed a 10-month suspension from both the Italian national team and his club.

At the same time, a Romanian footballer, Cosmin Achim, was also suspended for one year and fined €30,000 for a similar offense, while Tonali was fined only €12,500. Achim expressed his frustration in a March 27 interview with DigiSport, saying, “I had many thoughts, I was even considering whether I should return to football or not. But I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’m strong enough to get through it, with the support of my family.”

However, there’s a stark difference in how these two cases were handled. In Tonali’s case, both Newcastle United and the Italian Football Federation provided him with full support to help him recover from these issues. Gabriele Gravina, the president of the Italian Football Federation, made it clear: “We can’t just think about punishing these young men; we must also help them recover.” Newcastle also released a statement saying, “He and his family will continue to receive all the support from the club.”

In 2016, Umberto Eco, one of Italy’s greatest philosophers and writers, passed away in Milan, the city Sandro Tonali cherishes. Eco had keenly observed the rise of social media and its effects on public discourse. He once said, “Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community. They were quickly silenced, but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel laureate. It’s the invasion of the idiots.”

Tonali made mistakes. He gambled on illegal platforms when he could have done so legally and safely on licensed sites, and he did so more than once. But to leap from these mistakes to forgetting that we’re talking about a young man—a son, a grandson, and an extraordinary talent—is a long road, paved with... idiots.

While his errors have caused an uproar, Sandro Tonali is more than just his mistakes. He’s a footballer with immense potential, and he’s still young enough to learn, grow, and return stronger. As the media and public continue to cast stones, we must remember that even heroes fall—and sometimes, they rise again.