Tuttomercatoweb interviewed Luca Campolunghi, a TikToker and content creator who is a Juventus fan, and also the president of Zebras FC in the Italian Kings League.
Luca, how and why did you get into the world of social media?
‘I graduated in accounting in 2019 and found a job as a clerk at a notary’s office. In March 2020, Covid broke out and I stayed home, being the last to arrive. I was often watching TV and playing PlayStation, there wasn’t much to do. Once we moved from the red zone to the yellow zone, I started working part-time at McDonald’s, where I had a lot of free time, so one day I said to myself: why not do something on social media? I saw my sister always on TikTok and so I started making videos too with my ex-girlfriend, my family, my sister herself. I was lucky enough to gain followers right away. I always say that in misfortune, Covid was my fortune, because it made me discover a world that I would never have expected.’
When the call from the Kings League arrived, how did you react?
‘After about a year of making comedy-style content, I started talking about my real passions: football, tennis, sports in general. I live watching and following sports, my biggest passion. When the Kings League Italia was born, given my predominantly male and football-loving audience, I was contacted and I accepted very willingly.’
How did the partnership between your Zebras and Juventus come about?
‘This partnership was born because on social media I have always expressed myself as a Juventus fan. I started commenting on the Bianconeri matches and Juventus liked my style. Two years ago they asked me to become their ambassador, starting a collaboration. Juve is light years ahead socially and, when the Kings League started, they proposed me to do it together. My Zebras are Juve of the Kings League in the world, it is a great satisfaction, but also a great responsibility.’
Bomber Lorenzo Berra has stood out in the ranks of Zebras, and is highly sought after in the international market.
‘With Berra we were good and lucky. Good because we selected the players with great attention during the draft, lucky because it was not a given that a good trial represented the real value of the player. Various foreign presidents have asked me for him to play in Spain. I gave him the go-ahead because he behaves well both on and off the field. It would be a great opportunity for Berra to have a showcase in Spain, let’s see how things evolve, there are negotiations.’
What goal have you set for yourselves?
‘The minimum goal is to go to the World Cup in Paris, to the final four, in the spirit of the Bianconeri motto ‘fino alla fine’ (until the end). Then the dream would also be to play the Kings League final in Turin, at home. It would be too beautiful to have a whole Bianconeri stadium, can you imagine? In the meantime, I would say that the minimum goal is to do well in the playoffs.’
Your presidential penalties are making a great contribution.
‘It’s true, I missed the first one, but then I scored five in a row. The team is very much reflected in the mood of the president: in the first match I took it demotivated because we were at a clear disadvantage, instead I must always be energetic, never giving up. I am happy that my penalties can give a boost to the guys on the field.’
Inevitable question about the crisis of Thiago Motta’s Juve: how can you get out of such a moment?
‘I have confidence in the club, I think they will make the best choices for Juve and for the fans. We have a glorious history, today we are experiencing a difficult moment, but we are Juve and we will get back up. Finding the right key is not easy, we are going through a bad period, but we are Juve and we will surely find a way out.’