Giuliano Simeone has earned his place on the wing despite natural reservations, given his father is the manager of Atlético Madrid.
A Father's Footsteps
The youngest son of Diego Simeone has had to earn his chance but is now making the most of it at the Metropolitano. At the beginning of the final training session before their biggest game in a decade, Atlético Madrid's players lined up by the centre circle and waited for their coach. Diego Simeone arrived and ran through the middle of them, greeted with cheers and playful hits. It was his 56th birthday, and he has spent almost 20 years at the club: first as captain, then as coach who lifted Atlético's next league title, and now leading them into their seventh European Cup semi-final.
One of the sons was hidden in the crowd, hitting him. When Simeone bade farewell to the Vicente Calderón as a player in 2004, he carried two-year-old Giuliano in his arms. Before returning as coach in 2011, he asked eight-year-old Giuliano for his opinion. Fourteen years later, Giuliano's dad is still there, and now so is he.
Growing Up Simeone
Born in Italy in 2002, Giuliano grew up in Argentina with his brothers Giovanni and Gianluca. They visited often and ate together via iPad on matchday mornings. Football was their shared passion. During celebrations after Atlético's 2012 Europa League title, Simeone Sr was caught on camera excitedly talking on the phone about Falcao's goal to Giuliano. When Atlético won the derby in 2015, a tiny ballboy leaped into the coach's arms—that was Giuliano too.
As a ballboy, he was invariably by the bench. He would visit training and have a kickabout. After Falcao, his idol became Antoine Griezmann. Playing with his brothers taught him toughness: they would kick him, and if he cried, he couldn't play anymore. He left River Plate's academy at 16 to join Atlético's youth system, living with his dad. At 18, his dad kicked him out to become a man.
Earning His Stripes
It hasn't been easy, partly because it might sound easy. Giuliano admitted wondering what others might think. When he was 12, people said he played because he was his father's son. He tries to isolate himself from that, knowing he won't be gifted anything. Simeone Sr once said there was no way he would sign his son due to the baggage, but that was about Gio, not Giuliano. Atlético didn't sign Giuliano; he was just another kid from the academy.
Loaned to Zaragoza and Alavés, Giuliano broke an ankle in 2023. His dad went to his bedside, but doubts remained. Simeone was reluctant to open a pathway for his son, but Giuliano smashed down the door himself. He used to be a centre-forward, but his grandfather said the wing would make him. Tearing up the touchline, he made something out of nothing. Simeone says he sees a player, not a son, and has been careful not to talk effusively about him.
A Place of His Own
When Giuliano returned from loan, he started one of the opening 11 games. But when given a chance, he grabbed it and never let go. Now there are no doubts. He has a tattoo of his Atlético debut date. The club is the team of his life, a legacy from his father. Go to the club shop, ask for a No 20 shirt, and it comes with "Giuliano" on the back, not "Simeone". But that's his dad, whose birthday was Tuesday, and he has everything he would wish for.
