Mertens, excited: “I don’t know how hard it is to say goodbye to this city”

The Belgian Dries Mertens (35 years old) will not continue to be a player of Naplesbut his attachment to the city in southern Italy and his nine years as ‘azzurro’ was enough for the Neapolitan mayor, Gaetano Manfrediannounce this Friday that it will grant you Citizen of Honor recognition.

Last Wednesday, Mertens He certainly said goodbye to the Neapolitan ‘tifosi’ -and to the club that decided not to renew him- with an emotional video in which he thanked the love and welcome he had received since his return in 2013.

“I don’t know how hard it is for me to say goodbye to this city that adopted me, loved me and supported me in difficult times as well as in wonderful times,” said the attacker, who had no still a team.

After nine seasons, the Belgian international leaves as the club’s all-time top scorer with 148 goals in nearly 400 official matches including Naples.

His son, born in Naples

Mertensproud that his son was born Naplesassured that he will not sell his residence because he will return when he can.

The feeling of belonging to the team and the city mobilized all the ‘partenopei’, who turned to what is undoubtedly one of their legends, something that reached the City Council.

“I have received many requests, from the City Council and from many citizens, all impressed by Mertens’ connection to the city, which is also proven by his desire to keep his home in Naples. We will start the process of granting an honorary citizenship because I don’t just feel like I deserve it, but it’s also a recognition of one of our countrymen who has given so many things to the field of sports and to the city, something that I hope he will continue to do,” he said. Manfredi to the City Council.

“It has not been the exit that I wanted”, he said in his farewell, because he would have wanted to renew, “but this is not farewell, it is a see you later”.

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