Riccardo Calafiori has named Aleksandar Kolarov as his footballing idol, according to 90min, a choice that will raise eyebrows among those who might have expected the Arsenal defender to cite a more fashionable or contemporary influence.
Kolarov spent the most prominent years of his career at Manchester City, where he became known for his ferocity from set pieces and an attacking instincts unusual in a full-back of his generation. He later played in Italy, including spells in Serie A, which may go some way to explaining the connection to Calafiori, who came through the Roma academy before establishing himself in Italian football.
Calafiori arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2024 from Bologna, where his performances had drawn considerable attention across Europe. His reading of the game, his composure in possession, and his ability to step into midfield areas drew comparisons to a certain type of modern left-back — technically assured, positionally adventurous, comfortable as a ball-carrier rather than merely a defensive presence.
Kolarov, for all the directness of his style, possessed some of those same traits. He was rarely content to simply defend and recycle; he sought to influence matches from deep, with a left foot capable of changing the shape of a game in a single moment. That Calafiori saw something in him worth emulating speaks to the particularity of how footballers absorb their influences — not always the most celebrated names, but the ones whose game answers something specific in how they see the position.
For Arsenal, the detail is a minor footnote in what has been a significant piece of business. Calafiori's adaptation to the Premier League will matter far more to the club than his childhood allegiances, and there is genuine interest in how he develops under a manager who has shown a consistent ability to improve defenders since arriving in north London. Whether or not Kolarov ever knew he had an admirer in Rome, his legacy appears to have travelled further than most would have anticipated.