Schalker International: Davide Sigillò

How did you become a Schalke fan?
I became a Schalke fan during the 2015/16 season, mainly because I loved watching Benedikt Höwedes play – he’s always been one of my favourite players. I also liked watching Julian Draxler and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar back then too. Then we signed Naldo and I began to watch Schalke more often.

Can you remember the first game you watched live on TV?
The first match I saw live on TV was actually the 4-4 Revierderby. It was such an amazing game!

What’s it like supporting Schalke in Italy?
It’s a little strange because some people have not heard of Schalke or don’t know much about them as we ‘don’t have a history like other great teams’, but that doesn’t bother me. I love Schalke more than anything else.

Do you know any other fans?
Yeah, they are hard to find, but one of my best friends also supports Schalke too!

What do you love about the club?
I fell in love with the club’s history as soon as I started watching Schalke. The connections and history with the mining industry is great too. The fans and the players are always so close as well – it’s like a family.

What makes S04 special?
The fans are the thing that makes this club so special. They’re always there getting behind the team in the good and the bad times. I think their support is simply fantastic.

Do you have an all-time favourite player?
Before that famous Revierderby, I was undecided between Huntelaar, Höwedes and Naldo, but since then it’s been Naldo. He’s always been one of my favourite players, even before his time at Schalke.

What do you like about Naldo?
I was a big fan of his mainly because of the type of defender he was. He was a real leader on the pitch and I’m really happy that he’s back with the club now. I often watch back his header and free-kick against Dortmund!

Have you ever been to Gelsenkirchen or Germany?
I’ve been to Germany, yes! My mother is actually German so I’ve been to Frankfurt quite often. My parents were quite surprised when I told them that I had discovered my love for Schalke. I hope one day that I can come to Gelsenkirchen and see the VELTINS-Arena.

Finally, why would you recommend supporting Schalke?
Some people in Italy are making fun of our situation at the moment, but I would still recommend supporting Schalke. It’s a very special and great club with so much tradition and history, which, for me, is underrated!