Golden Boy Awards: Antonio Percassi named Best European President of the Year
The Atalanta President picked up the award on December 16
Atalanta keeps garnering accolades of late. After CEO Luca Percassi won the Best Manager of the Year and followed the footsteps of the likes of Adriano Galliani and Giuseppe Marotta by etching his name on the Golden Book, it's now the time for President Antonio Percassi to lift another highly coveted recognition. The Golden Boy Legends Jury, namely the offshoot of the larger European Golden Boy celebrations now entering its 5th year, named the black-and-blue figurehead as Best European President of the Year. This prestigious acknowledgement was previously awarded to Andrea Agnelli and Florentino Perez, among others.
The awarding ceremony took place at the Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile (National Automobile Museum) in Turin on December 16.
The jury, comprising among its ranks four Ballon d'Or winners, was composed of prominent figures from the world of football such as Hristo Stoichkov, Lothar Matthäus, Andriy Shevchenko, Pavel Nedved, Sebastian Veron, Alessandro Costacurta, Manuel Rui Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Massimo Mauro, Stephane Chapuisat, Lina Souloukou and Diana Langes Swarovski.
“While this prize, for which I convey my most heartfelt thanks to the organizing committee and its illustrious jurors, was awarded to me as a person - such were the words of President Antonio Percassi - it is a testament to the whole Atalanta ecosystem and its capacity to grow stronger and flourish as a Club by not relying on a method solely based on our latest sporting achievements. If I may, I wish to seize the moment and thank, in addition to the executive areas led by my son Luca, my family, whose hearts are aflame with black-and-blue passion; co-chairman Stephen Pagliuca; coach Gasperini and his staffing; all the players, both current and former, who have donned our colours over the years; Bergamo and its people, with a particular focus to all our outstanding fans, and, last but not least, all those who work for our Club every day with passion, commitment and a deep sense of belonging. This is our true strength, an asset on which we ought to keep on leveraging as a non-negotiable to give continuity to what has been carried out to this date”.