In Maurizio Sarri’s first meeting with Gonzalo Higuain last July, the new Napoli boss looked his star striker straight in the eye and stated: “You’re too lazy. If you don’t change your attitude, you won’t become the best center forward in the world.”
It was an incredibly bold opening gambit. Higuain has long been known as an awkward character. Even his brother and agent, Nicolas, admits that the forward is “introverted.” However, Higuain can also be moody and, at his worst, volatile. Nowhere was this better demonstrated than in Ibiza last summer when Higuain become embroiled in an unsavory exchange with a fan seeking a photo. The Argentine refused, prompting the man to snipe: “You can’t even score penalties!”