His expressions of anger earned the nickname Venom and his heart of gold won him awards for throwing open the doors of his family home to Ukrainian refugees after the Russian invasion.
This is Guglielmo Vicario, Tottenham’s new goalkeeper, the chosen heir to Hugo Lloris, their long-serving captain, popular guardian of the net and erudite leader of the dressing room for the last 11 years.
At 26, Vicario appears a worthy successor and his own journey has depth and character. He started on loan in the fourth tier of Italian football, greeted as a kindred spirit by Tottenham’s Australian boss Ange Postecoglou as both made their way to the Premier League via football’s humble backwaters.