DIEGO SIMEONE Atlético Madrid’s manager and his wife CARLA PEREYRA welcome us into their family at home in the Spanish capital
GIVE US AN INSIGHT INTO THE FAMILY MAN BEHIND THE FAMOUS MANAGER AT THEIR HOME IN THE SPANISH CAPITAL
We
laugh a lot together! Francesca and Valentina are livelier and cuter every day. Having the girls brings us so many happy moments and I try to make special times, too, just for Diego and me, for us as a couple,” Carla Pereyra says, as she and husband Diego Simeone welcome us into their home in Madrid.
It’s the place where Diego, who’s just completed an extraordinary ten years as manager of Atlético Madrid, can relax and enjoy family time away from the pressures of international football.
This year, Diego and his model wife Carla will celebrate their third wedding anniversary – or rather, anniversaries. June marks the civil ceremony in their native Argentina; September, their Tuscan wedding itself.
Take each match at a time, in life and in football: that’s the couple’s motto. It inspired the title of Amazon Prime Video’s new documentary Simeone: Living Match by Match.
For further insight into the man behind the public figure, we’re here to meet Diego in his home, with his wife and children Francesca, five, Valentina, three, and Giuliano, 19, the youngest of his three sons from his first marriage.
Carla, with Diego devoted to football almost 365 days a year, what is daily life like normally?
“We’re a very close family. We co-ordinate our work and home routines so we can be together as much as possible, for example, every morning, when we take the kids to school.”
Diego had a successful career as a player and now ten years managing Atlético Madrid. Did he ever dream of all this?
“From when he was little, it was clear that his talent and obsession with what he does would take him a long way… but people change over time and their goals change with them. I’m sure he’s achieved a lot of what he set out to do and that when he looks back, he feels proud of all that football has given him.”
How much credit can you take for his success?
“I’d rather talk about the kind of partner I am. I try to make sure everything is in order so he can focus without having to worry about anything else. In a family, everyone has their role. Mine is to look after him and look after the family so he feels secure and happy.”
Would you say that his family is his greatest triumph?
“His children are the centre of his life. When he’s with them,
The couple feature in a new documentary about his life
he’s happy and they’re his first priority… He’s managed to reinvent himself as a father and that makes him even stronger.”
Your own priorities changed when you met Diego and became a mum…
“Motherhood has brought me to where I am now. I owe my confidence and self-esteem to all the personal growth we’ve gone through over recent years, and having a man at my side who I can trust and depend on means I can really concentrate on my family.”
What have Francesca and Valentina added to your life?
“Above all, joy. Sometimes I’m laughing with them so much I can’t believe what a dream it all is.”
What’s your and Diego’s favourite time of day with the girls?
“Definitely the school run, when we’re all four together as the day kicks off, chatting about whatever’s going on and anything the girls have on their minds. To me, it’s all about communication.”
What activities do you enjoy as a family?
“I love the countryside and getting out into nature whenever we can. It helps us reconnect with ourselves and clear our minds of all the ‘ noise’ of the football environment.”
You said Diego has reinvented himself as a father. How is it different for him with your girls than it was the first time round, with his three sons?
“It’ s all different, from the circumstances of his life to the kind of games the girls play… But I think the key to reinventing yourself is confronting your fears and trusting in love as the starting point for everything.”
What kind of activities does he share with the girls?
“Diego likes maths and he often teaches them sums and plays number games with them. He also really connects with them at bedtime when he tucks them up.”
We know him as a sportsman and as a manager, but what’s he like as a dad?
“Wonderful. He’s an engaged, caring dad who makes sure that everyone gets the time and attention they need and that they feel good in themselves. Any time he gets away from football he devotes to his kids.”
His sons Giovanni, 26, Gianluca, 23, and Giuliano are all professional football players. Does that give them a special bond with their dad?
“They’re on the phone with him every day and a lot of the time they’re talking about football, their shared love. We organise trips with them, too.”
Is it hard to get everyone together in the same place?
“We’re always surrounded by family. Mine and Diego’s get on really well. So special moments are always shared.”
Giuliano has posed with you here for a picture. Is he living with you?
“He’s lived in Madrid for the past three years. He plays with Atlético’s juniors.
‘Diego’s a tranquil, very balanced person. He enjoys being at home’
Until a few months ago, he was living with us, but now he has his own place. He comes over every day, though, to see his little sisters or have lunch with us. I try to make sure all the kids feel at home when they’re here.”
Are you and Diego homebodies or do you like to go out?
“Well, we have friends we like to meet up with. Diego’s schedule means we can’t get out much at the weekends, but we always manage to see people.”
In the week, how do you spend your time?
“Our days are quite structured. We drop the kids at school at a quarter to nine and head off to work. At the end of the day, we often disconnect by watching a movie – we like true stories, something with a positive message.
“Diego and I are in touch all through the day, but it’s then, when everything’s calmed down, that we can catch up with each other.”
Which of you cooks more?
“I do a lot of the cooking. We eat a lot of healthy, vegetable-based food, but our star dish is an Argentine- style barbecue, and Diego is great at that.”
Does Diego do much around the house?
“Not much, but I almost prefer it that way.”
He has to travel a lot; is this where he recharges his batteries?
“We’ve built our home and our family around the idea of calm and harmony. When you’re working and are so much in the public
eye, you need a refuge. It goes beyond the physical space – I try to make our family the place where Diego can relax.”
So he leaves any problems at the door?
“Absolutely not! It’s very hard to get Diego to disconnect.”
What does he like doing outside his job?
“He’s a tranquil, very balanced person. He enjoys a good meal or a get- together with friends, just normal stuff. And he’s a great host, really fun.”
Is he a different person at work and at home?
“He’s passionate about everything he does – his family and his job. The only thing that changes is the intensity. Here, he dials it down a bit, relaxing so that later he can pull out all the stops at work.”
Tell us about the house…
“We bought it a while ago, but I’ve completely refurbished it. Alongside the architect, I was involved in every detail. It reflects how we like to live. We’ve got large, open spaces for the family to gather in, and loads of natural light, making it perfect for working from home.
“Diego works for hours in his office here, so I’ve made sure that has enough space, light and warmth.”
How do you calm him down at stressful times?
“A trip to the cinema or a bike ride around the city can help… Wearing a cap and mask, we’re less recognisable.”
After nine years together, what keeps you in love with him?
“It’s flown by so fast I feel as if we’re still starting out. Communication, trust and laughter are what keep you in love as time passes.”
Which of you has the best sense of humour?
“He does. He always sees the positive side and knows how to laugh at himself.”
What do you most admire about him?
“His positivity, tenacity, constancy and emotional intelligence. He’s really easy to live with. I always say that when he comes into your life, he turns you into a better person, you can’t help it.”
Does he ask your advice on football matters?
“I think it’s more that when he’s talking to me he’ll sometimes come up with a fresh perspective or a better decision.”
In turn, he’s helped you develop a business…
“Yes. I’m looking after the family’s property and investment portfolio. I work closely with my sister- in- law and our team. I was also very much involved in making the documentary – the production and co-ordination.”
Did you and Diego enjoy making it?
“Ye s , w e p u t ourselves into it 100 per cent.
“We wanted to show not just the footballer and manager, but also the less tangible s t u f f , like how Diego motivates
‘We’re a very close family. We co-ordinate our work and home routines so we can be together as much as possible’
people, how he’s a sensitive person who can make mistakes as well as getting things right. We show him as a dad, a friend, a husband and a manager. I found the process very emotional.”
Ten years as Atlético manager – it’s a record. What does it mean to Diego?
“I think it means a lot to him the way they’ve developed. But honestly, he doesn’t spend long thinking about it. There’s always another match he wants to win.”
Does he plan to stay with Atlético until he retires?
“I don’t know. What I can tell you is Madrid is where we found our home.”
What motivates someone who’s already achieved so much?
“To carry on winning. To get better. At the end of the day, it’s a game, but they’re people in a world of constant change. So there’s always a fresh challenge.”
Does Diego ever talk about retiring?
“I believe he enjoys what he does too much to ever completely retire.”
‘ When you’re in the public eye, you need a
refuge. I try to make
our family the place where Diego can relax’
REVEAL AS LATEST RUNWAYS TRENDS PARIS FASHION WEEK STARS JET IN FOR THE SPECTACLE
Celebrities
descended on Paris last week for the annual autumn/winter fashion shows. Demi Moore, Serena Williams, Rihanna, and Victoria Beckham and her son Romeo were among those who flocked to France to watch big-name models, including Gigi Hadid, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss’s daughter Lila and Kendall Jenner, take to the catwalks.
THRILLING CREATIONS
At the show for Parisian ready-to-wear label Coperni, Lila and Gigi strutted their stuff in complementary bubblegum- blue and pink dresses alongside Gigi’s sister Bella and Adut Akech. Former Spice Girl Victoria and her 19- year- old son were spotted at the Saint Laurent presentation, together with Romeo’s model girlfriend Mia Regan
and actresses Demi Moore and Amber Valletta.
Over at Dior, singer Rihanna garnered most of the attention when she arrived in a goth-inspired outfit, which featured a sheer dress that showed off her baby bump. The 34-year-old pop star, who recently announced that she and her rapper boyfriend A$AP Rocky are expecting their first child together, sat front row for the event inside the Tuileries Gardens. Other big names treated to a display of Dior’s latest collection included The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy and Elle Macpherson. Rihanna also attended the Off-White show – the label’s
first since the death of its founder Virgil Abloh in November last year – with Rocky, and the couple watched tennis great Serena Williams, supermodel mother and daughter duo Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber and the Hadid sisters model the label’s designs.
Music producer Pharrell Williams – who brought along wife Helen Lasichanh and their 13-year-old son Rocket – and Carla Bruni watched from the front row.
Later in the week, Serena sat front row at the Balmain show beside pregnant supermodel Adriana Lima.