Luca Addarii: beach soccer player, influencer, fan and designer
There are few members of the beach soccer family quite as passionate about the sport as Luca Addarii.
The graphic designer rewards his tens of thousands of Instagram followers with spectacular designs and photographs, and they usually have one dominating theme: beach soccer.
“I have always worked as a designer. Through beach soccer I have had many opportunities to work for other clubs and players to provide them with designs.”
Addarii’s professional and sporting career combine well for the 25-year-old, who spends most of his time practising his two passions, design and beach soccer. But where did this journey start?
“I was born in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy on 9 March 1994. It’s a coastal town so I have played on the beach for as long as I remember. I even used to be a ballboy in local championships in San Benedetto.
At the age of 15 I played my first tournament and the year after I was called to train with the Sambenedettesse team and I’ve played with them ever since. I have always loved this sport but, when I became a player of a professional team it was a very special emotion.”
In recent years, Addarii’s local side has gone from strength to strength, winning an impressive amount of silverware.
“There have been three big seasons for us over the last six years or so. In 2014 we won the first Scudetto, then in 2017 we won the triplete (the Scudetto at home), and last summer we won the league again. We are a consistent team that works hard all summer, and this has been reflected in our results.”
They also won three Supercoppas and two Coppa Italias in that time. “We are very proud of what we’ve achieved and are committed to continue on the same path.”
Addarii played with Sambenedettesse from 2010 onwards in the Italian championship, and then with BS Chargers (SUI) in Oceanside, USA. He has also competed in the Euro Winners Cup with Dinamo Batumi (GEO) and SK Bosnia Teplice (CZE).
He represented Polish side Boca Gdansk at the first ever edition of the World Winners Cup in 2019, but there is one big step up in the beach soccer world that he has his sights set on…
“I have been called to train with the national team on four occasions, but haven’t been called up for a tournament yet. I will work hard and hope that it will come someday.”
Luca Addarii is not only an accomplished beach soccer player but also a huge fan of the sport itself.
“I always watch beach soccer if there is a streaming. I watch all the matches in the tournaments I play in, and I follow beach soccer a lot on social media too.”
Roles models and influences play a huge part in the development of athletes, and beach soccer players often look across the sand at teammates and opponents for motivation and Addarii has several favourites who he takes inspiration from…
“Bruno Novo is my biggest influence, both professionally and personally as he’s taught me everything I know in our seven years playing together. Also, Jordan Santos for example, and I’ve tried to learn as much as possible from Gori and his bicycle kicks.”
Other people that he views as key influences in his career are the “president and coach of the Sambenedettesse, Roberto Ciferni and Oliviero di Lorenzo. They trusted me and have given me many opportunities to play.”
The Azzurri won the European championship in 2018 and made it all the way to the final in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay at the end of last year, but how does the attacker see the future of beach soccer in his home country?
“In Italy in general, and San Benedetto in particular, lots of good work has been done for the future of beach soccer. There are many academies along the Italian coast and, for example, in San Benedetto we had more than 50 kids last summer and two or three will be called up to the first team this year.
The good news is that there is interest and as long as the sport keeps growing in exposure on social media, traditional media and TV broadcast, the participation mass will grow too.
In our homeland we are short on resources and structures such as indoor facilities to train all year round. I am aware that the FIGC is investing in the first pitch of this kind, but we need more in various regions to make beach soccer available for everyone.
In general, I hope the sport can grow in the number of participants and the number of international competitions which would make the sport and athletes grow too.”
