Sports · Football · 4 hrs ago
Leonardo Bonucci recalls his son’s brain mass and recovery
Former footballer Leonardo Bonucci has spoken about his son Matteo’s illness in 2016.
The first symptoms appeared during a family holiday in Formentera, Spain, and Matteo later developed problems with movement.
Doctors found an eight-centimetre mass near his cerebellum, the part of the brain at the back of the head.
Matteo was urgently operated on at Regina Margherita Hospital in Turin; an operation expected to last three hours took about seven.
He later had two more operations to regulate the flow of spinal fluid.
Matteo is now 12 and doing well, Bonucci said.
He avoids contact sports and plays tennis.
Leonardo Bonucci has recalled his son Matteo’s serious illness and emergency surgery in 2016.
Doctors found an 8-centimetre mass near Matteo’s cerebellum after he developed symptoms including motor problems.
The operation lasted more than seven hours, although it had been expected to take about three.
Matteo later underwent two more operations to regulate the flow of spinal fluid.
Now 12, he is reported to be well and plays tennis while avoiding contact sports.
- Who
- Leonardo Bonucci and his son Matteo.
- What
- Bonucci recalled Matteo’s illness, surgery and recovery after doctors found a mass near his cerebellum.
- When
- The illness began in 2016; Bonucci spoke about it in 2026.
- Where
- The first symptoms appeared during a family holiday in Formentera; Matteo was operated on at Regina Margherita Hospital in Turin.
- Why
- Matteo developed symptoms and tests revealed a mass near his cerebellum, prompting urgent surgery.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Matteo’s first symptoms appeared during a holiday in Formentera.
After tests found a mass near the cerebellum, Matteo underwent an operation that lasted more than seven hours.
Matteo had two further operations to regulate the flow of spinal fluid.
Bonucci spoke publicly about the illness, and Matteo was reported to be well and playing tennis.
- Mass
- 8 centimetres, near the cerebellum
- First symptoms
- 2016, during a holiday in Formentera
- Initial operation
- More than seven hours
- Further operations
- Two, to regulate spinal-fluid flow
- Hospital
- Regina Margherita Hospital, Turin
- Matteo’s age
- 12 years old in 2026
3 sources
Leonardo Bonucci racconta la malattia del figlio: «Aveva una massa di 8 centimetri in testa, tirai un pugno al muro»
Bonucci ricorda la paura per il figlio Matteo: «Aveva una massa di 8 centimetri in testa, fu operato per sette ore»
Bonucci e la malattia del figlio: “Aveva una massa nel cervello, ho pregato e preso a pugni il muro”
What people are saying
Matteo had a mass of 8 centimetres near the cerebellum, as big as a cup
The operation was supposed to last about three hours, it ended after seven
In that time we felt absolute anguish and uncertainty