Bologna’s Rising Star: Dominguez on Idols, Inspirations, and Maradona

Benjamin Dominguez, Bologna’s young attacking talent, is emerging as a key player in the team’s continued success under new management. The 20-year-old Argentine, who joined from Gimnasia La Plata last summer, is adapting well to Italian football and showing great promise.

In a recent interview, Dominguez revealed his football idols and inspirations. “Neymar is my idol, but I’ve always sought inspiration from Ariel Ortega,” he said. “We’re similar in height, and I may have picked up some of his skills, but he’s a legend and I wouldn’t compare myself to him.” The young forward also mentioned studying Dries Mertens’ movements while watching Napoli games in Argentina.

Dominguez also clarified a misunderstanding about an anecdote involving Diego Maradona. “There was a story about Aguero saying Maradona had praised a Gimnasia youth player. It was true, but that player wasn’t me. It’s important to set the record straight,” he explained.

The Bologna player expressed his deep admiration for Maradona, recounting a missed opportunity to meet the legend when he was coaching Gimnasia. “I once finished training early and went to meet him, but he had just left. Then the pandemic hit, and I never got another chance. I only saw him from afar,” Dominguez shared. “If I had met him, I would have told him he was like God to me. When I heard about his death, I cried with my brothers for a long time.”