14 months from the day that changed everything, young talent Edoardo Bove fulfilled his dream playing for his boyhood club Roma before moving on to regular minutes to Fiorentina.

A trequarista with an excellent technique, the Roman native made his first start in Roma colours under coach Jose Mourinho in a 5-0 win against Crotone Calcio. 

From there on in, Bove and Mourinho struck a chord, with the midfielder being the diamond in the rough Roma was looking for at the time, and he scored his first competitive goal in a 2-2 draw against Hellas Verona.

Bove’s period at Rome came to an end as he seeked a loan move to Fiorentina where he became a regular starter for La Viola. 

It was the first day of December with a matchup at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on the cards between Fiorentina and Inter Milan. 

As the game played out, Bove found himself dramatically collapsing, suffering a cardiac arrest.

Silence and worry wrung around the stadium from players to fans as he was rushed away immediately.

Many feared the worst for the young Italian and were holding onto hope, however, Bove managed to recover from what had happened, glad to have been returned to life.

It’s as much of a mental endeavour as it is a physical endeavour on the road to recovery however an obstacle had presented itself for the Fiorentina player. 

The Italian regulations have set rules in place which do not allow players continuing to play with a defibrillator, a situation similarly faced with former Inter Milan player Christian Eriksen. 

The roadblock in a young talent’s career saw him forced to rebuild his career elsewhere.

Heartbroken from the termination of his contract at Roma, Bove had a much needed period of rest to recuperate and assess the options for his footballing future. 

The winter transfer window came round as EFL Championship side Watford grew in interest for the Italian international and reached an agreement to sign Bove. 

The time had come for the 23-year-old’s career to get back on track, even if it is far away from his home in Rome. 

More than 400 days later, his debut came at Deepdale Stadium in a 2-2 draw against Preston North End, where his entrance into the game captured the emotions of the footballing world. 

A moment to rejoice seeing Bove kicking a ball and knowing how he is able to contribute to any side he joins, football won in the moment that the young talent stepped foot back on the field of work he loves best.