As he looked back at one of the defining moments in his football journey so far, Tino Livramento can smile about it now.
‘Going into Chelsea when I was around seven for the trial, there were loads of boys there,’ he began.
‘I didn’t actually want to go. I was kind of nervous and didn’t really think that I was good enough to be there.
Valentino Livramento has been a revelation for Southampton in the Premier League this year
My mum [Caroline] and dad [Louis] were in the car and couldn’t find the training ground and I was thinking “thank God I’m not actually going to do it”.
'I was hoping they wouldn’t but then they found it in the end! Got there and I was really nervous. I think I actually started crying because I didn’t want to go in.
‘That’s kind of always been that thing in the back of mind if I’m good enough to do certain things or take that next step in my career.
‘You look back and now it's a silly, funny story. But if my mum never found the training ground who knows what would have happened?
Livramento left Chelsea's academy and signed for Southampton in the summer
The London-born defender penned a five-year deal with the Saints which will expire in 2026
‘I wouldn’t have been thankful then but I’m thankful now that she did.’
So too are Southampton who are now benefiting from the exciting talent that Livramento has become.
A second story about the day he discovered he was being offered his first professional contract also left Livramento grinning.
‘My dad told me he was having a meeting [at Chelsea] and I couldn’t figure out if it was good or bad during training,’ he said.
Having come through Chelsea's academy, Livramento left his boyhood club in the summer
‘I remember getting back in the car after, he told me [the decision] and we just looked at each other and both just started laughing.
‘It's nice to look back on moments like that when you were very young, you’ve worked so hard and sacrificed a lot at young ages, leaving schools, leaving friends you grew up with and something like that was a huge moment for me.’
Following his rapid ascent, Livramento is now sharing similar priceless moments with his father Louis after Premier League matches.
Livramento said: ‘You walk off the pitch, swapping shirts with Paul Pogba and you walk over to the coach and are looking at your dad in the eyes thinking “this is just weird.”
The Southampton defender has made an instant impact in the Premier League for his new club
‘His support has really helped me and it’s been nice to share this experience with him because I don’t know if he would have thought this would have happened.’
Louis is a big reason why it has as a hugely influential figure in his son’s rise.
The pair make use of their dog walks to review his performances and Louis has been there every step of the way during his son’s climb up to the Premier League. Well, almost.
Livramento, 18, had made such a quick impression at Southampton that just two weeks after joining from Chelsea for £5 million without a single senior appearance to his name manager Ralph Hasenhuttl handed him an immediate bow at Everton.
Livramento says Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl's support has been a major help
Hasenhuttl’s call caught many off guard, including Livramento.
‘I didn't really expect to play straight away,’ he admitted.
‘Maybe play in the cup competitions, come on as sub a few times in the Premier League. Towards Christmas maybe get the opportunity to start a few games.’
By the time Livramento found out the day before that he was starting in Southampton’s season opener his father already had tickets for Chelsea’s clash with Crystal Palace.
Livramento made his Premier League debut on the opening day of the season against Everton
Not one to make a fuss, Livramento explained: ‘I don't like messaging anyone [that I’m playing] before the game. I don't like adding pressure on myself.
‘I feel like it's better if someone looks at the line-up and goes “ah, he’s starting?”
‘Being the first game I didn’t really know how I was going to play and adapt to the Premier League.
‘I wanted to experience it on my own first, see how I dealt with it and my dad can always watch the highlights on Match of The Day.
The teenager has started every Premier League game Southampton have played this season
‘Every step of my development, playing for England, through the youth levels, when I stepped up to different age groups I didn’t really tell him, I just let him find out so I feel like he expected it.
‘But I got a few phone calls from him after the game and that’s the only [Southampton] game he hasn’t been to. I gave him my debut shirt so I thought that made up for it!’
Livramento has started every league game for Southampton this season, scoring his
