The Lazio defender is making his first championship for Italy as a 33-year-old and the road there has been anything but straight.
After partying a lot during his career, Acerbi contracted testicular cancer in 2013. In early 2014, he was treated with cytotoxic drugs and lost his appetite completely.
During this period, he ate almost exclusively pizza with tuna and onions.
- It happened that I did not eat anything and I slept even less, he says according to theguardian.com.
Acerbi then played for Sassuolo and was forced to take a break from football - but despite that he did not stop partying.
- I started the days by getting treatment for the cancer, some rest in the afternoon and then a party at night.
Sometimes I was out until seven in the morning.
Started seeing a psychologist
But one day he got a thought.
- I woke up and thought about how much I worried my parents, about all the wasted opportunities and all the nights I have been out partying.
After that, he stopped partying and started seeing a psychologist instead.
Today he only drinks water, eats vegetables, fruit, rice and bresaola.
"Cancer saved my life"
Tonight, eight years after the cancer announcement, he is with us when his Italy plays the European Championship quarter-finals.
- I really drank everything and I thought about quitting football.
The cancer saved my life.
Italy reaches the European Championship quarter-final against Belgium with 31 games without a loss, four straight wins in the European Championship and 9-1 in goal difference.
- We always aim high.
We are here, so why not dream ?, Acerbi says to SVT Sport.