This story is part of Billboard’s Global World Cup Series, a collection of 11 cover stories which pairs top soccer stars across the world competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with highly-touted musicians in accompanying countries.
There is one word that footballers and singers have in common: play. In the case of Ernia, one of the most important rappers in Milan and in Italy, it is also about playing with words. He is an AC Milan fan since childhood, despite never having played football. It may seem strange, but Santiago Giménez was also a fan too and now he fulfilled the dream of being Rossoneri’s striker. His idol has always been Kaká. For his footballing quality, but also for his relationship with God. Religion helped him when the dream of becoming a professional footballer was about to be shattered by a serious health problem.
Eight years on, things have changed. Santi has won the La Liga MX and triumphed with the national team. The next milestone will come on June 11, when he will kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil. The Italian national team sadly won’t be there: “If you don’t deserve it, it’s right that you don’t go,” Ernia explains. A statement that reflects his philosophy: things must be earned on the pitch.
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Billboard Italy: Bebote and Ernia: Two nicknames, two stories.
Giménez: It was my family who gave it to me because I was a very big baby. The translation of “Bebote” is literally “big baby.” A friend of my father’s, a television journalist, when I scored my first goal in the First Division shouted: “Goal from El Bebote!” From that moment on, everyone started calling me that.
Ernia: My stage name goes back to middle school. I had a classmate, a close friend of mine, who had a hernia, and I used to call her that affectionately. Since everyone kept hearing me repeat that word all the time, it became my nickname.
Santi, what do you feel about the idea of playing the World Cup at home?
Giménez: It’s an incredible dream. When you wear the national team shirt you represent an entire country, so you have a great responsibility, but at the same time it’s a wonderful thing. I know that Mexico, with its people, at home, is very strong.
Santiago Giménez Silvio DeiacoThe first match will be Mexico vs. South Africa at the Azteca, a special stadium for you, Santi.
Giménez: The first time I stepped on that pitch was with Cruz Azul. It’s a bit like coming home for me, I will relive many beautiful moments. For me, it’s the stadium with the most history at international level. It is hosting the World Cup for the third time, and Pelé and Maradona became world champions on that pitch.
What do you remember about the first time you found yourself playing or performing in front of a large crowd?
Ernia: The biggest concert I’ve done was at the Unipol Forum in Milan. For me it was like reaching a destination after a long journey. You’re never aware of your real following, which isn’t tangible until you perform.
Giménez: The most beautiful feeling is when you walk onto the pitch and see the stadium full of fans. It’s not a given, because before you turn professional you basically play without an audience. The first time you find yourself playing in front of all those people is unique.
Ernia, would you like to perform at San Siro one day?
Ernia: You always dream of raising the bar. In my case, though, it’s not a deep-rooted dream, because it wasn’t something I had in mind as a child. When I was young, the Italian music market was much smaller, and only major international artists performed in stadiums. It was unthinkable that an Italian, let alone someone doing rap, could even aspire to something like that.
Ernia Silvio DeiacoWho is the Milan player who inspired you the most?
Ernia: Definitely Paolo Maldini.
Giménez: Excellent choice. (Laughs.) I choose Kaká, because I’ve admired him since I was a child, and because we share a deep faith.
What do you think about the fact that for the first time there will be a halftime show at the World Cup final?
Ernia: It was predictable, given that it’s in the U.S. They simply applied their own entertainment model. It could be an opportunity for European football to understand whether it can work over here too.
Giménez: I think it can be a good moment to release the tension, because in a final, you’re always on edge. It can also be more useful to have more time to rest. In general, I think it’s a wonderful thing that football and music come together. Art is part of life, just like football.
Was there a moment in your career when you had to overcome a difficult challenge that almost made you give up on your dream?
Giménez: When I was 17, due to thrombosis, the doctors told me I would never be able to play football again. It was then that I clung to my faith and God worked a miracle, allowing me to come back and play. I think I’ve learned, in the few years I’ve lived, that the moments that make you grow the most are precisely the difficult ones. There’s a phrase I really like: “Diamonds are formed under pressure.” Life is exactly like that.
Ernia: About 12 or 13 years ago, for a period, I decided to stop making music. I had been trying to break through for so long and couldn’t. But then, after a couple of years, I started again. Being a little older and more mature, I managed to turn it into a profession.
You are both very close to your family. Incidentally, Santi, your father is a former footballer and a coach.
Giménez: Yes, I’ve always been very close to my family and, even though I left home at 18, I’ve always maintained a strong bond with them. My father gave me a lot of advice about football, but he had to train, so the one who took me everywhere by the hand was my mother. She made many sacrifices and I owe her everything.
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