He couldn’t have known it at the time, but Graziano Pelle’s decision to book a holiday to Spain in 2012 would end up becoming one of the most important moments in his football career.

It was at a beachside club during the summer of that year that the striker happened across a chance meeting with a friend of one of Ronald Koeman’s sons.

Their conversation sparked a chain of events that led to Pelle signing for Feyenoord, from where he embarked on a period that has seen his game reach brilliant new levels.

“I was on vacation in Spain and then I met a person that was a friend of Ronald’s son, and then they were messaging each other, and he said ‘Say hi to Graziano’,” explained Pelle, who was enduring an unfruitful period with Parma at the time.

“Then I said ‘Ah, say hi back’ and then I say ‘Say to his father to bring me to Feyenoord if there is any place.’ “Then I don’t know if everything started from there, but after a few weeks I received a call from a Feyenoord director that they were interested in me, and everything started from that.”

Pelle had known Koeman’s son through his time at Dutch club AZ, where Koeman had managed him for a spell.

The chance to be reunited with the man who is now his boss at Saints was one the Italian star jumped at.

“I knew that I had someone in front of me that trusted my quality, and I had the confidence in myself,” said Pelle.

“Then, after, I score a lot of goals.

“On one side, he say thanks to me and I have to say thanks to him. Then it’s like a kind of connection between each other.”

The 29-year-old, who is as thoughtful and charming off the pitch as he is passionate on it, added: “He knows that I am an intelligent person and he knows when I’m doing something wrong he doesn’t need to explain everything – he just tells me a few words that let me understand that ‘Graziano, you are not in the right way, because I know you.’

“This I like, because we can have an easy connection between two persons that are honest with each other. He gives me the opportunity and I have to show [for him].”

That connection was clearly one of the reasons why Koeman was so keen to bring Pelle – who scored 50 league goals in two seasons at Feyenoord – to Saints last summer.

It is a move that has paid huge dividends, with the striker scoring 12 times already this season and establishing himself as an integral part of a team that is pushing for European, and even Champions League, qualification.

Still, though, Pelle is adamant he can give more.

“I know that I could do better, actually,” he said. “I know that I could do what I’m doing now, but I know that I could do even better.

“My way is always to improve and to try to be better in the next games.”

With that in mind, the words of former Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi are ones that Pelle remembers.

“There is a saying after him, which says if you train like a Fiat 500 you can’t play like a Ferrari,” he said.

Daily Echo:

Pelle is wise enough to know that injury and recovery issues mean you cannot always train at your maximum, but it is that mindset of continually striving for your best that he tries to maintain.

“For me, it is important that I know, and I see in my head, the match after the game,” he explained.

“I know even if I am at home I can review the game in my head, and then I know what I could do better.

“This is important for me, because it means that you want to improve, and this is the way I like.

“I like really details – details sometimes make a difference. That’s why I want to go and improve.”

Pelle’s passion for the game began at his childhood home, near Lecce, where he would play with many of his friends and family.

“We had a big garden that actually was stone,” he recalled. “We were playing there, all my friends.

“We had gates for cars – that was one goal.

“At the end we had a real garden, but there was like a small step, and we put two stones and that was another goal.”

Pelle’s love for football would be nurtured by his dad, who he said encouraged him without ever being pushy.

Daily Echo:

His parents still watch all his games, and even came to England over Christmas – despite his father’s fear of flying – to see him in action.

While his dad helped encourage his football, it was Pelle’s mum who was responsible for one of the most fascinating parts of his background – his dancing career.

Along with his sister, Pelle became a junior dance champion in Italy when he was younger, and he is confident his exper-iences on the floor have helped him in his football career, with evidence such as his wonder goal against QPR this season backing that up.

“I really believe in that,” he said. “I did it especially for my mother.

“I like music in general, but probably if my mother didn’t say to me ‘Do it,’ I wouldn’t do it.

“My sister was looking for a partner, then my mother said ‘Do this.’ “I was really young. I was ten years old, until 14 when I went to the professional team in Lecce.

“That four years I was combining football and dancing, and when you practise that you really need to do the step.

“You have to find the balance, the rhythm and you have to be quick sometimes, and in a small space.

“This helps me when I grow – if I have to do something in a balanced way I’m really good at it. I’m really happy that actually I did this sport.”

Pelle’s big passion outside of football now is travelling.

Although he lives near Winchester, he and his girlfriend, Hungarian model Viktoria Varga, like to spend much of their free time on the move, sampling new and different cultures and sights.

“I love travel,” he said. “I love beauty, then when I have the chance to go someplace with a good view, or nice natural [scenes], I always do.”

Pelle added: “Rome, being Italian, is an amazing city. It’s like you are back in history.

“I can say Mexico, you don’t expect, but there’s so much nature and it’s protected so many nice beautiful, beautiful areas that combine nature and water. It’s amazing.

Daily Echo:

“Maldives is like going to heaven, because it’s like a paradise.

“My city also where I come from is beautiful in the summer, but there are so many places I have been – Thailand – many, many, many.”

While he is fond of travelling, Pelle also likes his current base in the laid-back surroundings of Hampshire.

“I like where I play to be calm and relaxed, because this is my job and I don’t want to have around me too much noise, because when I play I have to be relaxed and focused,” he said.

Pelle has clearly been just that.

His form has not only helped Saints surprise every single observer going this season, it has also earned him a place in Italy’s senior squad, with the forward scoring on his debut for his country.

He harbours hopes of now making Euro 2016 with his national team, but believes the only way to get there is by continuing to do his best with Saints.

And, with the squad that the club has right now, Pelle believes they have the ability to continue to challenge near the top of the Premier League.

“I believe a lot in the mentality of the players,” he said.

“We have to be realistic and see the players that we have – a lot of players. It’s not just two players also. It is on the bench. We have big, big names.

“We have to be proud about ourselves and try to reach the best we can. Be realistic, but still try to reach.

“We are not afraid to be there on top. We just have to enjoy the moment and be focused to keep it.”