FIFA U20: Our Italian Starlets
The Azzurrini are winning the World over.
It all began with a breathtaking victory over Brazil and has culminated into qualification for the World Cup Final. Italy has since slayed South Korea, Colombia, Dominican Republic and England.
Carmine Nunziata has managed to convert a depleted squad — beaten only by Nigeria in the group stage — into the Golden Boys of the 23rd edition of this tournament. The last hurdle is the match against Uruguay.
Following two consecutive semi-final appearances in 2017 and 2019 (the 2021 edition was cancelled for obvious reasons), Italy will appear in the final for the first time. You can watch that here on FIFA+.
Let’s celebrate with goals, goals and more goals.
CESARE CASADEI (7 goals, 2 assists)
The boy from Ravenna has displaced Paolo Rossi (6 goals at Spain 1982) and Toto Schillaci (6 goals at Italia 1990) as the most successful Italian goalscorer in any international tournament.
Impressively, Casadei is a central midfielder, and now features on the topscorer list that contains Leo Messi, Sergio Aguero, Javier Saviola, compatriot Riccardo Orsolini and (most recently) Erling Haaland.
FRANCESCO PIO ESPOSITO (1 Goal)
It’s all about deadly finishing in front of goal. Esposito combined equal measures of footballing intelligence and braun, winning the front position at the near post to execute a brutal backheel finish to extend Italy’s lead over Colombia to 0–3 in the Quarter Final.
Born in 2005 — yes, he’s just 17 years old — Esposito is the brother of Salvatore (Spezia) and Sebastiano (Bari). That means all three fratelli d’Italia will play their respective matches within hours of each other tonight, 11th June.
GIUSEPPE AMBROSINO (1 Goal, 2 Assists)
Loaned out to Serie B clubs Como and Cittadella for the 2022–23 season after excelling in Napoli’s Primavera, Ambrosino is a striker of the Gilardino-Casiraghi mould. Forward the link below to the minute-mark to see how he picked out the bottom corner against the Domican Republic.
Ambrosino’s incisive assist sent Baldanzi through for the opener against England.
TOMMASO BALDANZI (2 Goals, 2 Assists)
Empoli has a distincitive reputation when it comes to developing young Italian talent, and Baldanzi is no exception. Here he is caressing the ball past England’s Matthew Cox in the Round of 16 (fast forward to the 20th second).
Preferred by Nunziata as the starting XI playmaker for the majority of the tournament, he was eventually substituted against South Korea quite late for the introduction of….
SIMONE PAFUNDI (1 Goal, 1 Assist)
Something special from the Siniša Mihailović left-foot freekick handbook. Perhaps Pafundi’s favourite player was Alvaro Recoba? This is the goal that clinched Italy’s place in the final, and why so many had compared Pafundi’s set piece skillset with Leo Messi.
Clearly, THIS is why Roberto Mancini has capped the Udinese attacking midfielder for the senior Italian team — the youngest player selected in a century. “He’s got Diego’s left foot,” said former Napoli striker and 1989–90 Scudetto-winner Andrea Carnevale, currently a director at Udinese.
In bocca al lupo, ragazzi. Forza Italia.
Here is Football Italia’s article on the u20 team
Here is the FIFA+ Channel to watch the Final
