A fascinating sense of déjá vu, the type of which almost seems like it's written in the stars. Thomas Campaniello’s first season representing the Azzurri Under 17 team has been far from a simple coincidence. Just three months after the European triumph in Limassol (Italy 3-0 Portugal, 5 June), the Empoli striker found himself facing the Portuguese one again, beating them 2-0 in the recently renovated Stadio Nereo Rocco, on the first matchday of the ‘Città di Trieste’ International Tournament. 

"The game against Portugal took me back to our historic win three months ago" - the Azzurri player said excitedly - "When I think about it, the fact that I was the only 2008-born player on the pitch and that I was able to help achieve a similar result, I still can’t believe it. The feeling was immense, but one that I have already put to the back of my mind, because my focus is now on helping the team to repeat this feat.” It was a feat which was alongside other underage players like the Milanisti Francesco Camarda and Alessandro Longoni, as well as Andrea Natali, who completed his summer move from Barcelona to Bayer Leverkusen. “My current teammates in the national team always ask me ‘how did it feel to win the European Championship?’, says the striker of Polish origin. ‘I always say that it was an incredible feeling and that I’d love to repeat it together with them by my side. I don’t hide from the fact that it’s one of my personal goals, alongside winning the title with Empoli, nor from the fact that I came so close last year, losing in the final against Roma (Empoli 1-3 Roma, 21 June)

Born on 29 February 2008 in Certaldo, in the province of Firenze, to his father Nicola and Mother Dora, Campaniello began playing football at the age of five with Certadelse, the amateur team from his hometown. In July 2015, he joined Empoli’s youth section after taking part in a summer camp. Campaniello has reached three consecutive finals in the last three seasons, donning the Empoli shirt, losing twice to Inter (Under 14 Pro 2021/2022 and Under 15 Serie A and B 2022/2023) and once to Roma (Under 17 Serie A and B 2023/2024)

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Matteo Farronato (Inter), Sebastiano Nava (Juventus);
Defenders: Leonardo Noah Bovio (Inter), Samuele Carlaccini (Roma), Pantaleo Cretì (Monza), Dauda Amihere Iddrisa (West Bromwich Albion), Alessio Insignito (Spezia), Isaac Collins Isoa (Atalanta), Thomas Lissi (Inter), Mattia Marello (Udinese);
Midfielders: Cristian Acatullo (Sassuolo), Christian Comotto (Milan), Vincenzo Damiano (Atalanta), Kevin Vitale Moressa (Inter), Matteo Oliveira Papaccioli (Como), Vincenzo Prisco (Napoli), Federico Steffanoni (Atalanta), Marco Tiozzo Pagio (Juventus);
Forwards: Danilo Busiello (Empoli), Thomas Campaniello (Empoli), Samuele Inácio (Borussia Dortmund), Simone Lontani (Milan).

Staff – Head Coach: Massimiliano Favo; Deputy Youth National Coordinator: Daniele Zoratto; Area Coordinator Male Goalkeepers: Gaetano Petrelli; Assistant Manager: Marco Scarpa; Athletic trainer: Adalberto Zamuner; Goalkeeper trainer: Cristiano Lupatelli; Match analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Medical team; Andrea Serdoz and Alessandro Carducci; Physiotherapists: Giorgio Giannini and Enrico Matera; Nutritionist: Claudio Pecorella; Press Office; Alessandro Paoli; Secretary: Massimo Petracchini.

INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT UNDER 17 ‘CITTÀ DI TRIESTE’ 

Group stage: ITALY, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland 

Matchday 1 (Tuesday 3 September) 

Spain 6-1 Switzerland

ITALY 2-0 Portugal

 

Standings: Spain and ITALY 3pts, Portugal and Switzerland 0 pts. 

 

Matchday 2 (Friday 6 September 

17:00: Portugal vs. Spain, Stadio Comunale di Monfalcone (GO) 

20:00: ITALY vs. Switzerland, Stadio ‘Nereo Rocco’ di Trieste (Live on Vivo Azzurro TV) 

 

Matchday 3 (Monday 9 September) 

16:30: Switzerland vs. Portugal, Stadio Comunale di Monfalcone (GO) 

20:00: ITALY vs. Spain, Stadio ‘Nereo Rocco’ di Trieste (Live on Vivo Azzurro TV)