Michael Kayode has written a glorious page in the recent story of the Italy National Team: that goal he scored in the Under 19 European Championships 2023 final against Portugal will never be forgotten. Kayode has come a long way: now he is a stable part of the Viola's first team, and is all part of Carmine Nunziata's group that hopes to make it to the Under 21 European Championships in Slovakia. In the first part of the season, with Fiorentina, he has only played 24 minutes in the league, but has been used more frequently in Conference League. Now, it's time for a friendly double header with the National Side: firstly against France on Friday 15 (16:15 CET, RaiSport) in Empoli and then against Ukraine on Thursday 19 (18:15 CET, Rai 2) in La Spezia. "In the first three months, lots of things happened - Kayode says from Tirrenia -. We started in the right way, we are second in the standings but we have to keep giving our all. We didn't start well, but I knew that we'd get to this point. Disappointment? Absolutely not, Palladino has me in consideration, he plays me in the cup and also out wide. It's going really well".  

On Friday, France will arrive at the 'Castellani' who just like Italy and Ukraine have already qualified for the competition in Slovakia: "It is an honour to play in this match, which we will treat as if it were a final in the Euro's. France have lots of talented players, but we are also a great team, in which I can play well in a back four, be it on the left or right. The competition? We live with it really well, the important thing is to give our all" In Malta, in that famous finale, Kayode played ahead of the other in an advanced position: "I find myself playing further up, that day Bollini asked me to do this and we all know how it went. It's a feeling that I will keep with me forever, and I thank all those who have been with me in this journey. That goes for Bollini, the staff and all of my teammates". Speaking of teammates, Kayode - born in Borgomanero and arrived to Fiorentina in 2021 - he side he takes inspiration from Dodò, "but also in the First Team there are players like Di Lorenzo and Cambiaso to learn from". 

With Spalletti, however, for the Nations League games against Belgium and France there is also Pietro Comuzzo, another young star from Fiorentina. "I'm so happy for him - Kayode admits -. He hasn't given up an inch for the whole year, he deserves everything that is happening to him now". 

For the double header against France and Ukraine, Alessandro Bianco (Monza) won't be available as he left the camp at Tirrenia. 

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (Palermo), Jacopo Sassi (Modena), Gioele Zacchi (Latina);
Defenders: Nicolò Bertola (Spezia), Giovanni Bonfanti (Pisa), Diego Coppola (Hellas Verona), Daniele Ghilardi (Hellas Verona), Gabriele Guarino (Carrarese), Michael Olabode Kayode (Fiorentina), Marco Palestra (Atalanta), Lorenzo Pirola (Olympiacos), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Riccardo Turicchia (Catanzaro), Mattia Zanotti (Lugano);
Midfielders: Tommaso Baldanzi (Roma), Alessandro Bianco (Monza), Cesare Casadei (Chelsea), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), Fabio Miretti (Genoa), Cher Ndour (Besiktas), Matteo Prati (Cagliari);
Forwards: Giuseppe Ambrosino (Frosinone), Francesco Pio Esposito (Spezia), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), Simone Pafundi (Losanna), Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo)