A look back ahead of the friendlies against France and Ukraine
02 November 2024
Monday, July 15, 2024
Painting the sky of Malta blue. On 16 July 2023, 20 years after their last win, the Italian U19 National Team won the Euros by beating Portugal in the final, just like their only previous success in 2003. This time, Kayode's eighteenth-minute strike was enough to secure victory, compared to the 2-0 win back then, thanks to goals from Della Rocca and Pazzini. The parallels between 2003 and 2023 continue. In the first instance, Alberto Aquilani was named the tournament's best player. This time, it's Juventus' Luis Hasa. Additionally, in 2003, ‘Ciccio’ Lodi was the standout performer, scoring 5 goals in 7 matches, mirrored by Samuele Vignato in Malta. It was an extraordinary feat, still vivid in everyone's eyes and minds, with a wonderful ending to a final that was dominated in the first half but fought hard in the second. Kayode's match-winning goal is yet another déjà vu, reminiscent of Della Rocca’s goal. The ball was put in from the left, with Hasa providing his fourth assist of the tournament, and Fiorentina's player headed it past Gonçalo Ribeiro. This decisive goal closed a 20-year pursuit and painted the Under 19's masterpiece in blue.