"I couldn't wait for these three matches to come." Thus begins, without much ado and with a hint of emotion, the conversation with Simone Pafundi, the number 10 of the Under 19 National Team, the reigning European champions, who, yesterday afternoon, was the true driving force of Bernardo Corradi's team in the 3-1 victory over Scotland at Lignano Sabbiadoro in the debut match of Group 5 of the Elite Phase of the European Championship.

"We've started well," highlights the Italian attacking midfielder: "We won offering a good performance, but we can do much better than this." Italy's performance, which saw him facilitate Zeroli's 1-0, double the lead with a splendid left-foot from outside the box, and finally, provide Romano with the assist for the 3rd goal: "I'm aware that, for a year and a half now, there's been a certain media attention on me," he specifies, "but this, on a personal level, has never distracted me from my goal: to continually improve." An improvement that the Lausanne player, on loan from Udinese, is certainly experiencing in these first months in the Swiss championship: "I'd recommend such an experience to anyone," he insists, "because it teaches you a lot: in a short time, I've grown so much." The Azzurrini, currently tied for first place (3 points) with the Czech Republic, will return to the field against the Czechs on Saturday (16:30 CET, live streaming on the FIGC website) at 'Friuli', a very dear playing field to Pafundi, who grew up in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and was formed in the Bianconeri youth system: "I grew up here," he specifies: "this is my home. Returning to play in Udine will be a wonderful emotion."

Born on 14 March 2006, in Monfalcone in the province of Udine, he started playing football at the age of 6 in Union Fincantieri, the same amateur Friulian club where his brother, two years his senior (2004), Andrea ("I went to watch him and I wanted to play") played before joining the youth sector of Udinese in September 2016. In the Bianconeri jersey, he celebrated, two seasons ago, a promotion to Primavera 1 - along with his brother, who joined Udinese in October 2018 from the amateurs of Donatello ("Playing together with him helped me grow") - before making his Serie A debut at 16 years, 2 months, and 12 days (Salernitana-Udinese 0-4, 22 May, 2022), becoming the first 2006-born player in the history of the top flight: since last January, he has been on loan at Lausanne in Switzerland. In the national team, after being part of the Azzurri youth teams, he made his debut with the senior team on November 16, 2022, in Tirana in the 3-1 comeback victory against Albania (16 years, 8 months, and 7 days old) coming on as a substitute for Marco Verratti ("an incredible player from whom I've stolen as much as I could with my eyes"). Last summer, he was crowned the Under 20 World Cup runner-up in Argentina. And now he's ready to defend the title with the Under 19 team.

The Squad List

Goalkeepers: Renato Bellucci Marin (Roma), Federico Magro (Lazio);

Defenders: Wisdom Amey (Bologna), Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Fabio Cristian Chiarodia (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Christian Corradi (Hellas Verona), Filippo Calixte Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Filippo Pagnucco (Juventus), Marco Palestra (Atalanta);

Midfielders: Aaron Ciammaglichella (Torino), Luca Di Maggio (Inter), Jonas Harder (Fiorentina), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Mattia Mannini (Roma), Marco Romano (Genoa), Kevin Zeroli (Milan);

Forwards: Lorenzo Anghelè (Juventus), Giulio Misitano (Roma), Simone Pafundi (Lausanne), Diego Sia (Milan).

Staff - Head of Delegation: Gianfranco Serioli; Coordinator of Youth National Teams: Maurizio Viscidi; Coach: Bernardo Corradi; Assistant Coach: Mirco Gasparetto; Goalkeeping Coach: Graziano Vinti; Fitness Coach: Marco Montini; Match Analyst: Francesco Donzella; Doctors: Paolo Manetti and Cristiano Benelli; Physiotherapists: Giuliano Gepponi and Tommaso Cannata; Nutritionist: Micol Purrotti; Educational Tutor: Gabriele De Fraia; Press Officer: Alessandro Paoli; Secretary: Aldo Blessich.

Schedule, Results, and Standings of Group 5 of the Elite Phase

First Matchday (Wednesday, 20 March)

Georgia 0-1 Czech Republic

Scotland 1-3 ITALY

Standings: Italy and Czech Republic 3, Georgia and Scotland 0.

Second Matchday (Saturday, 23 March)

16:30 CET: Czech Republic-ITALY (Friuli Stadium, Udine)*

12:00 CET: Scotland-Georgia ('Giuseppe Morigi' Stadium, Manzano)

Third Matchday (Tuesday, 26 March)

14:30 CET: ITALY-Georgia (14:30, 'Guigo Teghil' Stadium, Lignano Sabbiadoro)*

14:30 CET: Czech Republic-Scotland (14:30, 'Giuseppe Morigi' Stadium, Manzano)

*live streaming on the FIGC website.