With a shrewd gaze and a crafty smile, Vincenzo Prisco is one of those boys who comes straight out of an old-time tale - a Neapolitan street kid with a ball stuck to his feet and eyes always looking skyward, as if he had always known his fate would be blue, like the Napoli jersey, in which he scored on his debut in the Under-17 Serie A and B championship with a 4-2 away win against Frosinone, and like that of the Under-17 National Team, where he will take centre stage tomorrow (20:00 CEST, live on Vivo Azzurro TV) at the 'Nereo Rocco' stadium in a replay of the last European Championship final against Portugal, on the opening day of the International 'Primavera' Tournament, Città di Trieste.

© figc.it

"Wearing this jersey is an indescribable feeling", confesses the emotional midfielder, called up by coach Massimiliano Favo. "Knowing that the players before us became European champions is a huge responsibility, but it also makes us feel part of something truly unique and special", Special, like his playing style: elegant, much like one of his idols, Andrés Iniesta (‘He’s an incredible player’). Another player he looks up to is Napoli's Slovakian midfielder, Stanislav Lobotka, with whom he dreams of playing at the 'Maradona' one day (‘It would be fantastic’)

The 16 year-old, born in Naples, to father Francesco and mother Rosaria, began playing football at the age of 5 at Sporting San Giorgio, a local amateur club, as a left-back. Three years later, exactly one season before joining Napoli's Youth Sector, he was moved to his current role as a midfielder.

Players Called-up

Goalkeeprs: Matteo Farronato (Inter), Sebastiano Nava (Juventus);
Defenders: Leonardo Noah Bovio (Inter), Samuele Carlaccini (Roma), Pantaleo Creti (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 – Coach: Massimiliano Favo; Deputy Youth National Coordinator: Daniele Zoratto; Men's Goalkeeping Coordinator: Gaetano Petrelli; Assistant Coach: Marco Scarpa; Athletic Trainer: Adalberto Zamuner; Goalkeeping Coach: Cristiano Lupatelli; Match Analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Doctors: Andrea Serdoz and Alessandro Carducci; Physiotherapists: Giorgio Giannini and Enrico Matera; Nutritionist: Claudio Pecorella; Press Office: Alessandro Paoli; Secretary: Massimo Petracchini.

INTERNATIONAL 'PRIMAVERA' UNDER-17 TOURNAMENT CITTÀ DI TRIESTE

Group Stage: ITALY, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland

Matchday 1 (Tuesday, 3 September)

• 17:00 CEST: Spain vs. Switzerland, Municipal Stadium of Monfalcone (GO)
• 20:00 CEST: ITALY vs. Portugal, Stadio Nereo Rocco in Trieste (live on Vivo Azzurro TV)

Matchday 2 (Friday, 6 September)

• 17:00 CEST: Portugal vs. Spain, Municipal Stadium of Monfalcone (GO)
• 20:00 CEST: ITALY vs. Switzerland, Stadio Nereo Rocco in Trieste (live on Vivo Azzurro TV)

Matchday 3 (Monday, 9 September)

• 16:30 CEST: Switzerland vs. Portugal, Municipal Stadium of Monfalcone (GO)
• 20:00 CEST: ITALY vs. Spain, Stadio Nereo Rocco in Trieste (live on Vivo Azzurro TV)