Not much was expected from Italy heading into Euro 2024 and, for the most part, they pretty much matched expectations, limping through the group stages before being well beaten by Switzerland in the round of 16. But while the Azzurri did not offer a great deal to get excited about as a collective, the emergence of one young defender did ensure they remained in the conversation during the early stages of the tournament.
Just six days after his first-ever senior international start in a friendly victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina, Riccardo Calafiori was given the nod by Luciano Spalletti for his side's European Championship opener against Albania. By full-time, he was all anyone was talking about.
With his Paolo Maldini-esque locks dancing in the wind, the 22-year-old showed no signs of nerves, helping Italy recover from an early error to secure a 2-1 victory. Operating as a left-sided centre-back alongside Alessandro Bastoni, the duo provided some much-needed hope for the post Giorgio Chiellini-Leonardo Bonucci era, with Calafiori dominating in the air and on the ground while scarcely misplacing a pass and driving his side forward from the back.
He was understandably delighted at full-time, telling reporters: "It’s been a very nice week for me. I learnt I could be a starter two days ago. Spalletti asked me if I was ready. I said yes, obviously. I thought about positive things, about the emotions I could feel on the pitch and it was a great thing. I’ve never felt anything like this before. I’m very happy."
This display set the tone for a positive Euros on a personal level, with Calafiori having now completed a dream Premier League move to Arsenal. This good fortune is pretty remarkable, considering all of the road blocks the youngster had to navigate during the early part of his career.