Matteo Palma is set to make his senior Italy debut against France on Thursday at 20.45 in the Nations League, and he is not hiding what it means to him. The 18-year-old, born in Berlin, once played for Germany at youth level before switching to Italy at senior level.
"This is something I could never have imagined. This is a huge honor that I will carry in my heart forever," Palma, quoted by SPORT1, said in translated comments from German. He added that he had been dreaming of the moment since he was a little boy, watching Italy with his father and brother and singing along to the anthem.
Palma's path to the senior side
Palma's route to this point has been unusual but pretty easy to trace. At 13, he moved from his mother in Berlin to his father in Italy, and the family link runs through the whole story. He said both sides of his family were delighted by the call-up, while his father and mother both backed the decision.
The call-up also has a football argument behind it. Palma has already made 6 Serie A appearances this season, and his 6.78 rating suggests he is earning minutes rather than merely being included for the romance of the occasion. Italy's recent Nations League form is W-D-W-L, so the fixture against France is arriving in a live competitive setting rather than a dead rubber.
France and the size of the moment
Palma is not being asked to carry the side, but the setting still matters. Italy vs France is next on 12 November at 19:45 UTC, and that is a proper stage for a first senior cap.
The call-up says something about where he is in his development. Palma has moved from youth football with Germany to a senior chance with Italy, and the next step now is the one that happens on the pitch, not in the story around him.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
