Hyped by Zlatan, hidden by Maldini - Italy's next great striker?

Inter Milan's 20-year-old striker Francesco Pio Esposito is rightly being lauded and scored his first extremity for Italy against Estonia past week, but different sanction is making waves - Francesco Camarda, a subordinate 3 years younger, and perchance much devastating.

Together, they could good go nan onslaught business that defines nan Azzurri's future.

At 17 years, six months and 18 days old, Camarda scored his first Serie A extremity against Bologna successful September, becoming nan youngest subordinate successful Lecce's history to do truthful - nan AC Milan guardant sent southbound to summation acquisition connected indebtedness nether Eusebio di Francesco.

With that extremity earlier nan world break, he collapsed yet different grounds successful his remarkably precocious career.

Camarda had already made history connected 25 November 2023, erstwhile he came connected precocious successful Milan's crippled against Fiorentina.

Under Stefano Pioli, he became nan youngest subordinate to make his debut successful Serie A. The Italian FA granted Milan a typical exemption to let Camarda to play astatine conscionable 15 years, 8 months, and 13 days, because regulations do not let players nether 16 to characteristic successful nan apical flight.

He was besides nan youngest subordinate to look for Milan, breaking nan grounds held by legendary defender Paolo Maldini.

The pursuing season, nether Paulo Fonseca, he made his Champions League debut against Club Brugge - pinch a extremity ruled retired by nan video adjunct referee (VAR) - becoming Milan and Italy's youngest subordinate to characteristic successful nan title astatine 16 years and 226 days.

This week, he besides became nan youngest Italian ever to people for nan under-21s nationalist team. On his Azzurrini debut against Sweden successful a European Championship qualifier, nan 17-year-old netted a cheeky Panenka penalty.

It showcased each his qualities - composure, speedy feet, spot connected nan ball, and an ice-cold temperament successful beforehand of goal.

"Sometimes, erstwhile he drops deep, he still looks a spot earthy technically, but wrong nan container he's a phenomenon," said head Massimiliano Favo, who led Italy Under-17s to triumph astatine nan 2024 European Championship, wherever Camarda was his main striker.

"His expertise to find nan correct spot and to grip nan shot and his ruthlessness erstwhile shooting are things I've ne'er seen successful anyone of his age."

In that tournament, contempt being a twelvemonth younger than astir team-mates, Camarda scored 4 goals - including 2 successful nan last against Portugal and nan decisive punishment versus England successful nan quarter-finals - earning some nan trophy and nan subordinate of nan tourney award.

"His hunger and nan measurement he earns nan respect of team-mates are his biggest strengths, moreover much than his earthy scoring instinct, because he lives for goals," said Favo.

Camarda, who has ever played pinch older team-mates, has been regarded arsenic a prodigy successful Italy for years.

But Milan - his boyhood club, wherever he has been since property 7 - person done good to shield him from nan spotlight. He, successful turn, has fto his talent do nan talking.

"You could show correct distant he was different. His consciousness and velocity of thought stood out," said Angelo Carbone, erstwhile caput of Milan's younker academy and now successful complaint astatine US Sassuolo.

"The first clip I saw him was astatine a seven-a-side trial. He did things pinch unthinkable simplicity - direct, effective play, and decisions beyond his age.

"You could spot it successful really he utilized his assemblage and received nan shot - those are innate qualities. Even earlier nan play reaches nan box, he already knows wherever to beryllium to get to nan shot first."

And if anyone still doubted his confidence, erstwhile AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic provided impervious successful his ain way.

After Camarda's first Serie A goal, nan Swede posted connected Instagram an aged connection nan boy had sent him backmost successful 2019, introducing himself arsenic "a Milan striker".

"When I messaged Ibra, I was only 10," Camarda explained successful a news convention earlier nan Sweden game. "I admired him a lot, and still do. He's a subordinate I've learned truthful overmuch from."

Camarda - who has a tattoo of nan San Siro's Curva Sud connected his correct limb - seems to return everything successful his stride, showing singular calm nether nan weight of expectation.

"Honestly, I don't deliberation astir it much," he said. "People opportunity I'm destined for greatness - I don't.

"I conscionable attraction connected nan present, time by day, trying to bask myself and springiness my champion for some nine and country. I effort to artifact retired nan noise, because successful nan extremity nan transportation speaks."

The boy who has already scored much than 500 goals successful younker shot is very adjacent to his parents, who moved from nan Milan area to Lecce to support his development.

Milan intelligibly spot him arsenic portion of their early - aft fending disconnected liking from nan likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Manchester City, they tied him down pinch a statement until 2028.

"I retrieve when, astatine 16, we called him up for nan under-18s to play a friends against nan first team," recalls Carbone.

"He was marked by Fikayo Tomori, and he scored correct away. [Milan method director] Maldini, who was watching, instantly asked to move disconnected nan Milan Channel cameras - Camarda wasn't nether statement yet, and he didn't want overseas clubs to announcement him."

"Maybe not correct away, but successful a fewer years, he'll beryllium a apical player," predicts Italy Under-21s leader Favo.

"Francesco has each nan qualities to go a cardinal fig for Italian football," said Carbone. "Will it happen? We can't opportunity yet, but he surely has everything it takes.

"He still has to travel his process of improvement though - he's still conscionable a 17-year-old kid."

A kid who added 2 much goals to his tally successful his 2nd crippled for Italy Under-21s against Armenia connected Tuesday.

For now, Milan and Italy fans alike tin only watch, wait, and dream - eager to spot conscionable really precocious Camarda tin climb.