Sometimes, youth tournaments feel like coming-of-age stories. You never quite know when the moment is going to come, when a young player stops being just a prospect and starts to look like someone destined for great things. For Andrea Donato, that moment may have come yesterday at Tallinn’s Kalevi Central Stadium.

In the 45th minute of Italy’s final Group B match against Denmark at the UEFA Under-17 European Championship in Estonia, the Azzurrini were leading 2-1 when the Inter centre-back rose highest from a corner and scored to make it 3-1. The match eventually ended 3-3, a result that secured top spot in the group for Italy with seven points. It was an important goal, especially at that stage of the game, but above all it was a symbolic one, a sign of a quiet leader capable of stepping up when it matters most. 

“Yesterday’s goal was an indescribable feeling,” said Andrea Donato. “I couldn’t waste such a perfect delivery from Fugazzola. For a defender, I score fairly often, but doing it in this shirt and at this stage of the tournament is priceless. The moment the ball went in, I was a mix of disbelief and excitement, as you can probably tell from my celebration. I immediately ran to hug coach Scarpa, because he had called it the day before.”

His words perfectly reflect the authenticity of a young player who still experiences football with genuine excitement. Because behind that celebration was more than just the joy of scoring an important goal, it was a reflection of a group that shares every moment of its journey together.

Born in 2009 and developed within Inter’s academy, Andrea has grown up in a footballing environment that demands technical quality from defenders as much as from any other player on the pitch. And he has embraced those demands naturally, progressing steadily.

This season, Samir Handanovič worked closely with him in Inter’s Under-17 side. Andrea made 19 appearances, playing 1,292 minutes and scoring three goals as the Nerazzurri finished top of Group B with 53 points to secure a place in the quarter-finals against Hellas Verona. But it’s not just the stats that stand out, it is the consistency of his performances. Andrea never loses focus and he is involved in every phase of play.

And when he stepped up to Simone Fautario’s Under-18 side, the higher level did not faze him. He made five appearances (250 minutes) and scored twice, looking comfortable amongst the older players. After finishing top of their league phase with 81 points, the Under-18s have also booked their place in the semi-finals, which will be played on June 11 in Emilia-Romagna.

Andrea’s story begins in Garbagnate Milanese, on the outskirts of Milan, where he was born on 14 January 2009. He started playing football at the age of four with Oratorio San Francesco before joining Inter’s youth academy. Since then, the Nerazzurri colours have been part of his footballing journey.

“I fell in love with football thanks to the passion my dad passed on to me.” It’s simple, but says a lot. Andrea’s football is still shaped by the values that first drew him to the game: hard work, family and a dream shared with the people closest to him.

His father Antonio, mother Stefania and sister Giorgia have been by his side throughout the journey. There is no sporting pedigree in the family, just the constant support of those who have helped him pursue his ambitions.

“I’d like to dedicate this goal to my family, my friends and everyone who cares about me,” Andrea said. Perhaps that says more than anything else about the person behind the player. Even amid the excitement and pressure of an international tournament, he remains firmly grounded and connected to those who matter most.

The defender he looks up to is Virgil van Dijk, and the comparison is clear. Andrea likes to defend with composure and intelligence, relying on positioning, timing and reading the game rather than flashy interventions. He always seems to know the right moment to act.

And then there is the Azzurri shirt, the ultimate source of pride. Representing Italy Under-17s under coach Daniele Franceschini, Andrea is preparing for Thursday’s European Championship semi-final against Spain at Tallinn’s Lilleküla Stadium.

"Being here is a dream,” he said. “To be among the 20 best players in Italy is a huge honour.”

And it’s against Spain that Andrea already shows the kind of maturity you tend to see in players destined to go far. “They are a strong team. We already faced them in January and lost (2-0 and 3-0 on 20 and 22 January in Las Rozas, ed.), but I think we’re a completely different side now. We still have the same principles, but we’ve improved them. It will be a great match, and we’ll give everything to make it memorable and play our best football.”

That’s probably the best way to describe him right now: a player who is excited to play but is also learning how to handle the demands of international football. 

Tallinn could end up being one of those places that become special to him, where Andrea Donato left a small but meaningful mark, just enough to show the journey is only just getting started.

STORY. Andrea Donato was born on 14 January 2009 in Garbagnate Milanese, in the province of Milan, to parents Antonio and Stefania. He started playing football at the age of four at Oratorio San Francesco, before joining Inter’s youth academy six years later. This season he has made 24 appearances and scored five goals for the Nerazzurri: 19 appearances (1,292 minutes) and three goals with Samir Handanovič’s Under-17 side, plus five appearances (250 minutes) and two goals while playing above his age group with Simone Fautario’s Under-18 team.

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: 1. Emanuele Giaretta (Juventus), 12. Christian Lupo (Lecce);
Defenders: 2. Giampaolo Bonifazi (Roma), 3. Matteo Albini (Como), 4. Djibril Diallo (Parma), 5. Ludovico Varali (Parma), 6. Andrea Donato (Inter), 13. Lorenzo Dattilo (Roma), 14. Lorenzo Puricelli (Inter), 20. Edoardo Dario Rocca (Inter);
Midfielders: 8. Edoardo Biondini (Empoli), 15. Gianluca Tommaso Okon-Engstler (Club Brugge)16. Francesco Ballarin (Venezia), 17. Francesco Gasparello (Atalanta);
Forwards: 7. Jacopo Landi (Empoli), 9. Diego Perillo (Empoli), 10. Thomas Corigliano (Juventus), 11. Marcello Fugazzola (Atalanta), 19. Tommaso Casagrande (Hellas Verona), 21. Federico Croci (Fiorentina).

Staff – Head Coach: Daniele Franceschini; Head of delegation: Filippo Corti; Deputy Coordinator of national youth teams: Daniele Zoratto; Assistant Coach: Marco Scarpa; Goalkeeping coach: Francesco Antonioli; Fitness coach: Roberto Ghielmetti; Match analyst: Francesco Donzella; Doctors: Francesco Cuccaro and Giorgio Liberati Petrucci; Physiotherapists: Aldo Abbadia and Saverio Didonato; Nutritionist: Claudio Pecorella; School tutor: Fabrizio Scarpelli; Club Italia Scout: Claudio Gabetta; Administration, finance and control office: Andrea Ottaviani; Press Office: Alessandro Paoli; Secretary: Guglielmo Cammino.

UEFA European Under-17 Championship Estonia 2026 | Final stage

Group stage (25 May – 1 June)

Group A: Estonia, Belgium, Croatia, Spain

Group B: Montenegro, France, ITALY, Denmark

Matchday 1

Monday 25 May

Croatia 0-2 Belgium 

Estonia1-4 Spain

Tuesday 26 May

ITALY 1-0 France

Montenegro 1-2 Denmark 

Matchday 2

Thursday 28 May

Belgium 0-1 Spain

Estonia 1-3 Croatia

Friday 29 May

Montenegro 0-3 ITALY

France 4-0 Denmark

Matchday 3

Sunday 31 May

Belgium 1-0 Estonia 

Spain 2-3 Croatia

Monday 1 June

France 5-0 Montenegro 

Denmark 3-3 ITALY

Group A standings: Belgium 6 (+1), Spain 6 (0), Croatia 6 (-1), Estonia 0

Group B standings: ITALY 7, France 6, Denmark 4, Montenegro 0

*Qualified for the semi-finals thanks to better goal difference in the mini-league standings.

Knockout stage (4–7 June)

Semi-finals (Thursday 4 June)

S1) 13:30: Belgium-France, Kadriorg Stadium (Tallinn)

S2) 19:00: ITALY-Spain, Lilleküla Stadium (Tallinn)

Final (Sunday 7 June)

19:00: Winner S1 – Winner S2, Lilleküla Stadium (Tallinn)

NB: All times are CET (Central European Time)