The Under-18 national team ended their campaign in Croatia with a fourth win after four matches. After victories over Chile (2-1, 26 September), Denmark (3-1, 29 September) and Saudi Arabia (2-0, 2 October), the Azzurrini also beat Hungary 3-1 in Samobor to complete a perfect run: four wins, ten goals scored, and just three conceded.

Italy opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Francesco Ballarin, the Roma midfielder, before doubling their lead in the 49th minute through Edoardo Evangelista, the Inter defender. Hungary pulled a goal back in the 57th minute through Noel Polonkai, an Austria Wien midfielder, before Daniele Franceschini’s side restored their two-goal advantage in the 90th minute through Jacopo Del Fabro, the Juventus full-back.

‘We played a good game,’ said the Italy coach. ‘It was a tough one, as international football always is. We struggled slightly with the physicality and intensity of our opponents, but we adapted well, creating numerous chances and scoring fewer than we should have and could have. Overall, I’m satisfied because, across these four games, we had the opportunity to give all the players available some playing time. The many rotations obviously made our play less fluid at times, but we expected that. Our mentality and identity remained unchanged, because we have our own identity.’

 

Italia U18 vs Ungheria U18 3-1 (05-10-2026)

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Lorenzo Costoli (Genoa), Carlo Galliera (Inter), Mattia Sonzogni (Atalanta)**;

Defenders: Matteo Albini (Como), Giampaolo Bonifazi (Roma), Cristian Covelli (Empoli), Lorenzo Dattilo (Roma), Jacopo Del Fabro (Juventus), Djibril Diallo (Parma), Andrea Donato (Inter), Edoardo Evangelista (Inter), Davide Gaffurini (Torino), Lorenzo Puricelli (Inter), Davide Rigo (Juventus), Giacomo Strata (Roma), Ludovico Varali (Parma);

Midfielders: Francesco Ballarin (Roma), Edoardo Biondini (Empoli), Riccardo Cassano (Como), Tito Maria Fabbri (Modena)**, Francesco Gasparello (Atalanta), Gioele Giammattei (Roma), Gianluca Tommaso Okon-Engstler (Club Brugge), Francesco Olivieri (Atalanta);

Forwards: Tommaso Casagrande (Hellas Verona), Thomas Corigliano (Juventus), Federico Croci (Fiorentina), Marcello Fugazzola (Atalanta), Jacopo Landi (Lazio), Thomas Matarrese (Inter), Ikenna Miracle Nwagwu (Fiorentina)****, Alan Orlandi (Empoli), Diego Perillo (Atalanta), Mateo Santa Maria (Juventus), Achille Tigano (Como).

*available from 21 to 29 September.

**available from 29 September to 5 October.

***excluded from the squad on 21 September.

****called up on 29 September as an addition.

 

Staff – Head coach: Daniele Franceschini; Head of Delegation: Giovanni Galli; Assistant coach: Marco Scarpa; Goalkeeping coach: Francesco Antonioli; Fitness coach: Roberto Ghielmetti; Match analyst: Luca Federico; Team doctor: Cristiano Benelli; Physiotherapist: Aldo Abbadia; Nutritionist: Giuseppe Cuzzocrea; Secretary: Guglielmo Cammino.