Longoni, from the minimoto scene to diving between the Azzurri goalposts: "I would have never imagined playing in a European Championship"
The 2008-born goalkeeper, who on Sunday, 2 June (at 19:30 CEST) at the Antōnīs Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca will defend the goal for the Italian Under-21 team against Denmark, started out riding on two wheels before finding his calling in footballFriday, May 31, 2024
Baby-faced, with feline reflexes and an unwaivering daring spirit, Alessandro Longoni embodies a mix as peculiar as it is fascinating, with a past on minimotos and a present between the posts for AC Milan and the Italy Under 17's. "My grandmother Franca," confesses the Italian number 12, "gave me a small two-wheeler, and for a few years, I raced on the track, placing second in a couple of races before my mother, worried that I might get hurt, 'forced' me to play football. Specifically, as a goalkeeper. She thought it was a role less prone to clashes." Clashes which, during yesterday's quarter-final match against England, were not lacking ("they're part of the game"). Just as his saves were not lacking, crucial to allowing Massimiliano Favo's boys to secure a place in the semi-finals, where on Sunday, 2 June at the Antōnīs Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca, they will face Denmark (at 19:30 CEST).
"At the beginning of the season," confessed the 2008-born goalkeeper, "I would have never imagined being here, underage, playing in a European Championship finals. In January, when I received my first call-up (for the double friendly in Los Barrios against Spain, editor's note), I was pleasantly surprised, and from that moment on, I started to think that maybe I could have a small chance." A chance that, judging by his latest performance, he is making the most of. "Against England," he admitted, "I just focused on staying calm and doing the simple things, hoping that the rest would take care of itself. Last night, I must be honest, I was also a bit lucky." Luck, proverbially, favours the bold, just like him. "I'm not afraid to say that we are a strong team," Longoni emphasises, "very united. In the semifinals, we can make our mark, as we have always done until now."
Born on 31 January 2008, in Como to father Luigi and mother Corina, he began playing football at the age of 9, after a stint in motocross, at AC Milan, his first and so far only club. During the season, he made 24 appearances and notched up 9 clean sheets (a record in group B), underage, as the goalkeeper for Giovanni Renna's Under 17 team, confirming himself as one of the strongest goalkeepers in Italy. In Cyprus, he is on the way to proving himself to be one of the strongest in Europe as well.
UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Group Phase
Group A: Cyprus, Ukraine, Serbia, and Czechia.
Group B: Denmark, Austria, Croatia, and Wales.
Group C: ITALY, Sweden, Slovakia, and Poland.
Group D: France, Portugal, Spain, and England.
Group C Schedule
Matchday 1 (Tuesday 21 May)
Slovakia 0-0 Sweden
ITALY 2-0 Poland
Matchday 2 (Friday 24 May)
ITALY 2-0 Slovakia
Sweden 2-2 Poland
Matchday 3 (Monday 27 May)
Sweden 1-2 ITALY
Poland 4-0 Slovakia
Table: ITALY 9 points, Poland 4, Sweden 2, Slovakia 1.
Knockout stages
Quarter-finals
Wednesday 29 May
Q1) Czechia 1-1 Denmark 1-1 (3-5 on penalties)
Q2) Austria 2-3 Serbia
Thursday 30 May
Q3) ITALY 1-1 England (5-4 on penalties)
Q4) Portugal 2-1 Poland
Semi-finals (Sunday 2 June)
S1) 18:00 local time (17:00 CEST): Denmark vs. ITALY, AEK Arena in Larnaca
S2) 20:30 local time (19:30 CEST): Serbia vs. Portugal, Antōnīs Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca
Final (Wednesday 5 June)
20:30 local time (19:30 CEST): S1 winner vs. S2 winner, Limassol Stadium in Limassol