He is the new face in the camp, currently preparing at Coverciano for the World Cup play-off semi-final. A debutant with the senior Italy side, his call-up from head coach Gennaro Gattuso came as the natural step in a consistent run of strong performances this season with Cagliari. Marco Palestra spoke today to Vivo Azzurro TV about his beginnings, his present and his immediate future, looking ahead to Thursday night’s match in Bergamo against Northern Ireland.

“No, I didn’t expect the call-up, also because representing Italy is a dream for everyone. Of course, I believed, and I’m very happy to be here,” said Palestra, visibly emotional. The youngster turned 21 just about twenty days ago, on 3 March, to be precise.

A real threat down the wing, lethal for opponents. Yet there was a time when he was actually the slowest: “At Under-15 level, because I was a bit behind physically compared to the others. But my coaches never left me aside or made me feel inadequate, and my family has always supported me.”

And what was his first day with the senior Italy national football team like at Coverciano? “Everyone welcomed me really well, and the coach made me feel completely at ease. Silvio Baldini’s kind words about me yesterday? He helped me a lot and gave me plenty of advice, too. If I’m here, it’s also thanks to him and his staff.”

And on Thursday, the clash with Northern Ireland: “It’s one of the most important matches of the last few years. Even if it’s my first time here, I can feel the importance of the game and the responsibility of wearing this shirt. We’re training well, it’s a very focused group but also mentally free, because the psychology can make the difference.”