PHOTO
There’s always a moment when a young talent develops from a promise into a reality. For Samuele Inácio, that moment arrived in Doha, during the opening match of Massimiliano Favo’s Italy Under-18 side at the World Cup, taking place from November 3 to 27, against Qatar.
Nineteen minutes in, the score was still 0-0. A tense, hard-fought match. Then the ball reached him, a soft first touch, a quick look up, and a sharp right-footed finished that left the keeper no chance to make it 1-0 Italy.
It was both the goal that decided the match and marked the start of an exciting journey. He earnt FIFA Player of the Match as the standout performer on the pitch.
Born on April 2, 2008, in Bergamo, Samuele began playing football at the age of four with Marigolda, his local team. He then spent ten seasons at Atalanta, a club renowned for developing young talent, before moving to Borussia Dortmund, who have brought through some of Europe’s best young players.
A modern playmaker, Samuele combines flair with substance. “I look up to Neymar,” he said, “and at Borussia I really like Guirassy.” Two worlds that meet on the pitch, creativity and the accuracy.
His passion for football runs in the family. His father, João Batista Inácio, better known as Piá, was a winger for Atalanta and Napoli, while his uncle, Joelson José Inácio, a former striker for Grosseto and Reggina, is now a coach. “Seeing people happy at the stadium for my dad made me really emotional,” Samuele recalled. “As a kid, we used to play in the park and dream of the big games.
His close friend and roommate Federico Steffanoni has been by his side throughout. “We’ve known each other for twelve years, we’ve done practically everything together,” Samuele explained. Their friendship was forged on football pitches and remained unbroken even though their club careers took them down different paths.
Last May, in Albania, Samuele made history finishing as top scorer at the Under-17 European Championship with five goals in four games, becoming the first Italian ever to achieve that feat.
Watch him play today, and it’s clear that Samuele Inácio is more than just talent. His work ethic, artistry on the ball and quiet determination all show that. Behind that goal against Qatar, behind that celebration, there’s a kid who used to play in the parks of Bergamo, a father smiling proudly from the stands, and a dream that’s now becoming reality.
And if this is just the start, then he’s definitely one to watch because Samuele Inácio is one of those rare young players who remind us why football is still the beautiful game.
HISTORY. Samuele Inácio was born in 2008 in Bergamo to mother Silvia and ex-professional footballer João Batista Inácio, or Piá. He started playing football at age four at Marigolda, his local team, before joining Atalanta’s youth academy, where he spent ten years. In the summer of 2024 he moved to Borussia Dortmund. This season he has made nine league appearances (655 minutes played) and scored four goals, along with two cup appearances (152 minutes, two goals) and three other matches (270 minutes) contributing one goal and two assists.
SQUAD SELECTION
Goalkeepers: 1. Francesco Cereser (Torino), 12. Alessandro Longoni (AC Milan), 21. Sebastiano Nava (Juventus);
Defenders: 16. Benit Borasio (Juventus), 5. Leonardo Noah Bovio (Inter), 15. Cristiano De Paoli (Como), 2. Dauda Amihere Iddrisa (West Bromwich Albion), 3. Jean-Tryfose Mambuku (Stade de Reims), 13. David Marini (Cesena), 6. Luca Reggiani (Borussia Dortmund);
Midfielders: 8. Alessio Baralla (Empoli), 7. Andrea Luongo (Torino), 17. Valerio Maccaroni (Roma), 14. Fabio Pandolfi (AC Milan), 4. Vincenzo Prisco (Napoli), 18. Federico Steffanoni (Atalanta);
Forwards: 19. Antonio Arena (Roma), 9. Thomas Campaniello (Empoli), 11. Destiny Onoguekhan Elimoghale (Juventus), 10. Samuele Inácio (Borussia Dortmund), 20. Simone Lontani (AC Milan).
Staff – Head Coach: Massimiliano Favo; Delegation head: Filippo Corti; Youth National Teams Deputy Coordinator: Daniele Zoratto; Assistant coach: Davide Cei; Goalkeeping coach: Davide Quironi; Fitness coach: Adalberto Zamuner; Match analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Doctors: Sofia Calaciura Clarich and Alessio Rossato; Physiotherapists: Giorgio Giannini and Enrico Matera; Nutrionist: Claudio Pecorella; Academic tutor: Stefano Presciutti; Press Office: Alessandro Paoli; Admin Office: Antonio Martuscelli; Club Italia Rep: Riccardo Poggetti; Secretary: Massimo Petracchini.
FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025
Group Stage (From November 3 – 11)
Group A: Qatar, ITALY, South Africa, Bolivia
Group B: Japan, Marocco, Nuova Caledonia, Portogallo
Group C: Senegal, Croazia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates
Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Côte d'Ivoire, Switzerland
Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
Group I: United States, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czechia
Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Ireland
Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia
Matchday 1 (Nov 3-5)
Monday, November 3
South Africa 3 – 1 Bolivia
Costa Rica 1 – 1 UAE
Senegal 0 – 0 Croatia
Japan 2 – 0 Morocco
Argentina 3 – 2 Belgium
New Caledonia 1 – 6 Portugal
Qatar 0 – 1 ITALY
Tunisia 6 – 0 Fiji
Group A Standings: South Africa 3 (+2), ITALY 3 (+1), Qatar 0 (-1), Bolivia 0 (-2).
Group B: Portugal 3 (+5), Japan 3 (+2), Morocco 0 (-2), New Caledonia 0 (-5).
Group C: UAE 1, Costa Rica 1, Croatia 0, Senegal 0.
Group D: Tunisia 3 (+6), Argentina 3 (+1), Belgium 0 (-1), Fiji 0 (-6).
Tuesday, November 4
13:30: Cote d’Ivoire vs. Switzerland, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
13:30: Brazil vs. Honduras, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
14:00: Mexico vs. South Korea, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
14:30: Haiti vs. Egypt, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
15:45: Germany vs. Colombia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
16:15: England vs. Venezuela, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doha
16:45: North Korea vs. El Salvador, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
16:45: Indonesia vs. Zambia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
Wednesday, November 5
13:30: Tajikistan vs. Czechia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
13:30: Panama vs. Ireland, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
14:00: Paraguay vs. Uzbekistan, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
14:30: Austria vs. Saudi Arabia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
15:45: Mali vs. New Zealand, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
16:15: United States vs. Burkina Faso, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doha
16:45: France vs. Chile, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
16:45: Canada vs. Uganda, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
Matchday 2 (Nov 6-8)
Thursday, 6 November
13:30: Bolivia vs. ITALY, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
13:30: Portugal vs. Morocco, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
14:00: Japan vs. New Caledonia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
14:30: Argentina vs. Tunisia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
15:45: Fiji vs. Belgium, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
16:15: United Arab Emirates vs. Croatia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doha
16:45: Qatar vs. South Africa, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
16:45: Senegal vs. Costa Rica, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
Friday, November 7
13:30: England vs. Haiti, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
13:30: El Salvador vs. Colombia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
14:00: Germany vs. North Korea, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
14:30: Egypt vs. Venezuela, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
15:45: Mexico vs. Ivory Coast, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
16:15: Switzerland vs. South Korea, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doha
16:45: Brazil vs. Indonesia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
16:45: Zambia vs. Honduras, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
Saturday, November 8
13:30: Czechia vs. Burkina Faso, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
13:30: Uganda vs. Chile, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
14:00: Mali vs. Austria, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
14:30: France vs. Canada, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
15:45: United States vs. Tajikistan, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
16:15: Paraguay vs. Panama, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doha
16:45: Ireland vs. Uzbekistan, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
16:45: Saudi Arabia vs. New Zealand, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
Matchday 3 (Nov 9–11)
Sunday, November 9
13:30: Fiji vs. Argentina, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
13:30: Belgium vs. Tunisia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
14:30: Portugal vs. Japan, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
14:30: Morocco vs. New Caledonia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
15:45: United Arab Emirates vs. Senegal, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
15:45: Croatia vs. Costa Rica, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doha
16:45: Bolivia vs. Qatar, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
16:45: ITALY vs. South Africa, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
Monday, November 10
13:30: Switzerland vs. Mexico, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
13:30: South Korea vs. Cote d’Ivoire, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
14:30: El Salvador vs. Germany, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
14:30: Colombia vs. North Korea, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
15:45: Zambia vs. Brazil, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doha
15:45: Honduras vs. Indonesia, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
16:45: Egypt vs. England, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
16:45: Venezuela vs. Haiti, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
Tuesday, November 11
13:30: Uganda vs. France, Aspire Zone, Pitch 3, Doha
13:30: Chile vs. Canada, Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Doha
14:30: Ireland vs. Paraguay, Aspire Zone, Pitch 5, Doha
14:30: Uzbekistan vs. Panama, Aspire Zone, Pitch 1, Doha
15:45: Czechia vs. United States, Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Doh
15:45: Burkina Faso vs. Tajikistan, Aspire Zone, Pitch 2, Doha
16:45: Saudi Arabia vs. Mali, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
16:45: New Zealand vs. Austria, Aspire Zone, Pitch 9, Doha
Knockout Stage (14–27 November)
Round of 16 (Friday, 14 and Saturday, 15 November)
Last sixteen (Tuesday, 18 November)
Semi-finals (Friday, 21 November)
Semi-finals (Monday, 24 November)
Finals (Thursday, 27 November)
3rd Place
13:30: Loser S1 vs. Loser S2, Aspire Zone, Pitch 7, Doha
1st Place
17:00: Winner S1 vs. Winner S2, Aspire Zone, Khalifa International Stadium, Doha