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The dream debut - sort of...

Milan’s hometown hero is a teenage dream smashing Champions League records

Mitchell Wilks •

From zero to hero and then back to zero again briefly, Francesco Camarda’s Champions League debut was certainly unforgettable, even if it didn’t end the way he wanted.

It might be the first time you’ve heard the name of the Milan-born teenager, but we here at Planet Football are willing to bet that it certainly won’t be the last time the teenager steals headlines.

Born in 2008, Camarda was barely a year old as Kaka swapped Milan for Real Madrid, which puts into perspective how nauseatingly young he really is.

He probably doesn’t even remember football boots with a foldover tongue and yet here we are wearing them to six-a-side, still mindlessly hoping a Barcelona scout is filling in for the usual referee and is ready to whisk us away to La Liga.

Has the dream died? If it hadn’t already, it certainly did when Camarda came off the bench against Club Brugge to become Milan’s youngest-ever Champions League debutant at 16 years, 226 days and the seventh youngest male debutant in the illustrious competition’s history.

The dream was dropped to the floor and crushed – presumably by a useless, laceless boot – as Camarda pulled off a magnificent header to put the seal on the victory for the Rossoneri inside the San Siro, becoming the Champions League’s youngest scorer in the process.

At least until VAR and those pesky, semi-automated offsides intervened.

The Italian teenager has dreamt that moment every night and day ever since he signed for his beloved, hometown club aged seven.

We’ve all dreamt that moment. We all still do.

Camarda, though, realised it and then had it taken away from him, before also receiving a booking for his troubles after ripping off his shirt in celebration.

For those unaware of the teenager’s qualities, the anguish and heartbreak of that moment will merely serve as fuel to go and correct it next time out.

It won’t make him a better striker, because his stardom is inevitable. The young forward is a menace and applies an unforgiving, all-action approach to his play already in order to punch above his weight and show senior defenders that he’s ready to wipe the floor with them – despite not being old enough to drive.

He managed just six appearances for Milan’s under-23 side – because he’d outgrown it despite being way too young to be involved.


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With three goals and an assist from those six games, the newly formed Milan Futuro side competing in Serie C seemed like the perfect platform for the teenager to hone his craft against senior professionals on a regular basis, but it appears Paulo Fonseca is already keen to steal him for the first-team.

Technically astute, what’s most impressive about Camarda is his seemingly veteran awareness inside the penalty area, despite his age.

Those little movements to best position himself for a header or to steal a march on a sleeping defender are traits that strikers typically develop with age, but he’s already showcasing his knowledge of the position at such a young age.

After the game, the Milan boss told reporters: “We have Morata, Abraham, and Jovic, so it becomes a bit difficult for Camarda to play. And at this age, it’s important to get playing time.”

Crucially, he added: “Sometimes it’s harder to play in Serie C than in Serie A, and vice versa. When he trains with us, he does great. Today, he worked well for the team, showing courage in positioning himself for the pass.

“He doesn’t seem like a kid his age when he plays.”

No he does not, Paulo. He’s a certified freak of nature.

At his hometown club where some of the best strikers in the world have cemented their legacy, he has the chance to do the very same thing.

Remember the name.

By Mitch Wilks