Udinese talent Simone Pafundi has become the youngest player to make his debut for the Italian national team in more than 100 years, after playing against Albania aged just 16 years and 247 days.
The attacking midfielder usually plays behind the strikers and has been compared to Lionel Messi for his characteristics.
He scored four goals in five games for Italy's Under-17s and was promoted straight into the first team for Wednesday night's 3-1 win away to Albania.
Roberto Mancini gave Pafundi a short frame in the last minutes of the match played at the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana.
At the age of 16 years and 247 days, he becomes the first player to make his debut for Italy under the age of 17 in the last 100 years.
He does not hold the overall record for the Azzurri, as that record belongs to Pietro Antonio Gavi Nelli, who was 16 years and 97 days when he made his debut in a 2-2 draw with France on 9 April 1911.
Renzo De Vecchi was second in line after making his debut at the age of 16 years and 111 days in a 6-1 defeat to Hungary on 26 May 1910.
Pafundi has played just one Serie A match for Udinese, coming on for 22 minutes in a 4-0 away win over Salernitana on 22 May 2022. /Telegraph/
