The U21s on the road to Euro 2027: the spine of Italy's future national team
Pafundi, Zeroli and Palestra headline the qualifying squads: today's U21 group is the Azzurri core that will dream of the 2030 World Cup.
While the senior team licks its Zenica wounds, the Under 21s are building. The road to the 2027 U21 Euros is also a laboratory: whoever establishes himself there stakes a claim for the cycle that will culminate in 2030 World Cup qualifying.
There is no shortage of names to circle in red. Simone Pafundi, the purest talent of his generation, is chasing his breakthrough season. Kevin Zeroli marshals the midfield with the armband of someone used to leading Milan's academy sides. Marco Palestra, an attacking full-back from the Atalanta school, is among the most interesting defenders in Europe.
History teaches us: winning national teams are born in youth systems that work. Spain 2010 and France 2018 were winning youth sides first. The road to 2030 starts here.