Marco Palestra made his senior Italy debut in a 2-0 World Cup play-off victory over Northern Ireland. He stated that he would remember this day for the rest of his life.
In Bergamo, the “Azzurri” took some time to break through Northern Ireland’s defense. Eventually, Sandro Tonali opened the scoring with a shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Tonali then assisted Moise Kean, who sealed the 2-0 victory, securing the team’s place in the play-off final.
This day was also special for Palestra, who came off the bench in the final minutes to make his debut for the senior Italy squad.
Palestra Debuts for Italy at 21
“This was a unique experience, especially because we won in my debut match, so I will remember this for the rest of my life,” Palestra shared with RAI Sport.
The moment was even more significant because Palestra is a product of the Atalanta youth academy, the club he still belongs to (though currently on loan to Cagliari), and thus made his debut in his home stadium.
“I spent many years in Bergamo, so I am even happier that it happened here. Training with players like these and under Gennaro Gattuso as coach is certainly a remarkable experience; we must keep going like this.”
The play-off final will take place on Tuesday, March 31, against Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a spot in the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the USA at stake.
“We must feel confident. We know we are playing against a strong opponent, but we also know our own qualities. If we play our game at the level we can, then we will go through.”
