Australian football is celebrating the remarkable rise of a new teenage sensation after 16-year-old Antonio Arena scored with his very first touch for Italian giants AS Roma.
Dream Debut in the Italian Cup
The Sydney-born striker came off the bench in the 80th minute of Roma's Coppa Italia round-of-16 clash against Torino on Tuesday. With his maiden touch for the Serie A club, Arena calmly headed home an 81st-minute equaliser to make the score 2-2, sending the Roma bench into raptures.
Despite the youngster's fairytale moment, Torino snatched a late 3-2 victory with a 90th-minute winner from Emirhan Ilkhan. The result, however, could not overshadow the instant impact made by the dual-nationality forward on his senior debut for one of Europe's most storied clubs.
Praise from the Manager and a Rapid Rise
Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini was quick to laud his young charge after the final whistle. "I'm happy about these very young players: one is 16 years old and it's an important process for him," Gasperini said. He highlighted Arena's "great competitive drive" and fearlessness, noting the player is already representing national youth teams.
Arena's journey to this point has been meteoric. He honed his skills in the academy of A-League Men's side Western Sydney Wanderers before moving to Italy to join Pescara. His professional debut came last year for Pescara in Serie C, where at 16 years and 25 days old he became the first player born in 2009 to score in Italian professional football and Pescara's youngest ever goalscorer.
His performances earned him a transfer to Roma in July 2025, setting the stage for his latest historic moment.
An International Talent in Demand
The talented teenager is already familiar with the international stage, representing both Australia and Italy at youth level. He made his debut for Australia's under-16 side in a 4-3 friendly win over Switzerland in 2024. The following year, he accepted a call-up to represent Italy's under-16 team in a series of friendlies, showcasing his desirability to two major football nations.
While his debut goal ultimately came in a losing effort, Antonio Arena's immediate impact for Roma signals the arrival of a supremely confident and gifted young striker. His story provides a huge boost for Australian football, demonstrating that the nation's prodigies can not only secure moves to elite European clubs but can also make their mark from the very first second.
