Juventus Super Kid Eligible For Nigeria Starts Training With Italy U20 Ahead Of 2019 World Cup

Published: April 23, 2019

Juventus super kid of Nigerian descent Paolo Gozzi Iweru could face Nigeria in the round of 16 of the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup which begins next month in Poland.

The Torino-born left-footed central defender will link up with Italy's U20 National team at Mancini Park Hotel on Tuesday 23rd April.

Manager Paolo Nicolato will closely monitor Gozzi in three training sessions and he would be included in the traveling party to Poland if he impresses the former Chievo Verona youth-team coach.

Aged 17, he has made remarkable progress in his international career over the last twelve months as he was playing for Italy's U17 team at the U17 EURO in England a year ago.

He was fast-tracked to the U19 squad without representing the U18s and has made 11 appearances for that age group this season.

While Italy have been drawn in Group B along with Mexico, Ecuador and Japan, the Flying Eagles will do battle with Ukraine, United States and Qatar in Group D of the U20 World Cup.

The winner of Group B will face the third-placed team in Group A/C/D in the last sixteen, while the winner of Group D are matched with the third placed team in Group B/E/F, meaning there is a possibility that the Flying Eagles could face Italy.

Iweru wore the prestigious Juventus jersey for the first time in the Serie A in a 2-1 loss to SPAL on April 13.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : figc.it