The 16-year-old scored just seconds after coming on as a substitute for the first time with Roma: “I’ve learned so much from Gasperini.” His father, Antonino: “We’re all incredibly excited; now we have to keep working”

At sixteen, just a few days shy of his seventeenth birthday on February 10, Antonio Arena made Roma history with a goal that felt like a landmark moment despite the team’s eventual loss. He did it just seconds after stepping onto the field, accompanied by the consoling applause of an almost resigned Olimpico crowd. Instead, Arena sent that stadium—which he had previously seen only on television and, on a few occasions, from the bench—into a frenzy, before the final disappointment and a near-miss at doubling the lead. He did it in front of his father, Antonino, who was in the stands, just as he had been since Antonio’s early days at Ucchino Football in Australia, then with the Western Sydney Wanderers, and finally at Pescara: “We’re all incredibly excited; now we have to keep working. We want him to keep having these kinds of experiences. He’s young and still has room to grow,” he said after the match.

“This is a wonderful moment; I was feeling a little nervous, but I just focused on playing. Wesley sent in a great cross, and I scored right away. I’ll never forget this evening,” said the Italian-Australian excitedly after the match. The 2009-born player’s thanks go above all to Gasperini: “I’ve spent four games on the bench with him and participated in a few training sessions. They’re really tough, but I’ve already learned a lot. I want to keep working and hope to continue like this. My mindset remains the same—nothing changes after today’s goal. I still have a long way to go.”

A sign of maturity. He shows it even when asked to name an idol: “It’s Ronaldo ‘Il Fenomeno’—he was a complete player. I like to watch a lot of forwards to learn, but he was the best. Who do I resemble? I like to attack deep, but I want to be myself and keep getting stronger.”