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5 YOUNG DEFENDERS MAKING A NAME FOR THEMSELVES

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&lt;p&gt;Serie A Made in Italy has forged generations of great defenders over the decades, a tradition that has continued in recent years. Italian or non-Italian, our league has inspired the growth of so many players in this position, helping them to earn a spot among the world’s best. The winners of the last five editions of the Serie A Made in Italy “Best Defender” award (Koulibaly, De Vrij, Romero, Bremer and Kim Min-Jae)&amp;nbsp; all arrived in Italy as promising prospects before making a definitive leap in quality, leading to moves to top clubs both within and outside the country.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Out of those born in the new millennium, five defenders in particular are enjoying encouraging seasons.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;figure data-asset-id=&#34;e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49&#34; data-image-id=&#34;e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/229ee77e-bf4c-4333-a2f1-fa9ec0837ec7/Sito_HERO_Bellanova.png&#34; data-asset-id=&#34;e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49&#34; data-image-id=&#34;e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49&#34; alt=&#34;&#34;&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2000&lt;/strong&gt;-born &lt;strong&gt;Raul Bellanova &lt;/strong&gt;seems to have found the perfect environment to flourish under Juric at Torino. An AC Milan youth product, the Rho native started to hit the headlines with &lt;strong&gt;Pescara&lt;/strong&gt; in Serie B before spending the following season with &lt;strong&gt;Cagliari&lt;/strong&gt; in the Italian top flight. Despite the Sardinians’ relegation, Raul impressed so much that Simone Inzaghi’s Inter signed him on loan for the following campaign. He didn’t always play during his spell with the Nerazzurri, but he did experience the biggest of stages and even came on to feature in a &lt;strong&gt;Champions League final&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His move to Torino last summer represented a turning point: &lt;strong&gt;Juric &lt;/strong&gt;thought&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;he possessed the ideal characteristics to become a dangerous player for the Granata down the right flank, and this has proven to be the case so far. The winger has started every single match except one where he was suspended, and he’s been particularly impressive since the start of 2024. In the space of just a few weeks, Bellanova scored his first Torino goal and provided three of the five assists he’s registered in 2023/24. A key figure for the Granata, he’s featured for 2456 minutes this campaign and, at the age of just 23, has made 83 Serie A Made in Italy appearances having played for Atalanta, Cagliari, Inter and now Torino.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;figure data-asset-id=&#34;9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3&#34; data-image-id=&#34;9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/40f4054e-0ebc-4419-bc38-db5862bfa406/Sito_HERO_calafiori_1.png&#34; data-asset-id=&#34;9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3&#34; data-image-id=&#34;9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3&#34; alt=&#34;&#34;&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;A product of the Roma youth academy, &lt;strong&gt;Riccardo Calafiori&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;made his Serie A Made in Italy debut on the final matchday of the 2019/20 season: Fonseca deployed him on the left of a 3-4-2-1 formation as the Giallorossi emerged 3-1 winners over Juventus. The young Riccardo earned the penalty that led to Roma’s second goal before being forced off due to injury on the hour mark. For the next two years, he was part of the first-team setup without, however, getting much playing time: he scored once and provided two assists in 17 appearances for Roma in all competitions, while he also played three matches for Genoa in the second half of the 2021/22 Serie A Made in Italy campaign. His move to &lt;strong&gt;Basel&lt;/strong&gt; proved to be a decisive one for his growth: in Switzerland, he gained confidence playing as either a left-back or as part of a three-man backline and made a total of 38 appearances across the league, Swiss Cup and Conference League.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the summer, he was signed by &lt;strong&gt;Thiago Motta’s &lt;/strong&gt;Bologna, where, playing alongside Beukema, he quickly filled the &lt;strong&gt;centre-back&lt;/strong&gt; gap left by Lucumì’s injury. He’s since made 27 appearances for the Rossoblù across the league and Coppa Italia Frecciarossa and been a key part of his club’s extraordinary season, so much so he’s also earned an Italy U21 call-up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;figure data-asset-id=&#34;6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4&#34; data-image-id=&#34;6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/d8ef4b67-07fb-4d75-bb4f-49cc9adeb36e/Sito_HERO_Scalvini.png&#34; data-asset-id=&#34;6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4&#34; data-image-id=&#34;6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4&#34; alt=&#34;&#34;&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite his young age, &lt;strong&gt;Giorgio Scalvini&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;has been on the Serie A Made in Italy scene for a while now. Born in Chiari on 11 December 2003, Scalvini’s footballing rise has been rapid and made possible thanks to the excellent work of Atalanta’s youth sector. Scalvini joined the club in 2015 before becoming part of the first team in 2021/22. He made his professional debut at the age of 17 on 24 October 2021, playing the final four minutes of Atalanta vs. Udinese.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That same season, he scored his first goal in the Italian top flight, although it came in a 2-1 home defeat to Hellas Verona. From October the following campaign, he became a starter for La Dea, with Gasperini constantly selecting him as the right centre-back in his signature three-man backline. In three seasons as a pillar of the Atalanta rearguard, the No.42 has scored four goals and provided five assists in 88 appearances across the league, Coppa Italia Frecciarossa and UEFA Europa League. Considered one of the best talents of his generation, the Atalanta man has already made his senior Italy debut: he did so when the Azzurri faced Germany away from home in the Nations League on 14 June 2022.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;figure data-asset-id=&#34;04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e&#34; data-image-id=&#34;04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/7737767f-5862-4ff6-86a7-1c12cd594d28/Sito_HERO_kayode.png&#34; data-asset-id=&#34;04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e&#34; data-image-id=&#34;04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e&#34; alt=&#34;&#34;&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;Born in Borgomanero, &lt;strong&gt;Michael Kayode &lt;/strong&gt;caught the attentions of Fiorentina when he was just 16; back then, he was playing for Serie D side Gozzano, a club near to his home comune who he’d joined from Juventus’ youth setup. After signing for the Viola, he was integrated into their youth sector and went on to showcase his talent for Aquilani’s Primavera side. In the summer of 2023, meanwhile, he won the &lt;strong&gt;European Under-19 Championship&lt;/strong&gt; with Italy, scoring the decisive goal in the final. After taking to the pitch for the team’s opener against Genoa, Michael has become a regular for Italiano’s men in the &lt;strong&gt;left-back role&lt;/strong&gt; this campaign.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In fact, he has played 1526 Serie A Made in Italy minutes for the Viola, providing two assists and netting the equaliser in Fiorentina’s home victory over Lazio. He’s also made a significant contribution in the &lt;strong&gt;Conference League&lt;/strong&gt;, setting up a teammate to score twice in six appearances. His performances at club level haven’t gone unnoticed by Carmine Nunziata, the Italy U21 Head Coach, who has given him the opportunity to impress as part of his squad.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;figure data-asset-id=&#34;0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d&#34; data-image-id=&#34;0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/63e0298d-6c67-45f0-b9d6-5b9f03497a82/Sito_HERO_huijsen.png&#34; data-asset-id=&#34;0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d&#34; data-image-id=&#34;0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d&#34; alt=&#34;&#34;&gt;&lt;/figure&gt;&lt;p&gt;Born in 2005, Dutchman &lt;strong&gt;Dean Huijsen&lt;/strong&gt;, who is also a Spanish citizen, has been a revelation so far this season. Having developed at Malaga, Dean was signed by &lt;strong&gt;Juventus &lt;/strong&gt;and became part of the Bianconeri’s youth sector. He impressed for the U17s and then for the Primavera, producing some fantastic performances in the Youth League in particular. Huijsen made his professional debut in Serie C with Juventus Next Gen, for whom he scored three goals in 19 appearances last season. This campaign, after alternating between Next Gen and the first-team bench - he made his Serie A Made in Italy debut after coming on in the closing stages of AC Milan vs. Juventus - he joined &lt;strong&gt;Roma&lt;/strong&gt; on loan in January. Then Roma coach Mourinho immediately gave him playing time against Atalanta and AC Milan, and he continues to feature at the heart of the Giallorossi defence under De Rossi, who started him against Hellas Verona in January and Inter and Frosinone in February. The 18-year-old, who will turn 19 in April, has provided &lt;strong&gt;one assist&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;scored&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;twice &lt;/strong&gt;in &lt;strong&gt;404 minutes&lt;/strong&gt; for Roma in the Italian top flight. His goal against Frosinone was particularly impressive, with the youngster advancing with the ball from midfield and breezing past a couple of opponents before letting fly with a fantastic right-footed strike. Those at Continassa will no doubt to happy to see the progress he’s making.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Foto Getty Images)&lt;/p&gt;

Bellanova, Calafiori, Scalvini, Kayode and Hujsen are among the best defenders born after 2000 and plying their trade in the Italian top flight. We take a look at the paths they’ve been on to understand their future prospects

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Serie A Made in Italy has forged generations of great defenders over the decades, a tradition that has continued in recent years. Italian or non-Italian, our league has inspired the growth of so many players in this position, helping them to earn a spot among the world’s best. The winners of the last five editions of the Serie A Made in Italy “Best Defender” award (Koulibaly, De Vrij, Romero, Bremer and Kim Min-Jae)&nbsp; all arrived in Italy as promising prospects before making a definitive leap in quality, leading to moves to top clubs both within and outside the country.Out of those born in the new millennium, five defenders in particular are enjoying encouraging seasons.<figure data-asset-id="e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49" data-image-id="e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49"><img src="https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/229ee77e-bf4c-4333-a2f1-fa9ec0837ec7/Sito_HERO_Bellanova.png" data-asset-id="e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49" data-image-id="e578166e-b2af-4a5b-a90a-e366dcc88d49" alt=""></figure>2000-born Raul Bellanova seems to have found the perfect environment to flourish under Juric at Torino. An AC Milan youth product, the Rho native started to hit the headlines with Pescara in Serie B before spending the following season with Cagliari in the Italian top flight. Despite the Sardinians’ relegation, Raul impressed so much that Simone Inzaghi’s Inter signed him on loan for the following campaign. He didn’t always play during his spell with the Nerazzurri, but he did experience the biggest of stages and even came on to feature in a Champions League final.His move to Torino last summer represented a turning point: Juric thought he possessed the ideal characteristics to become a dangerous player for the Granata down the right flank, and this has proven to be the case so far. The winger has started every single match except one where he was suspended, and he’s been particularly impressive since the start of 2024. In the space of just a few weeks, Bellanova scored his first Torino goal and provided three of the five assists he’s registered in 2023/24. A key figure for the Granata, he’s featured for 2456 minutes this campaign and, at the age of just 23, has made 83 Serie A Made in Italy appearances having played for Atalanta, Cagliari, Inter and now Torino.<figure data-asset-id="9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3" data-image-id="9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3"><img src="https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/40f4054e-0ebc-4419-bc38-db5862bfa406/Sito_HERO_calafiori_1.png" data-asset-id="9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3" data-image-id="9b763c61-f129-48fe-8700-17434c9d1fb3" alt=""></figure>A product of the Roma youth academy, Riccardo Calafiori&nbsp;made his Serie A Made in Italy debut on the final matchday of the 2019/20 season: Fonseca deployed him on the left of a 3-4-2-1 formation as the Giallorossi emerged 3-1 winners over Juventus. The young Riccardo earned the penalty that led to Roma’s second goal before being forced off due to injury on the hour mark. For the next two years, he was part of the first-team setup without, however, getting much playing time: he scored once and provided two assists in 17 appearances for Roma in all competitions, while he also played three matches for Genoa in the second half of the 2021/22 Serie A Made in Italy campaign. His move to Basel proved to be a decisive one for his growth: in Switzerland, he gained confidence playing as either a left-back or as part of a three-man backline and made a total of 38 appearances across the league, Swiss Cup and Conference League.In the summer, he was signed by Thiago Motta’s Bologna, where, playing alongside Beukema, he quickly filled the centre-back gap left by Lucumì’s injury. He’s since made 27 appearances for the Rossoblù across the league and Coppa Italia Frecciarossa and been a key part of his club’s extraordinary season, so much so he’s also earned an Italy U21 call-up.<figure data-asset-id="6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4" data-image-id="6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4"><img src="https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/d8ef4b67-07fb-4d75-bb4f-49cc9adeb36e/Sito_HERO_Scalvini.png" data-asset-id="6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4" data-image-id="6516542b-96b6-45ae-a810-018b9c6004c4" alt=""></figure>Despite his young age, Giorgio Scalvini&nbsp;has been on the Serie A Made in Italy scene for a while now. Born in Chiari on 11 December 2003, Scalvini’s footballing rise has been rapid and made possible thanks to the excellent work of Atalanta’s youth sector. Scalvini joined the club in 2015 before becoming part of the first team in 2021/22. He made his professional debut at the age of 17 on 24 October 2021, playing the final four minutes of Atalanta vs. Udinese.That same season, he scored his first goal in the Italian top flight, although it came in a 2-1 home defeat to Hellas Verona. From October the following campaign, he became a starter for La Dea, with Gasperini constantly selecting him as the right centre-back in his signature three-man backline. In three seasons as a pillar of the Atalanta rearguard, the No.42 has scored four goals and provided five assists in 88 appearances across the league, Coppa Italia Frecciarossa and UEFA Europa League. Considered one of the best talents of his generation, the Atalanta man has already made his senior Italy debut: he did so when the Azzurri faced Germany away from home in the Nations League on 14 June 2022.<figure data-asset-id="04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e" data-image-id="04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e"><img src="https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/7737767f-5862-4ff6-86a7-1c12cd594d28/Sito_HERO_kayode.png" data-asset-id="04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e" data-image-id="04084685-ebcb-4e79-a6a6-47e79bb7e42e" alt=""></figure>Born in Borgomanero, Michael Kayode caught the attentions of Fiorentina when he was just 16; back then, he was playing for Serie D side Gozzano, a club near to his home comune who he’d joined from Juventus’ youth setup. After signing for the Viola, he was integrated into their youth sector and went on to showcase his talent for Aquilani’s Primavera side. In the summer of 2023, meanwhile, he won the European Under-19 Championship with Italy, scoring the decisive goal in the final. After taking to the pitch for the team’s opener against Genoa, Michael has become a regular for Italiano’s men in the left-back role this campaign.In fact, he has played 1526 Serie A Made in Italy minutes for the Viola, providing two assists and netting the equaliser in Fiorentina’s home victory over Lazio. He’s also made a significant contribution in the Conference League, setting up a teammate to score twice in six appearances. His performances at club level haven’t gone unnoticed by Carmine Nunziata, the Italy U21 Head Coach, who has given him the opportunity to impress as part of his squad.<figure data-asset-id="0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d" data-image-id="0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d"><img src="https://assets-eu-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/6be6dbcf-fd70-012d-ec80-2d3245f5ce6a/63e0298d-6c67-45f0-b9d6-5b9f03497a82/Sito_HERO_huijsen.png" data-asset-id="0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d" data-image-id="0c05f4ee-f41d-4a1f-8e3b-e170d33f922d" alt=""></figure>Born in 2005, Dutchman Dean Huijsen, who is also a Spanish citizen, has been a revelation so far this season. Having developed at Malaga, Dean was signed by Juventus and became part of the Bianconeri’s youth sector. He impressed for the U17s and then for the Primavera, producing some fantastic performances in the Youth League in particular. Huijsen made his professional debut in Serie C with Juventus Next Gen, for whom he scored three goals in 19 appearances last season. This campaign, after alternating between Next Gen and the first-team bench - he made his Serie A Made in Italy debut after coming on in the closing stages of AC Milan vs. Juventus - he joined Roma on loan in January. Then Roma coach Mourinho immediately gave him playing time against Atalanta and AC Milan, and he continues to feature at the heart of the Giallorossi defence under De Rossi, who started him against Hellas Verona in January and Inter and Frosinone in February. The 18-year-old, who will turn 19 in April, has provided one assist and scored twice in 404 minutes for Roma in the Italian top flight. His goal against Frosinone was particularly impressive, with the youngster advancing with the ball from midfield and breezing past a couple of opponents before letting fly with a fantastic right-footed strike. Those at Continassa will no doubt to happy to see the progress he’s making.(Foto Getty Images)

5 YOUNG DEFENDERS MAKING A NAME FOR THEMSELVES | News

5 YOUNG DEFENDERS MAKING A NAME FOR THEMSELVES

Bellanova, Calafiori, Scalvini, Kayode and Hujsen are among the best defenders born after 2000 and plying their trade in the Italian top flight. We take a look at the paths they’ve been on to understand their future prospects

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