Wikipedia

Francesco Camarda

Francesco Camarda (born 10 March 2008)[1] is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club AC Milan.

Francesco Camarda
Camarda with AC Milan in 2024
Personal information
Full name Francesco Camarda
Date of birth (2008-03-10) 10 March 2008 (age 16)[1]
Place of birth Milan, Italy[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 AC Milan
Number 73[2]
Youth career
2014–2015 Afforese
2015– AC Milan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– AC Milan 4 (0)
2024– Milan Futuro 6 (1)
International career‡
2022–2023 Italy U15 8 (6)
2022–2023 Italy U16 7 (3)
2023–2024 Italy U17 17 (11)
2024– Italy U19 8 (5)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Italy
UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Winner 2024 Cyprus
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:36, 9 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024

Early life

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Camarda was born in Milan, Italy. As a child, he also took an interest in kickboxing.[3]

Club career

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AC Milan

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Youth

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Camarda started his career with Afforese, a football school in Affori, Milan, where he grew up.[3] During his time with Afforese, he trained with the academy of professional side AC Milan, and went on to join the club permanently in 2015, after just over a year with Afforese.[3] In his first training session with AC Milan, he was deployed as a defender, but after continually dribbling through the opposition teams and scoring, he was moved up front to play as a striker.[3]

During his time in the academy of AC Milan, Camarda established himself as a prolific goal-scorer; at an under-9 tournament in Vienna, Austria, he was taken off due to injury with his side 2–0 down to German opposition Bayern Munich. He asked his coach to return to the field and went on to score two goals and provide an assist in the eventual 3–2 win.[3] His prolific form continued as he progressed through the academy, and he went on to score 22 goals in 24 games for AC Milan's under-15 side, leading them to the under-15 Scudetto title.[4]

Eventually, his goal-scoring feats drew the attention of international media, and he was lauded for having scored 485 goals in only 89 matches for AC Milan's academy, an average of 5.45 goals per game.[5][6][7][8][9] He trained with AC Milan's under-19 side at the age of fourteen, and scored two goals for the side in a friendly win against Eccellenza team Solbiatese.[10][11]

Camarda made his UEFA Youth League debut against Newcastle United on 19 September 2023, scoring a brace in a 4–0 victory.[12] These goals made Camarda the second-youngest player to score a brace in the tournament and the youngest-ever Italian goalscorer at 15 years, 193 days, breaking Fabrizio Caligara's record of 16 years, 189 days.[13][14]

Senior

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In November 2023, amid an injury crisis, AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli called up Camarda as part of the first team squad for the Serie A game against Fiorentina on 25 November 2023; in order to do so, the club had to specifically request an authorization from the Italian Football Federation, as under-16 players are normally not allowed to be part of an Italian first team.[2] He was eventually substituted on for Luka Jović in the 83rd minute, becoming the youngest Serie A footballer ever at 15 years, 260 days of age.[15][16][17]

Camarda made his debut for the newly created reserve team Milan Futuro on 10 August 2024, starting for a 3–0 away win Coppa Italia Serie C first round match against Lecco.[18]

On 17 August 2024, he scored the two goals of a 2–1 Milan Futuro away win Coppa Italia Serie C round of 16 match against Novara.[19]

Camarda became the youngest Italian to debut in the Champions League at 16 years and 226 days, 42 days younger than previous record holder Moise Kean, and the seventh youngest player in the Competition's history,[20] coming on as a substitute in the 75th minute against Club Brugge on October 22, 2024.[21] He would score within minutes of being introduced, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR check. Moreover, he received a yellow card for having celebrated by removing his shirt.[22]

International career

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Camarda has represented Italy at under-15,[23] under-16,[24] and under-17 levels.[25]

With the U17 side he won the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, in which he scored four goals and was named Player of the Tournament.[26] In the same year, with the Italy U19 he also took part in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, in which he scored two goals.[27]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 9 November 2024[28]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AC Milan 2023–24 Serie A 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2024–25 2 0 0 0 1[a] 0 3 0
Total 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 0
Milan Futuro 2024–25 Serie C 6 1 2[b] 2 — 8 3
Career total 10 1 2 2 1 0 13 3
Notes
  1. ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ Appearances in Coppa Italia Serie C

Honours

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Italy U17

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Individual

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Francesco Camarda". AC Milan. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Milan, Camarda indosserà la maglia numero 73" (in Italian). Gianluca Di Marzio.com. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e Carzaniga, Dennis (14 July 2022). "Camarda, il momento in cui tutto ebbe inizio: "Vieni a dare due calci al pallone invece che alla rete?"" [Camarda, the moment it all began: "Are you coming to kick the ball instead of the net?"]. sprintesport.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  4. ^ Barilaro, Andrea (25 June 2022). "Francesco Camarda, il predestinato: "Sogno la Serie A con il Milan. Scudetto? Emozione incredibile"" [Francesco Camarda, the predestined: "I dream of Serie A with Milan. Scudetto? Incredible emotion"]. sprintesport.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Fixem esta cara: Francesco Camarda tem 14 anos e está a chegar aos... 500 golos" [Look at this face: Francesco Camarda is 14 years old and is reaching... 500 goals]. record.pt (in Portuguese). 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  6. ^ Pietrella, Francesco (25 December 2022). "A 14 anni fa già gol in Primavera: chi è Camarda, il tesoro custodito dal Milan" [At the age of 14 he already scored in the Primavera: who is Camarda, the treasure guarded by Milan]. gazzetta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 March 2023. (subscription required)
  7. ^ "Francesco Camarda, el chico de 14 años que juega en Milan y tiene un récord increíble: hizo 485 goles en 89 partidos" [Francesco Camarda, the 14-year-old boy who plays for Milan and has an incredible record: he scored 485 goals in 89 games]. lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). 25 December 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  8. ^ Cardenas C., Renato (17 January 2023). "Pelé le queda chico: Camarda, la 'joya' del Milan que lleva más de 500 goles con 14 años" [Pelé is too small for him: Camarda, the 'jewel' of Milan who has scored more than 500 goals at the age of 14]. depor.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  9. ^ Hartmann, Florian (1 March 2023). "485 Tore in 89 Spielen! Das ist Italiens neuer Wunder-Stürmer" [485 goals in 89 games! This is Italy's new miracle striker]. sport.sky.de (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  10. ^ Asahara, Makoto (22 December 2022). "14-åringens osannolika statistik – 5.4 mål per match" [The 14-year-old's improbable statistics – 5.4 goals per game]. aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  11. ^ Cruz Valdivia, Christian (26 December 2022). "Francesco Camarda, el jugador de 14 años destinado a romper récords: lleva más de 500 goles en un centenar de partidos" [Francesco Camarda, the 14-year-old player destined to break records: he has scored more than 500 goals in a hundred games]. elcomercio.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  12. ^ Mzoughi, Wajih (19 September 2023). "Francesco Camarda's brace vs Newcastle; the player achieves an incredible record in the UEFA Youth League competition". Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Camarda breaks Italian record with Youth League goals against Newcastle". SempreMilancom. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  14. ^ Heyes, Apollo (19 September 2023). "Milan starlet Camarda breaks record in Youth League win over Newcastle". Football Italia. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Camarda, 15, becomes youngest Serie A player" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  16. ^ "Brividi Camarda: entra per il riscaldamento e dalla Sud parte il coro. E quanti applausi all'esordio" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  17. ^ "MILAN-FIORENTINA, FRANCESCO CAMARDA DIVENTA IL PIÙ GIOVANE DI SEMPRE A ESORDIRE IN SERIE A: LA TOP 10" (in Italian). Eurosport. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  18. ^ https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/milan-futuro/2024-08-10/winning-debut-for-milan-futuro-3-0-against-lecco
  19. ^ https://www.acmilan.com/en/news/articles/milan-futuro/2024-08-17/camarda-brace-milan-futuro-through-against-novara-2-1
  20. ^ Furniss, Matt (22 October 2024). "Youngest Players in Champions League History". Opta Analyst. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  21. ^ Bettoni, Lorenzo (22 October 2024). "Video: VAR ruins Camarda historic moment for Milan as goal disallowed". Football Italia. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  22. ^ Associated Press (22 October 2024). "Heartbreak for Milan teenager Francesco Camarda as goal ruled out but he still sets record". apnews.com. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Francesco Camarda". FIGC U15 profile (in Italian). Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  24. ^ "Francesco Camarda". FIGC U16 profile (in Italian). Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  25. ^ "Francesco Camarda". FIGC U17 profile (in Italian). Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  26. ^ "Italy's Francesco Camarda named 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship Player of the Tournament". UEFA.com. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Northern Ireland 0-3 Italy". UEFA.com. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  28. ^ Francesco Camarda at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  29. ^ "UEFA Under-17 EURO final report: Italy 3-0 Portugal". UEFA.com. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  30. ^ "Italy's Francesco Camarda named 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship Player of the Tournament". UEFA.com. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  31. ^ "2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament". UEFA.com. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
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