Australian soccer fans have a sensational new talent to watch, as 16-year-old Antonio Arena has made an astonishing debut with Italian club Roma.
Arena came off the bench in the 80th minute during Roma’s Italian Cup match against Torino and scored with his very first touch, leveling the game for the Serie A side.
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He confidently headed the ball past Torino’s goalkeeper Alberto Paleari to equalize in the 81st minute of their round-of-16 match on Tuesday.
“It was an incredible moment. I was a bit nervous, but when I came on, I just focused on playing. Wesley delivered a perfect cross to the far post, and I found the net. Now, I will continue to work hard and train,” Arena shared with Mediaset.
“I’ve learned so much from our coach in the short time I’ve been on the bench and training with the first team. [Gian Piero] Gasperini is an excellent coach with a successful track record and a history of developing strong players. I just want to keep pushing myself and playing.”
Despite Arena’s noteworthy achievement, Torino secured a 3-2 victory with a last-minute goal from Emirhan Ilkhan.
Gasperini offered praise for Arena after the match, noting, “I’m pleased with these very young players; he’s just 16, and this is an important step for him. He has an impressive competitive spirit and is not afraid to take risks. He’s already competing at the national youth level.”
Born in Sydney, Arena holds dual citizenship and has played for both Australia and Italy at the youth international level.
After developing his skills with A-League Men team Western Sydney Wanderers, Arena transitioned to Italian club Pescara.
He made his senior professional debut with Pescara last year, scoring in a 4-1 win over Lucchese.
At the age of 16 years and 25 days, Arena became the first player born in 2009 to score in professional football in Italy and also the youngest goalscorer for Pescara.
In July 2025, Arena signed with Roma, leading to his debut against Torino on Tuesday.
The promising Australian star is already making waves on the international scene. He debuted for the Australian under-16 team in 2024, contributing to a 4-3 victory over Switzerland, and the following year, he represented the Italian under-16 team in international friendlies.
Information from Adriana Garcia of ESPN contributed to this article.