The Fiorentina midfielder found his first goal with the Italian jersey, “Am I the oldest to score the first goal with the National Team? Well, sorry for the delay…”
The happiness for the victory against Malta, which propels Italy to second place in Group C of the Euro 2024 qualifiers, just three points behind England, and the first ever goal in the Azzurri jersey for Giacomo Bonaventura – scored at the age of 34 years and 53 days (making him the oldest to score his first goal in Italy’s colors).
The Fiorentina midfielder was a key figure in the beautiful victory in Bari, saying, “I’m experiencing a great moment with Fiorentina and the national team. I scored on my first chance today. We’ll enjoy this win and from tomorrow we will start thinking about England.
Am I the oldest player to score his first goal? Sorry for the delay… Today wasn’t easy against a very defensively organized team, and finding a goal allowed us to play more comfortably.”
Regarding the recent betting scandal that has surrounded some of the players called up by Spalletti, Bonaventura commented:
“Of course, it was discussed during the national team camp. The mind wandered there, but when it’s time to prepare for the matches, our focus is total, and everything else remains outside.”