Defender Michael Kayode capped off a dream senior international debut by scoring his first goal for the Italy national team. He helped secure a dominant 3-1 UEFA Nations League victory against Turkey at Bursa’s Atatürk Spor Kompleksi Matlı Stadium on September 28, 2026. The 22-year-old right-back helped anchor Roberto Mancini’s side to their first points of the campaign, following early strikes from Alessandro Bastoni and Davide Frattesi.
Italy took firm control of the match early on, establishing a commanding lead within the opening 28 minutes. Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni opened the scoring in the opening minutes, hooking home a clinical opener after an unorthodox low corner from Matteo Ruggeri rolled through a crowded penalty area, aided by a miscued clearance from Juventus defender Zeki Çelik.
The early advantage offered immediate relief to head coach Roberto Mancini, whose first match of his second spell in charge ended in a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Belgium in Rome. Italy quickly doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute through Nerazzurri midfielder Davide Frattesi. Frattesi reacted quickest to fire home from close range after Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır failed to hold onto a fierce, arrowed strike from Kayode inside the penalty box during torrential conditions.
Historic Milestone for the Young Defender
Just five minutes after contributing to the second goal, Kayode wrote his name into the history books. The Brentford full-back finished off a slick, fluid team move involving Giacomo Raspadori and Pio Esposito by calmly beating the Turkish goalkeeper on the right wing to make it 3-0.
The strike places Kayode in an elite historical bracket, making him the 92nd player in the history of the Italian national team to score on his senior debut. More impressively, he became the first Italian defender to score on his debut in an official competitive fixture since Riccardo Ferri found the net during a European Championship qualifier against Malta in 1986. The last defender to score on any debut appearance for the Azzurri was Gian Marco Ferrari during a 7-0 friendly win over San Marino in 2021.
Remarkable Journey to the Azzurri
Kayode’s debut goal marks the latest chapter in a remarkably resilient professional career. Released by Juventus as a youth player when he was just 14 years old, the defender had to rebuild his path by stepping down into Serie D with Gozzano. His impressive performances eventually earned him a move to Fiorentina, before securing a high-profile transfer to Premier League side Brentford in January 2025.
Turkey attempted a response in the second half under manager Vincenzo Montella, making multiple tactical substitutions including the introduction of Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Deniz Gül. Despite pressure and yellow cards shown to Ozan Kabak and Barış Alper Yilmaz, Italy’s defense-anchored by Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, and debutant Kayode-held firm to secure the vital three points in League A.
Match Statistics and Lineups
- Turkey Starting XI: Altay Bayındır, Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Ozan Kabak, Eren Elmali, Salih Özcan, Orkun Kökçü, Oguz Aydin, Arda Güler, Can Uzun, Barış Alper Yilmaz.
- Italy Starting XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Michael Kayode, Giorgio Scalvini, Alessandro Bastoni, Matteo Ruggeri, Davide Frattesi, Sandro Tonali, Nicolò Fagioli, Giacomo Raspadori, Francesco Pio Esposito, Sebastiano Esposito.
- Goals: Alessandro Bastoni (Italy), Davide Frattesi (Italy), Michael Kayode (Italy).
The victory provides a massive momentum boost for Roberto Mancini’s squad as they navigate a competitive Nations League group stage. Meanwhile, Turkey continues to search for consistency following a difficult run of fixtures.
