Australia has a new star on the rise, but the nation may have a battle to keep its hand on him after Antonio Arena announced himself to the football world on Wednesday morning AEDT in the most exciting fashion.
The Sydney born 16-year-old forward found the back of the net with the first touch of his professional debut for Italian powerhouse AS Roma, sparking epic scenes at the Stadio Olimpico.
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The 188cm tall teenager, who is still growing and came through the Western Sydney Wanderers Academy, soared above a defender at the back post to head home an 81st minute equaliser in a manner that may have given Socceroos fans flashbacks to Tim Cahill in his pomp.
Unfortunately for Arena and his Roma teammates, who include the likes of Argentine World Cup winner Paulo Dybala, they conceded in the 90th minute to go down 3-2 to Torino in their Round of 16 Coppa Italia clash in the nation’s capital, but the commentators cry of ‘perhaps we are witnessing the rise of a new star’ is still ringing in the ears of Australian football fans.
Although, his arrival on the European stage may make some people at Football Australia nervous.
Despite being so young, Arena has been a player to watch for some time now.
He moved to Italy as a 13-year-old to join Pescara having been scouted in Australia, while he also once trialled at Spanish club Real Betis.
He debuted for Australia’s U16 national team in 2024.
Arena then signed his first professional contract with Pescara in the Italian third division last February.
Arena then became the first person born in 2009 to score a goal in Italian professional football and the club’s youngest ever goal scorer as well as helping Pescara earn promotion.
In July, he was snapped up by AS Roma, where legends like Francesco Totti and Mohamed Salah made their name, for a reported transfer fee of $1.78 million.
He made further waves at November’s U17 World Cup in Qatar, scoring twice and providing two assists.
The only issue was that Australia were not there.
Arena played for third-place finishers Italy courtesy of his dual passport as his grandparents migrated to Australia from the country of their birth, and received big wraps in the Italian press.
“What kind of player is Antonio Arena? He’s a striker and has the characteristics of both a 9 and an 11,” football journalist Andrea Barilaro wrote in Gazzetta dello Sport during the U17 World Cup.
“He’s physically strong, attacks space, sews the play together, leaves his mark, and scores goals. And he’s fearless.
“As a child, he studied Ronaldo the Phenomenon; today, he resembles another Ronaldo, CR7, the Portuguese one.
“For certain moves on the pitch, and above all for his dedication to work.”
A fight now seems to be on the cards for Australian officials to get Arena to commit his future to the Socceroos.
His situation is not unprecedented, however.
Cristian Volpato, who also burst onto the scene at Roma but is now with Sassuolo in the Serie A, declined the chance to play in the 2022 World Cup for Australia as the attacking midfielder/winger opted to focus on trying to earn a call up for Italy after playing at youth level for the Azzurri.
While 22-year-old defender Alessandro Circati, who also plays in the Serie A for Parma, chose Australia and has since captained the Socceroos.
It remains to be seen which path Arena will take, but it may not be out of the question for national team manager Tony Popovic to dangle the World Cup carrot in front of him this year based on what he has shown so far.
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