First call-up to Luciano Spalletti’s national team for Niccolo Pisilli. After having gone through the entire process of youth teams, becoming European champion with the Under 19 team in the summer of 2023, the Roma midfielder is now in the first team thanks to the leading role he carved out for himself in the first part of the Giallorossi season. The class of 2004 spoke in a press conference from Coverciano yesterday, describing all his first sensations in blue, here are his full statements: “It’s an honor to be here, a great satisfaction. The coach’s words are very pleasing and I hope to to be able to transform these beautiful words into concrete facts.”
You look like you’re at an amusement park looking at your eyes, what time is it for you? Did you expect this call?
“I discovered the call by reading the pre-call. At the beginning I didn’t expect it at all, then after the pre-call I said ‘We’ll see…’ without too many pretensions. Now I will try to learn from all my teammates, they are the best of the best.”
Who do you think you look like? What player do you think you will become when you grow up?
“My goal is to improve myself day after day and learn a little from everyone. I don’t feel like saying a name, I try to steal a little piece from all my teammates.”
Do you have a thought to dedicate to Mourinho and De Rossi? How important were the Unders in reaching the senior national team?
“I want to thank De Rossi, Mourinho and Juric, thanks to them I had the opportunity to be here. As far as the Unders are concerned, I say that when you wear the national team shirt it is always an honour, they have all been experiences that have made me enriched. De Rossi and Mourinho gave me the opportunity to play, which is the most important thing.”
Who do you have to thank for being here?
“I have to thank all the people who were close to me.”
What do you think you can bring to this national team?
“The team is so strong that it would be disrespectful to say I bring something more, but I will try to give my all.”
Which footballer inspires you?
“I don’t have a specific name to name. In my role I try to learn a little from everyone.”
Frattesi recently praised you and said he hopes you can become a symbol of Roma, would you like that?
“His words are very pleasing. I am a Roma fan, but it is still too early to say whether I will be able to have an entire career at Roma.”
Do you have the goal of being part of the group that will go to the World Championship in two years?
“Playing in a World Cup is the biggest dream that every child can have when they start playing football, I hope for it with all of myself.”
Where do you feel you need to improve?
“Still on many aspects. Maybe on physical contrasts, I still have to structure myself.”
Are you enrolled at University, what stage are you at and what value do you place on studying? And is it true that you would have liked to be a journalist?
“My family cares a lot about studying. I’m studying Communication Sciences, now I’m playing football and then we’ll see. Journalism fascinates me, but now I’m thinking about playing football.”
TMW – Which player impressed you the most when you saw him from the pitch?
I don’t have many games left, but from the bench I could see the intensity with which Frattesi played: he impressed me a lot.”