Australian teenager Antonio Arena made an astonishing debut for Italian giants Roma on Tuesday, scoring with his very first touch in the 81st minute of their Italian Cup clash against Torino. The 16-year-old Arena was brought off the bench to make his club debut, and he didn't disappoint, rising calmly above the crowd to head past the goalkeeper and level the scores at 2-2.
Torino ultimately clinched a thrilling 3-2 victory in the round-of-16 match, but Arena's game earned glowing praise from Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "I'm happy about these very young players: one is 16 years old and it's an important process for him," Gasperini said. "He has a great competitive drive, despite his young age, and he's not afraid to put himself out there."
Arena, born in Sydney with dual citizenship, has already represented both Australia and Italy at youth international level. He made the big move from A-League Men side Western Sydney Wanderers to join Italian club Pescara last year, where he scored on his senior debut in a 4-1 Serie C win over Lucchese.
The young Australian's impressive form caught the attention of Roma, who signed him in July 2025. Arena became the first 2009-born player to score in professional football in Italy and the youngest ever goalscorer for Pescara after scoring four goals in his debut season with the club.
Arena has already made a name for himself on the international stage, representing the Australian under-16 side in a friendly win over Switzerland in 2024. He also played for the Italian under-16 team in a series of international friendlies last year. With his impressive displays, Arena is certainly one to watch in the world of football.
Torino ultimately clinched a thrilling 3-2 victory in the round-of-16 match, but Arena's game earned glowing praise from Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini. "I'm happy about these very young players: one is 16 years old and it's an important process for him," Gasperini said. "He has a great competitive drive, despite his young age, and he's not afraid to put himself out there."
Arena, born in Sydney with dual citizenship, has already represented both Australia and Italy at youth international level. He made the big move from A-League Men side Western Sydney Wanderers to join Italian club Pescara last year, where he scored on his senior debut in a 4-1 Serie C win over Lucchese.
The young Australian's impressive form caught the attention of Roma, who signed him in July 2025. Arena became the first 2009-born player to score in professional football in Italy and the youngest ever goalscorer for Pescara after scoring four goals in his debut season with the club.
Arena has already made a name for himself on the international stage, representing the Australian under-16 side in a friendly win over Switzerland in 2024. He also played for the Italian under-16 team in a series of international friendlies last year. With his impressive displays, Arena is certainly one to watch in the world of football.
OMG u guys Antonio Arena is like THE future of football 
he's only 16 but already scoring goals for Roma and making headlines everywhere 
! His form is insane 
and I'm loving how passionate he is out there 
it's so cool to see a young player with that much drive & determination 
. He's got the skills, speed & agility 
to take on any team in the league and I'm all about cheering him on 
! Roma made an amazing move signing him up 
and I think he's gonna bring a whole new level of excitement to the game 
. Let's see what the future holds for this talented young player... I'm all about him now 
! 
I'm loving how he made that game-winning header at 81st minute! 
The fact that he scored with just his first touch is insane 
! And Roma coach Gasperini seems to be really proud of him too 
. Arena's already making waves in the football world and it'll be exciting to see what he does next 
. I mean, the kid's only 16 but he's got the confidence and drive to make a real difference on the pitch 
! 
. arena's journey from western sydney wanderers to pescara and now roma is a great reminder that with hard work and determination, anything is possible 
I'm loving how he's already making waves in Italy, especially at such a young age. It's great to see him shining bright after moving from Western Sydney Wanderers last year. He's definitely got the skills and that competitive drive, which is super refreshing to see. The way Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini raved about him is spot on too - it's clear Arena's got a lot of potential. 
Wait, but isn't that weird if he's only 16? 
And I'm also thinking, if he's been with Italy at youth level, doesn't that mean he's basically an old pro or what? 
Ugh, I don't know, Arena just seems like a mystery to me 
.
i mean, i was watching the match with my mates and we were all goin wild when he scored 
can't wait to c what he does next! 
He just came on and scored with his first touch! 
️. Love how Roma coach is supporting him too, saying he has "great competitive drive" 
️
. And Roma's coach is totally right, it's awesome to see these young players thriving and giving their all 
, Australia can't be proud of him too 
. He's gotta be one of the most exciting young players out there right now! 
. It's amazing to see how far he's come from A-League Men to becoming a sought-after talent in Italy, his story is truly inspiring 
Can't wait to see more of him on the pitch 
I mean, what's the big deal about this kid scoring with his first touch? It's not like it's some kind of miracle or anything 
. And don't even get me started on how easy it is for Roma to sign anyone who scores a few goals in Serie C 
.
Can you believe this kid, Antonio Arena, is only 16 and already scoring goals like he's been playing pro ball for years? 