NINE north suburban teenagers hope to follow in the footsteps of an Epping boy who has signed with Italian soccer powerhouse Inter Milan.
They will train and play in Italy this month on the same type of tour that led to Reno Piscopo, 14, being scouted into Inter Milan’s elite youth development team. The boys train at RMIT’s Bundoora campus with the Genova International School of Soccer, which organised the trip.
Piscopo is not the first Australian boy picked for a Genova tour. Genova spokeswoman Angela Costantino said Theo Markelis was signed by Valencia in Spain when he was 16, then played for Vicenza in Italy before returning to play for Melbourne Victory.
‘‘The players on this tour will train and play against teams of the same age from some of Italy’s top teams, including Genoa and Juventus,’’ Costantino said. The boys leave on September 21 for two weeks in Ovada, in Piemonte, northern Italy.
South Morang player Alan Peric, 15, said it would be ‘‘a life-changing experience’’. ‘‘I hope to learn and to bring my knowledge back to Australia, which could help with my career goal to become a professional soccer player,’’ he said.
Jonathan Alcorace, 15, of Greenvale, has already tasted Italian soccer, playing for Campania, near Naples, when his family lived there for a year. ‘‘I’m ready to use my gift of both feet and speed to create a pathway to playing soccer for a professional team at a high level,’’ he said.
The other players are Jonathan’s brother Lucas, 13, Tyler Carlucci, 13, Dion Forgione, 16, twins Jake and Luke Parisi, 16, Josh Rabie, 12, and Nick Vouloumanos, 15.
Genova will run an open session at RMIT, Plenty Road, Saturday, September 8, at 10am.
