It's been a whirlwind 12 months for Simone Pafundi. Since signing his first professional contract in March last year at the age of 16, he's gone from starring for the Udinese academy sides to making his Serie A bow, becoming a regular member of the first-team squad and earning his senior Italy debut.
Now 17, the talented forward looked back on his rapid rise while speaking to Udinese TV on the regular Monday evening show Udinese Tonight.
“It's been a strange year for me,” he admitted. “To go from the U17s to working with Serie A players is a big change but as time has passed I've felt more and more at ease, thanks to everyone at the club.
“The last few weeks haven't been easy with lots of stories about me in the news. Obviously it's nice in a way but at the same time I'm trying to be a normal 17-year-old.
“I talk to [Andrea] Sottil all the time. He's always reassuring me and doesn't put any pressure on me. I always try to give my all and I know he rates me highly. I try to make the most of every opportunity I get.
“I have a lot of fun with my team-mates. It's a great group. They've made me feel at home here since the start. [Tolgay] Arslan, [Ilija] Nestorovski and [Adam] Masina have been giving me lots of advice and [Edoardo] Piana is a great friend of mine.
“My team-mates often give me the ball in training and they did the same in the last two games because I think they all believe in me.
“I've been at Udinese since I was eight. I still remember the summer when I got the call: my mum came back from the beach and gave me the news – I was over the moon. Before then I was playing for Monfalcone. Joining Udinese was a dream.
“Making my Serie A debut was another dream come true. Everything was a blur before I came on: I so desperately wanted to show what I could do. As soon as I stepped onto the pitch all the tension vanished.
“My first contract was another big step forward, and an important day for me and my family. Signing the contract on my birthday was the icing on the cake. My family help keep me grounded. They've always taught me to be polite and respectful. I talk about football a lot with my dad.
“I think my best position is trequartista but I can play as a second striker too. In Serie A you have to be good at everything. If you're only good in one position, you're predictable – that's why I try to be ready to play in any position. My idol has always been [Lionel] Messi. A player I loved at Udinese was [Antonio] Di Natale.”