De Paoli and the New Generation of the Como 1907 Academy

Cristiano De Paoli is seventeen years old and already carries a bronze medal from a World Cup with Italy Under 17. He is a centre back on loan from Udinese and part of a Como 1907 Academy that wants to be a breeding ground for the next generation of Italian national players. Calm on the ball clear in his head he looks like the modern defender the Academy wants to produce.

He went to the World Cup with no guarantees.
“I came to the World Cup knowing that I would have to compete for my place with three other players in the same position as I knew how strong they were but by training hard I managed to earn myself a place in the starting line up.”

He feels that the Como idea of football helped to open that door.
“I think that the desire to always play the ball which is fundamental to the Como philosophy helped me to attract the attention of the national team.”

His favourite moment is easy to choose.
“The victory on penalties against Brazil because of the importance of the opponent and the match.”

The step up in level was real.
“The biggest difference is the pace, especially of the best teams since most of the players already have experience with the first teams.”

When he speaks about coming back to the Academy he resets quickly.
“When I return to Como I will go back to being a normal Como player and I will try to help my teammates by pushing them to give their best as I was taught during the World Cup.”

He keeps his ambitions simple and sharp.
“I hope this is the first of many experiences in blue and white but if not I will still be happy to have had an experience like this. My personal goals are to improve, mature and above all earn the opportunity to make my debut with Como.”

Ask him about defenders and he shows respect and independence at the same time.
“I really like Saliba but I do not draw inspiration from him or try to imitate him because our playing styles are different. I really admire Diego Carlos because he is a player with an impressive career and I consider him one of the strongest defenders I have ever seen play live.”

Wearing the national shirt matters to him.
“It is always an honor to represent my country and winning the bronze medal was a fantastic moment because I was happy and proud of the journey I had made.”

Family was close all the way through the tournament.
“My family always supported me during the World Cup. My mother came to see me during the round of sixteen which was important to me because it is no small feat to come all the way to Qatar to watch a soccer game.”

His time at Como is still at the start but the Academy has already made an impact.
“My journey at Como has just begun. I arrived this year and have yet to experience what you might call great moments but I am sure there will be many. Como has helped me grow in many ways but mainly it has made me understand what it means to feel part of a family.”

He is still getting to know the city beyond the training pitches.
“Como is a quiet city. I have not had a chance to experience it yet but I will definitely do so in the coming months.”

Away from football he likes to game
“Besides soccer I am passionate about video games because they help me take my mind off things and have some time to myself. I play FIFA a lot, especially Pro Club with my friends.”

From the World Cup he brings back more than a medal.
“I take home the emotions I feel when playing such important games because I hope to play more like them one day. I have also realized that to win games everyone has to help the team and feel part of it.”

He is honest about what he still needs.
“I need to improve in many areas but in particular I need to be able to maintain my concentration throughout the game. With Como I hope to win the Primavera 1 championship and learn a lot from the first team players.”

And then there is his message to young fans watching the Academy and dreaming of their own call up one day.
“Always believe in yourselves. For those who believe everything will come.”

Cristiano De Paoli is part of what the Como 1907 Academy wants to be. A place where young players learn to play out from the back to compete at international pace and to carry themselves like professionals while still being teenagers. A place that feeds the first team and feeds the Azzurri. A place where the next generation is already taking its first steps in blue and white.