The weeks not to be forgotten by the Pafundi family. In May, Sunday 22, before Simone’s debut in Serie A with the Udinese shirt, on 23 ‘of the last championship against Salernitana, a few days after Italy was called up for an internship, organized by the coach Roberto Mancini to view the talents of the Bel Paese.
Now a double blue appointment, first at the Maradona stadium in Naples, where last Sunday the Juventus “wonder kid” dreamed of playing, for a matter of football heart, and then the call of the national team in view of the last two friendlies of the calendar year , against Albania in Tirana and Austria in what was the Vienna Prater.
It goes without saying that for the Pafundi it is another moment to be placed in the family’s album of memories: okay, there was no expected passage in the Fuorigrotta theater, as father Salvatore had hoped, interviewed by CalcioNapoli24 TV and ready to tell the feelings that move the talented born in Monfalcone. Yes, Monfalcone because Simone was born there on March 14, 2006, together with his brother Andrea (two years and a few days older), thanks to the transfer of the family for work reasons, given that his father Salvatore works in shipbuilding.
The first steps in football were in Monfalcone, where Simone was noticed and taken very small by Udinese, while Andrea, the attacker, always ended up in Udine, in the Donatello forge – a company that has always been famous for having contributed to the launch of Serie A talents. – before joining in turn the youth teams of the Juventus club.
“At home – Salvatore confessed – we are all fans of Napoli who are giving us so many joys: on the other hand we have this son who has embarked on this path and … And let’s see what comes out of it”.
The boy is the first class in 2006 to finish in the senior national team and, curiously, without having made even a minute as a starter in Serie A with Udinese. A detail that could also make us think of the call-up as a sort of advertising spot in a blue key, without this being too popular in the control room, where Gino Pozzo moves, who will have to carefully manage a talent followed by the greatest Italian and international clubs. ‘Europe with the guarantee of a contract until 2025 (when Simone will have just turned 19) which is certainly not “armor”.
«Udine is a springboard, it feels great – assured father Salvatore -, in a club that takes great care of the youth sector. Then for Simone that is his home: he grew up in Udine even if he supports Naples. And in the future we expect them to give him more space to demonstrate what is said about him ».
Beyond the blue adventure in the coming days, therefore, the growth path that Udinese will submit to Pafundi to involve him in the growth project will be important.
On the part of the boy, on the other hand, one should expect a champion attitude with his feet firmly planted on the ground. It is easy to pass it off as a phenomenon right now: «It is still too early to use this adjective – the father reassured -. We care, but the road is long. He is very quiet about these things. And as for his dreams of him, it must be said that he is grateful to Udinese because he grew up there, even if we cannot hide the fact that he is a Napoli fan. He must follow his own path to demonstrate everything that is said about him and one day who knows … ».
In Naples there was a lot of talk last summer about an advance from De Laurentiis’ club to buy him immediately: «Quite frankly, as a family we have never had a contact. Perhaps society, this you have to ask those in charge, otherwise I would say a lie ».
The truth is that many clubs follow Pafundi, from Real to Barcelona, passing through Chelsea, Manchester United and City, without forgetting all the big Italians. He will also have these radars turned on him in Albania and Austria.