Marci stepped onto the field, the rays of the sun reflecting off his brace. A wide grin spread across his face, surpassing any goal he had ever scored. His teammates greeted him with cheers and backslaps, visibly happy and relieved at his return. The pain of his injury remained, a reminder of the fragile thread his dreams danced upon, but the light in his eyes was brighter than ever.
The South Koreans were warming up across the field, known for their technical precision and reactive tactics that focus on defense similar to one played by the Italians.
But silent noises slithered through the training pitch when Marci's phone buzzed. Uruguay had just won 1-nil against Israel in the semi-finals, the South Americans announcing their arrival at the finals.
Uruguay, the giants of South American football, stood between him and his dream. A weaker opponent might have been a guaranteed victory, but facing the best would push them to their limits, and forge them into champions.
Uruguay is a tough team, yes, but conquering them now in the U-20 World Cup would be a step forward to cement his place in legend.
As the roar of the stadium drowned out the pre-game preparations, Marci's gaze locked with Cesare Casadei. A silent understanding passed between them; a midfielder and a forward duo. The whistle blew, and the match began.
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On Sunday, May 21, 2023, Leonardo Marci made his debut for Italy's National Football team The game was the first of the group stage, against powerhouse Brazil in the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas at 6:00 PM.
Marci also played exceptionally during his youth debut as a central forward, scoring two goals in a 3-2 victory against Brazil. Despite his performances, he lost the second game against Nigeria in a 2-0 thriller.
However, Marci shined again in their third match against the Dominican Republic by scoring a hat trick that surprised his teammates and fans.
Despite being runners-up in their group, they advanced to the round of 16 where they faced England. Marci sealed the win for Italy with a penalty goal, leading them to a 2-1 victory.
During the tournament, he also caught attention for his quick counterattack attempt which drew a foul from Colombian player Edier Ocampo, resulting in Marci being taken out of the game due to injury in the 66th minute. Nevertheless, his team went on to win 3-1 against Colombia
His exceptional performance on the field was a sight to behold, worthy of being recorded in textbooks. In his match against South Korea, he played with simplicity and avoided any flashy moves. As his coach had instructed him before the game, "Great job, go out there and play a non-flashy style of football centered around passing instead of skill moves and showboating. Pass the ball quickly to avoid being tackled by opponents."
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Even though he tended to be flashy and showboating, his new routine of passing and finding spaces while combining with other Italian midfielders like Cesare Casadei and Matteo Prati allowed his teammates to control the tempo of the game. They dominated possession of the ball, leading them to create numerous clear opportunities for scoring goals.
In the beginning stages of the match, a swift exchange of passes between Samuel Giovane and Matteo Prati led them to break through South Korea's defense and make their way towards the opposition. As they closed in on the goal, Cesare Casadei received a pass from Matteo Prati and sent it to Leonardo Marci on the right wing.
With composure, Marci received the ball from Cesare Casadei and made a run into the box. He faced off against the goalkeeper in a one-on-one battle. Without hesitation, Marci took a shot that curved past the keeper, scoring Italy's first goal in just 14 minutes.
The score was then 1-0 in favor of Italy. After celebrating for about a while, the game resumed as Italy continued to dominate with their precise passing and solid defensive efforts. As time went on, they continued to create scoring opportunities while maintaining a strong defense.
South Korea was constantly putting pressure on Italy and had several close attempts at scoring during the 19th and 28th minutes. At this point in the game, the score remained 1-0 in favor of Italy.
In the 31st minute, South Korea launched a counterattack just after stopping Italy's scoring attempt. A long cross by Ji-Soo Kim would make its way to Joon-Ho Bae who sent a through pass to Young-Jun Lee.
Young-Jun Lee quickly made his way towards the opposition box, ready to take a shot at the goalkeeper. Mattia Zanotti, an Italian right back, swept in with a sliding tackle, earning himself a yellow card and setting up South Korea for a penalty kick.
Despite the pressure, Young-Jun Lee remained composed and confidently kicked the ball into the back of the net, tying up the game in the 35th minute.
1-1
In the 88th minute, something unexpected happened during the game. Despite being on the defensive for most of the match, the Italy players suddenly sprang into action after a failed counterattack by South Korea. They swiftly launched a counter-attack of their own, easily breaking through the disorganized defense of their opponents.
Through a series of precise passes and clever moves, Leonardo Marci was able to receive a through pass from the wing in front of the South Korean goal. With impressive composure and quick flicks, he evaded three South Korean defenders before unleashing a perfectly placed shot into the top right corner of the net.
The score was 2:1, and the Italians were now leading the scoring. The game continued, and the South Korean players were pumped up after conceding the goal, increasing their attacks and putting pressure on their opponents. Despite their efforts, they could not score another goal and the final whistle blew with a score of 2:1 in favor of Italy after eight minutes of added injury time.