Kayode enjoys fantastic debut for Italy

Brentford defender Michael Kayode has called his first game for Italy a dream come true. He scored a goal and provided an assist in Italy’s 4-1 victory over Turkey in the Nations League.

The 22-year-old made his debut in Bursa and quickly made his mark. He helped Italy bounce back from their last loss by contributing to two goals.

Kayode's first shot was saved, but Davide Frattesi was there to score. After that, Kayode scored his first international goal to make it 2-0 for Italy.

“I didn’t expect my debut to go like this, so I am really happy,” Kayode said.

He mentioned that the team wanted to respond strongly after their last defeat. They played with determination and simplicity.

“We wanted to really prove ourselves in a difficult match in an incredible stadium atmosphere, so winning here was fantastic,” he added.

Kayode was eligible to play for Nigeria. He said Nigeria reached out to him but he never thought about switching teams after going through Italy’s youth ranks.

“It was a very easy decision. I went through all the youth teams here. Nigeria approached me, but I never thought about changing national teams,” he told Football Italia.

“I think Italy have always been a great national team, and playing here is an honour.”

Kayode joined Brentford on a loan deal worth €500,000 from Fiorentina in January 2025. There was also an option to buy him.

At the end of the season, the Premier League club made the move permanent for €17.5 million.