From now on, call him Foliño, in the Brazilian style. Because the technical gesture displayed by Francesco Folino at the “Tombolato” against Cittadella he seems to have come straight from the beaches of Copacabana. A spectacular overhead kick, one of those that remain in the memory and that have already made the rounds on the web, transforming a central defender into a star of the day.
The play was born in the 33rd minute of the first half: Folino tamed the ball on the edge of the area, surrounded by the garnet shirts, and with a gesture of pure instinct let loose a perfect backflip. The goalkeeper of Cittadella, Kastrati, can only watch the ball slip into the top corner, while the crowd is left speechless. It is the goal that gives the lead to the Juve Stabia, who for a few minutes dreamed of conquering the difficult Venetian pitch, before Pandolfi brought the match back to parity.
Folino is certainly not new to high-level performances, but a play like this puts him in the spotlight. Central defender from Ferrara, born in 1998, he made his way starting from the youth sectors of Spal, Reggiana, Cosenza ed Empoli, to then establish himself in the ranks of the Pianese and CarrareseArrived at Castellammare di Stabia in the summer of 2023, he quickly became a mainstay of the team Guido Pagliuca, contributing to the promotion from Serie C and the solid current season.
Juve Stabia, for Folino there is a dream called Serie A
“We have never hidden: we want to aim high”, Folino said in a recent interview, highlighting the special chemistry created with the Gialloblù fans during the promotion. Although the team has not won for two months, still remaining in the running for the play-offs, the ambition is clear: to take Juve Stabia even higher.
Folino's goal could even earn him a nomination for the prestigious Puskas Prize, awarded annually to the best goal of the season. It would be an extraordinary recognition for a player who dreams of playing on the fields of Serie A, following in the footsteps of his model, Leonardo Bonucci.
Article published on 3 December 2024 - 14:54
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