Samuel Iling-Junior ‘grabbed the opportunity with both hands’ after being given his first Serie A start and scoring the debut Juventus goal, confirming he won’t play at the Under-20 World Cup for England.
The 19-year-old winger has made a few impressive substitute appearances this season after being promoted from the NextGen youth squad and was given his chance to shine in the starting XI against Atalanta in Bergamo.
He opened the scoring, winning the ball back from Davide Zappacosta to finish the move from close range, before Dusan Vlahovic’s last-gasp counter-attack.
“It was an opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands!” he told Sky Sport Italia and DAZN.
“I took the ball back, had a step-over, passed it over and then was ready when the ball came back to me. I am proud to wear this jersey and to have scored the goal, it is a special moment for me.”
Juventus coach Max Allegri confirmed that Iling-Junior will not be released to represent England at the Under-20 World Cup, suggesting there will be more senior appearances for the Chelsea academy graduate throughout the rest of this season.
“We must always learn, as the World Cup is an opportunity, but so is playing here. Allegri is a top coach, he is important for my growth and for my career.”
The Under-20 World Cup will be played from May 20 to June 11 involving 24 teams.
It had originally been scheduled to take place in Indonesia, but was moved to Argentina for 2023.