Niko Kovac claims 17-year-old Italy talent is ‘the future’ of Borussia Dortmund ‘and of Italian football’ – Football Italia

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac was full of praise for 17-year-old talent Samuele Inacio, who he describes as ‘not just the future of this club, but also of Italian football and of the Italy national team’. 

Kovac claims Inacio is ‘the future’ of Italy

The 17-year-old attacker has recently made his professional debut, coming off the bench at the end of Der Klassiker between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga on Saturday evening. 

The teenager is also at the centre of an ongoing feud between Dortmund and his former club Atalanta. Inacio came through the academy in Bergamo, but left to join Dortmund as a 16-year-old in 2024 with no compensation changing hands between the clubs; a situation which has left La Dea bitterly frustrated. 

Atalanta’s loss is Dortmund’s gain, however, and head coach Kovac has nothing but positive things to say about the emerging teenage talent. 

“We’re happy. Samuele is 17 years old and will definitely do well,” said Kovac (via Kicker). “I was happy with his debut. Against Bayern Munich. Imagine that, not bad! 

Kovac is convinced that Inacio will go on to play a major role in the Italy national team set-up. 

“He’s a great footballer. If he stays fit, he will have a really great career. At just 17, I see a lot of the qualities that a very good player in the future will have. He’s not just the future of this club, but also of Italian football and of the Italy national team. 

“He’s making great progress, he has great heart. He’s a technically very clean player. Italians say ‘fantasista’. As a 10 or an 8, he sees things on the pitch at the age of 17 that others at 30 don’t see.”