Calafiori gives the Azzurri shirt to a Turkish fan after the 4‑1

Bursa, September 28, 2026 – while the Italian national team dominated the Nations League with a 4‑1 win over Turkey, Arsenal left‑back Riccardo Calafiori, who remained on the bench, gave his Azzurri shirt to a young Turkish fan, sparking contagious enthusiasm.

A four‑goal victory

The Italian national team dominated the Nations League in Bursa with a clean 4‑1 win over Turkey. The goals were scored by Alessandro Bastoni, Davide Frattesi, Michael Kayode and Francesco Pio Esposito. The coach made eight substitutions compared to the lineup that had suffered a 2‑0 defeat to Belgium at the Olympic Stadium in Rome last Friday.

Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal defender, stayed on the bench and did not wear Italy’s shirt nor represent Italy on the pitch. After the final whistle, he handed his Azzurri shirt to a young Turkish fan, sparking an outburst of joy. Despite the language barrier, the boy’s enthusiasm was evident.

The gesture was captured in a video shared on Twitter by the Calafiori Files account, with the hashtag #Calafiori #Azzurri. The tweet, dated September 28, received numerous affectionate comments, including “Richy is so sweet!”.

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Turkey, which suffered the defeat, had already lost the previous Nations League match against France 1‑0 the week before. This marks the second consecutive loss for the country, despite the support of the Turkish crowd.

The match took place at the Atatürk Spor Kompleksi Matli Stadyumu in Bursa, Turkey, on 28 SEPTEMBER 2026. The festive atmosphere continued when some unused players organized a small kick‑about on the pitch.

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Calafiori’s gesture shows how even bench players can forge a direct connection with fans, turning a defeat into a positive memory for a young enthusiast.