Mirko Valdifiori admits the magnitude of making his debut for Italy against England on Tuesday night has still not quite home to him yet.
The 28-year-old did note that there was a sense of vindication on his part though at his hard-work paying off without needing to join a major club as he played solidly in the 1-1 draw before being substituted in the second half.
Talking about the match, he said: “I wanted to prove people who wrong who say that if you play for a provincial club or have little international experience or experience at a high level then you will not play well for the national team.
“I tried to play my football and for this there is satisfaction. If I think that this time a year ago I was in Serie B… it is still something of a daydream.”
Valdifori, who has only ever counted Cesena and Empoli among his permanent clubs (as well as two loan spells in the lower divisions) also claimed that there are great similarities between his club coach and his new Azzurri boss.
“The two coaches have more or less the same ideas on football and I try to do what they ask of me,” he added. “Both always ask me to try and move the ball quickly and vertically towards the goal.”
