{{Short description|Italian footballer (born 2009)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Antonio Arena | image = | image_size = | caption = | fullname = Antonio Arena | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2009|2|10|df=y}} | birth_place = Sydney, Australia<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/altri-campionati/08-03-2025/serie-c-pescara-esordio-e-gol-per-il-2009-antonio-arena.shtml|title=L'Entella vola a +7. Pescara, 4-1 alla Lucchese: esordio e gol per il 2009 Antonio Arena e a luglio arriva il salto di qualità trasferendosi alla Roma per 1 milione|website=La Gazzetta dello Sport}}</ref> | height = 1.88 m | position = Striker | currentclub = Roma | clubnumber = 68 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = M&U Football Academy | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Western Sydney Wanderers | youthyears3 = 2022–2025 | youthclubs3 = Pescara | youthyears4 = 2025– | youthclubs4 = Roma | years1 = 2024–2025 | clubs1 = Pescara | caps1 = 4 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 2025– | clubs2 = Roma | caps2 = 2 <!-- League apps only --> | goals2 = 0 <!-- League goals only --> | nationalyears1 = 2024 | nationalteam1 = Australia U16 | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 2025 | nationalteam2 = Italy U16 | nationalcaps2 = 2 | nationalgoals2 = 1 | nationalyears3 = 2025 | nationalteam3 = Italy U17 | nationalcaps3 = 14 | nationalgoals3 = 3 | nationalyears4 = 2025– | nationalteam4 = Italy U18 | nationalcaps4 = 8 | nationalgoals4 = 3 | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}} {{Medal|Country|{{fb|ITA}}}} {{Medal|Comp|FIFA U-17 World Cup}} {{Medal|3rd|2025 Qatar|}} | pcupdate = 22 March 2026 | ntupdate = 31 March 2026 }} '''Antonio Arena''' (born 10 February 2009) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for {{Italian football updater|Roma}} club Roma. Born in Australia of Italian descent, he has represented both Australia and Italy at youth international level, having most recently appeared for the Italy national under-18 team.
==Club career== Arena is a youth product of the Australians clubs M&U Football Academy and Western Sydney Wanderers, before moving to Pescara in 2022 to finish his development.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilpescara.it/sport/calcio/antonio-arena-pescara-calcio-australia-italia-calciomercato-mercato.html|title=Pescara Calcio, in rampa di lancio c'è il 16enne Antonio Arena|website=IlPescara}}</ref> On 15 February 2025, he signed his first professional contract until 2028.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-c/pescara-il-giovane-antonio-arena-ha-firmato-il-suo-primo-contratto-da-professionista-2069901|title=Pescara, il giovane Antonio Arena ha firmato il suo primo contratto da professionista - TUTTO mercato WEB|website=www.tuttomercatoweb.com}}</ref> He made his senior and professional debut with Pescara in a 4–1 Serie C win over Lucchese, and scored his side's fourth goal. At 16 years and 25 days old, he became the first 2009-born player to score in professional football in Italy, and also the youngest ever goalscorer for Pescara, beating the record of Marco Verratti.<ref name="auto1">https://www.eurosport.it/calcio/serie-c-girone-b/2024-2025/antonio-arena-da-record-a-16-anni-e-il-primo-2009-a-segnare-tra-i-professionisti-nel-4-1-del-pescara-alla-lucchese_sto20134561/story.shtml</ref>
On 23 July 2025, Arena signed for Serie A club Roma.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-a/roma-ecco-il-giovane-antonio-arena-il-classe-2009-arriva-dal-pescara-2127589 |publisher=Tuttomercatoweb |language=it |date=23 July 2025 |accessdate=23 July 2025 |title=Roma, ecco il giovane Antonio Arena: il classe 2009 arriva dal Pescara}}</ref>
On 13 January 2026, Arena made his first-team debut for Roma in the round of 16 of the Coppa Italia, in a 3–2 defeat against Torino, scoring his first goal for the club with his first touch of the ball.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/14/australian-16-year-old-antonio-arena-scores-with-first-touch-on-debut-for-italian-giants-roma |publisher=The Guardian |language=en |date=14 January 2026 |accessdate=14 January 2026 |title=Australian 16-year-old Antonio Arena scores on debut for Italian giants Roma}}</ref>
==International career== Born in Australia, Arena is of Italian descent through his grandparents from Taurianova.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://figc.it/it/nazionali/news/antonio-arena-il-centravanti-dei-record-cresciuto-a-sydney-onorato-di-giocare-per-litalia/|title= Antonio Arena, il centravanti dei record cresciuto a Sydney: "Onorato di giocare per l'Italia" - FIGC |website=www.figc.it}}</ref> He holds dual Australian-Italian citizenship.<ref name="auto1"/> He debuted with the Australia U16s in a friendly 4–3 win over the Switzerland U16s on 16 April 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/subway-joeys-seal-3-1-friendly-win-over-switzerland-u-16|title=Subway Joeys seal 4-3 friendly win over Switzerland U-16 | Socceroos|date=11 April 2024|website=www.socceroos.com.au}}</ref> In January 2025, he was called up to the Italy U16s for a set of friendlies.<ref name="auto"/>
Arena was a member of the Italy U17s' squad in their third place campaign at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, scoring two goals in seven appearances.
== Career statistics ==
=== Club === {{updated|match played 22 March 2026}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerway.com/player/arena-antonio/lEbTq0UP/|title=Antonio Arena|website=Soccerway.com|date=14 January 2026}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Coppa Italia}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Pescara |2024–25 |Serie C |4||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1{{efn|Appearance in Serie C promotion play-offs}}||0||5||1 |- |Roma |2025–26 |Serie A |2||0||1||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||3||1 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !6!!1!!1!!1!!0!!0!!1!!0!!8!!2 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Italy U17''' *FIFA U-17 World Cup third place: 2025<ref>{{cite web |title=Longoni saves bag Italy bronze |url=https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/u17worldcup/qatar-2025/articles/brazil-italy-play-off-third-place-report-highlights |website=fifa.com |access-date=28 November 2025 |language=en |date=27 November 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerway|antonio-arena/986366}} *[https://www.tuttocalciatori.net/Arena_Antonio Tuttocalciatori Profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arena, Antonio}} Category:2009 births Category:Living people Category:Soccer players from Sydney Category:Italian men's footballers Category:Italy men's youth international footballers Category:Australian men's soccer players Category:Australia men's youth international soccer players Category:Australian people of Italian descent Category:Delfino Pescara 1936 players Category:AS Roma players Category:Serie A players Category:Serie C players Category:Men's association football forwards