Born in Monfalcone, the city his parents had moved to from Naples,[2] Pafundi started his footballing career with his hometown club UFM Monfalcone, until he got noticed by Udinese scouts during a youth tournament in 2014, and was signed by the Serie A side soon thereafter.[3]
Throughout the 2021–22 season, Pafundi emerged as a star player and a regular for the club's under-19 team, having scored six goals and provided seven assists in 16 games in the Campionato Primavera 2 at just sixteen years of age: around this period of time, he signed his first professional contract with Udinese and received his first call-ups to the club's first team.[4][5][6]
On 22 May 2022, at 16 years old, Pafundi made his professional debut for Udinese, coming on as a substitute for Roberto Pereyra at the 68th minute of the team's final league game of the season, a 4–0 away win over Salernitana. In the same occasion, he became the first player born in 2006 to take part in a Serie A match.[3][7]
In October 2023, Pafundi was included in The Guardian's list of the 60 best talents in the world born in 2006.[8]
On 25 January 2024, Pafundi joined Swiss club Lausanne-Sport on loan until the end of the year,[9][10] with the deal including an option-to-buy reported to be in the region of €15 million.[10] On 10 March 2024, Simone Pafundi scores his first professional goal in the Swiss Super League during his 7th match played.
International career
Youth
Pafundi represented Italy at several youth international levels, having played for the under-16 and under-17 national teams.[11][12]
In May 2023, he was included in the Italian squad that took part in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina,[13] where the Azzurrini finished runners-up after losing to Uruguay in the final match.[14][15]
On 19 november 2024 he made his debut with the U21 national team, in a friendly match against Ukraine.
Senior
In May 2022, Pafundi was called-up by head coach Roberto Mancini to join a training camp with the Italy senior national team, as part of a stage reserved to the most promising players in the country.[5]
In November of the same year, he received his first official call-up to the senior national team for two friendlies against Albania and Austria.[16][17] He eventually made his debut with the Azzurri on 16 November 2022, at 16 years old, playing the final minutes against Albania, thus becoming the third-youngest debutant in the history of the Italy national team, and the youngest debutant in the last 100 years.[18]
Style of play
A short, left-footed trequartista, Pafundi has been regarded mainly for his ball control, vision and pace, which allow him to be a frequent threat in the final third, both as an assist-man and as a finisher.[2][19] He has been compared to former Udinese captain and striker Antonio Di Natale.
Some even believe he has the potential to be the heir of Lionel Messi, given his stature and ball handling skills who resemble the Argentinian phenom.[19]
Personal life
Pafundi has an older brother, Andrea (b. 2004), who played with him in the youth ranks of Udinese,[2] before retiring in 2023 to start a career in futsal.[20]
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