Italian-Born Player Ready to Represent Cuba in World Cup

Alessio Raballo is an interesting young talent in football. The 18-year-old striker from Turin is currently with Cremonese’s under-20 team but has decided to play for Cuba, the country of his mother.

He began his journey at CBS Scuola Calcio and then progressed to Torino’s youth system. At 17, he joined the senior bench for a Serie A match against Udinese. After a stint with Parma’s under-20 team, he returned to Torino before getting loaned to Cremonese, where coach Elia Pavesi gave him a starting position.

Although he has yet to make his Serie A debut, Raballo has already represented Cuba’s senior team in the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifiers. He played as a substitute against Trinidad and Tobago and started matches against Antigua and Barbuda and Bermuda, even though the Caribbean team exited early.

“My goal is to take Cuba as far as possible, the dream is to reach a World Cup. Every kid who plays football dreams of that, and we will strive to achieve it,” Raballo said to the Cuban Football Association.

His next big challenge will be the Under-20 World Cup in Chile in 2025, where Cuba will compete in Group D with Argentina, Australia, and Italy. Playing against the country of his birth will highlight his dual background and emphasize his commitment to Cuba while aiming to bring the island back to the World Cup for the first time since 1938.