It was late in the summer of 2016 that Nicolo Zaniolo was left in tears. After more than seven years in the Fiorentina youth system, he was told he was going to be released.
"I cried about it for a whole week," he later revealed. It was a testing moment for the 17-year-old, who claims he was told new players were arriving and a deal had been agreed for him to join Virtus Entella.
Yet his rise since that day has been nothing short of inspirational.
Zaniolo has become the new Prince of Rome—the future of one of Serie A's most famous clubs.