Floriani Mussolini makes decisive Serie A debut for Cremonese

Romano Floriani Mussolini, the great-grandson of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, made an instant impact on his Serie A debut as Cremonese edged Sassuolo 3-2 on Friday night, Sport360NG reports.

The 22-year-old defender was introduced with just eight minutes left and won the late penalty that Manuel de Luca converted to seal victory for the newly promoted side. The result leaves Cremonese top of the table with maximum points from their opening two fixtures.

On loan from Lazio, Floriani Mussolini had remained on the bench in last week’s opening win at AC Milan. Speaking after his debut, he admitted the night would stay with him forever.

“Too many things happened in too little time. I’ll never forget this because I’ve always dreamed of making my Serie A debut,” he said. “My goal was to make a difference, and I’m happy I managed to do that.”

The right-back wears the No. 22 shirt for Cremonese, with “Romano” printed on the back. A product of Lazio’s academy, he has previously played on loan in the lower divisions with Pescara and Juve Stabia.

His surname has inevitably drawn attention throughout his career. After scoring for Juve Stabia last December, reports suggested some fans responded with fascist gestures, an allegation the club firmly denied. When he joined Cremonese earlier this summer, Floriani Mussolini insisted he was focused solely on football, saying: “My surname bothers others more than it bothers me.”

Benito Mussolini led Italy from 1922 until his downfall in 1943, allying the country with Nazi Germany during World War Two before his capture and execution in 1945.