Three Lariani at Their First FIFA World Cup
A defining moment in the life and career of any footballer: this past month, Assane Diao, Nico Paz and Martin Baturina have all experienced their first FIFA World Cup.
Representing three different nations, the trio accumulated 404 minutes on the pitch as they proudly represented Como 1907 on football's biggest stage, taking the BiancoBlu colours to the global game.
Martin Baturina | Croatia
Martin Baturina's first FIFA World Cup left a lasting impression. The midfielder started all four of Croatia's matches and marked his tournament debut by scoring his first World Cup goal against England.
Calm, composed and influential throughout the competition, Baturina's first World Cup campaign came to an end in the Round of 16, where Croatia were beaten by Portugal.
Reflecting on the tournament, the Como No. 20 shared the following message on social media:
"It hurts because we believed in ourselves. It hurts because we wanted more. But I'm proud, and the motivation to come back stronger is even greater. Thank you, Croatia!"
Assane Diao | Senegal
For Assane Diao, the dream of a first FIFA World Cup became reality when he made his tournament debut in Senegal's victory over Iraq.
His appearance in the knockout stage marked another important step in the young forward's growth, as Senegal progressed beyond the group stage before their journey came to an end against Belgium in the Round of 16.
At the end of the tournament, Diao shared a heartfelt message with the Senegalese public:
"It was a dream and a huge honour to represent this shirt at the World Cup.
To every Senegalese: you deserve more, and we'll come back to give it to you. Thank you for all the support you've shown us."
Nico Paz | Argentina
Reaching a FIFA World Cup final is an achievement in itself. Doing so at the first attempt makes it even more special.
Nico Paz enjoyed a remarkable tournament with Argentina, earning his first World Cup start against Jordan before featuring in the final at the MetLife Stadium in New York, where Argentina narrowly lost 1–0 against Spain after extra time.
Following the tournament, the Como No. 10 reflected on the experience:
"Today more than ever, I'm proud to represent this country, this national team, and to be part of an incredible group of people who would give everything for these colours and put their heart and soul into every moment. All I can say is thank you.
I promise to give absolutely everything to bring this trophy back to Argentina.
Congratulations to Spain and to all the Spanish people.
Long live, Argentina, always, in the good times and the difficult ones."
From the emotion of a first FIFA World Cup to the experience of competing on football's biggest stage, this international chapter marks another important step in the development of three of Como 1907's brightest young talents.
With the World Cup now behind them, Baturina, Diao, and Paz will rejoin Cesc Fàbregas' squad this weekend, ready to bring the experience gained on the international stage back to the BiancoBlu.