Wilfried Gnonto’s exploits in a Leeds United shirt have seen him capture the imagination of football fans across his home nation of Italy. The Whites forward is still only 19 years old, but he’ll win his ninth international cap this evening should he feature for the Azzurri against England in Naples and supporters will be keen to see him reproduce the form he has shown for Leeds in recent months.
Gnonto has been one of United’s shining lights in what has been a challenging campaign, breaking through into the first-team fold and terrorising defenders with his ball control, pace and direct running. He’s made a habit of getting fans on their feet by producing spellbinding moments but two of his goals have been particularly well-received by his compatriots.
The first was the volley he scored against Cardiff City at Elland Road which drew obvious comparisons to Paolo Di Canio’s scissor kick effort while playing for West Ham United back in 2000. Timing his run perfectly, Gnonto watched Rodrigo’s lofted pass all the way onto his right foot before lashing it beyond Jak Alnwick to give the Whites the lead in their FA Cup third round replay.
