Cagliari, Idrissi's beautiful fairytale: from Sadali to Serie A

And it doesn't end there. Because the Idrissi family threatens to become a Rossoblu dynasty. While this is undoubtedly the moment for Riyad, Cagliari's attacking full-back, born in 2005, keep an eye on Ismail, a graceful midfielder from the Under-16s, and the young Ferdaous, a regular with Cagliari's Under-12s, a matter of genius, a family that is delightfully writing the club's recent history.

Idrissi, the real one, has just celebrated his debut for the Under-20 national team —he'll be on the pitch tomorrow and Tuesday, alongside fellow Rossoblu player Marco Palestra—and his contract renewal with Cagliari until 2030. His club, his life, one of the very few Sardinians on the team.

Yes, because Riyad Idrissi was born in Sadali on June 13, 2005, to Mohammed and Khadija , Moroccans who had arrived in Sardinia before his birth. He is the first of four children, all born in Sardinia: only Malak, the third, does not wear the red and blue.

Sports, absolutely. His family encouraged Riyad to join Sadali and then the Isili sports club, affiliated with the Cagliari Football Academy. The club's scouts designed a tailor-made career for him, making Idrissi an icon of the work Cagliari does with young Sardinians. And not just in sport. Today, as the facts prove, a product of the youth academy plays for the first team and for the Italian top division.

At the age of 11, Riyad moved to Assemini to train with his peers, tiring daily trips always faced with a smile by his parents .

His hours with Cagliari gradually increased, until at the age of 12 he became a permanent member of the Under 13 team, living in a guesthouse and studying in the city, supervised by the club's educators.

With Pisacane on the bench, he became a key player in the Primavera team and captain, making 63 appearances, scoring 4 goals, and assisting 7. He transitioned from a striker to a left midfielder, and for the Under-15s, he was tested in left defense, a role he hasn't moved from since.

Last year, Cagliari sent him to Modena in Serie B. It was his first season as a professional and Idrissi played brilliantly: 29 appearances, one goal, plenty of running, technique, and personality.

A left-footed player with the physique of a 1500-meter sprinter, his hunting ground is on the left. The summer of 2025 is the summer of his return to the Rossoblu, with Serie A to secure and defend, and the transfer market is in full swing, with demand for the 20-year-old Rossoblu player's performances thriving .

On August 16th, he made his debut as a starter in the Coppa Italia against Virtus Entella, and seven days later, Sadali celebrated his Serie A debut in the final minutes of Cagliari-Fiorentina at the Unipol Domus. He didn't stop there, though, because on September 23rd, in the Coppa Italia against Frosinone, he provided the assist for Felici's goal that made it 3-1.

The Azzurri are a regular: seven appearances for the Under-20s and two for the Under-19s , then—a few weeks ago—his first call-up to the U21s for two European Championship qualifiers. He made his debut as a starter on September 5th against Montenegro (a 2-1 win), and was back in the next match against Macedonia (another 0-1 win). His diploma in Dental Technology at the Meucci University is one of his greatest achievements. Now, he's chasing his first goal, why not?