Michael Kayode: Roberto Mancini’s ‘Enormous Trust’ and Why the Italy Star Has No Favourite Serie A Club

FolioPitch.com – 23 October 2026 | Michael Kayode has revealed that Roberto Mancini showed “enormous trust” in him by handing the young defender a starting role on his senior Italy debut, while also insisting that he holds no favourite Serie A club despite growing up watching the great Juventus, Milan, Inter and Roma sides of his childhood. The comments came in a wide-ranging interview with Sky Sport Italia, in which the Brentford full-back reflected on a whirlwind period that has seen him rise from Premier League loanee to Azzurri goalscorer. For Kayode, the phrase that best captures his international breakthrough is simple: Kayode Mancini showed enormous trust I have no favourite Serie A club — a sentiment that neatly ties together the two dominant themes of his remarkable season.

“Honestly, I would have been happy just to come on in the final minute to make my international debut,” Kayode said. “Instead, the coach showed enormous trust in me by giving me a place in the starting line-up against Turkiye. Then things went better than even I could have imagined. It was a match I’ll never forget. Representing your country is the most wonderful thing of all.” The 22-year-old marked that first start with a goal, capping a dream evening and underlining why Mancini was prepared to gamble on him so early in his international career. It is a decision that has already been vindicated, and one that Kayode will not forget.

That sense of gratitude runs deep. Kayode Mancini showed enormous trust I have no favourite Serie A club is not merely a headline line — it is a reflection of how the defender views a coach who believed in him when it mattered most. Mancini’s willingness to throw a newcomer into a competitive fixture against Turkiye speaks volumes about the Italian management’s confidence in the next generation, and Kayode’s response — a composed, goalscoring performance — suggests the faith was well placed.

Kayode’s club career has followed an equally upward trajectory. He joined Brentford from Fiorentina on an initial loan in January 2025, and the move was made permanent for €18m the following summer. This season he has scored once in eight appearances across all competitions, helping the Bees climb to sixth in the Premier League table, just three points behind Chelsea in fourth. “I think it’s a fantastic start,” he admitted. “We’ve worked incredibly hard since the beginning of the season to reach this level, and we’re really happy with what we’re doing. We’re not setting any expectations: we’re taking it one game at a time.”

The defender also credited the smooth transition at Brentford to the club’s internal continuity. “I was lucky enough to work with Thomas Frank for six months when I first arrived, and [Keith] Andrews was part of his staff as the coach responsible for set pieces and routines. So we all knew him really well,” Kayode explained. “When he was promoted to manager, we were all delighted, and it made the transition very straightforward for everyone at the club. Obviously, we weren’t expecting to have such a fantastic league campaign last year. It’s a shame we missed out on Europe by one point. But we’ve begun this season brilliantly; we’re establishing ourselves, and I think we can achieve great things.”

His route to the top has not been without setbacks. Kayode spent part of his childhood in the Juventus academy before being released at the age of 14 — a blow that might have ended many young careers. “It was tough, of course, really tough. But quitting? No, never,” he said. “After all, I was 14 when I left: it would have been crazy to quit. But obviously there were sad, difficult moments. My parents have always taught me that, whatever happens, whether it’s something terrible or something wonderful, you should always smile and stay positive in life.” That resilience has clearly shaped the player and person he has become.

Asked about his footballing idols, Kayode named three legends he would have loved to play alongside: “Ronaldo, the phenomenon, Maradona and Maldini,” while identifying Erling Haaland as probably the best player in the Premier League currently. Yet when the conversation turned to Italy, he was emphatic. Kayode Mancini showed enormous trust I have no favourite Serie A club — a line that captures both his gratitude to the national coach and his neutral stance on domestic loyalties. “I never supported one particular team; I never focused on just one,” he said. “But Serie A was at an incredible level, especially when I was little. Watching Juve, Milan, Inter and Roma was spectacular.”

That neutrality is perhaps unsurprising for a player whose career has already taken him from Turin to Florence to London, with a detour through the Italy senior setup. Kayode made his Serie A debut for Fiorentina in 2024 before securing his move to England, and he speaks of Italian football with affection rather than partisanship. For a young man who was released by Juventus as a teenager, the absence of a favourite club feels less like indifference and more like a refusal to let any single badge define him.

Instead, Kayode’s focus is squarely on the present. At Brentford he has found a stable environment and a manager he trusts; with Italy he has found a coach willing to back him. The combination has produced a player who is improving rapidly and who appears comfortable with the expectations that come with international recognition. His goal against Turkiye was a landmark moment, but his measured response — gratitude to Mancini, humility about his own contribution — suggests he is unlikely to be distracted by the noise around him.

As the season progresses, Kayode will be judged on whether he can sustain this form at club level and cement his place in the national team. Brentford’s strong start offers a platform, and Mancini’s continued faith offers an opportunity. For now, the defender is content to take things one game at a time, just as he says his club are doing. And if anyone asks him about his allegiances back in Italy, his answer will remain the same: Kayode Mancini showed enormous trust I have no favourite Serie A club.

In conclusion, Michael Kayode’s rise is a story of belief rewarded on both sides. Mancini’s decision to start him against Turkiye has given Italy a defender who plays with composure and purpose, while Brentford have given him the platform to develop in the world’s most competitive league. His refusal to pick a favourite Serie A club is not a rejection of Italian football but a reflection of a career that has already spanned several chapters — and, at 22, there are surely many more to come.