Marco Palestra
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-03-03) 3 March 2005 (age 21)
Place of birth Buccinasco, Italy
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Positions
  • Right-back
  • right wing-back
Team information
Current team
Atalanta
Youth career
2010–2014 GS Assago
2014–2015 Inter Milan
2014–2023 Atalanta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2024 Atalanta U23 40 (3)
2023– Atalanta 9 (0)
2025–2026 → Cagliari (loan) 37 (1)
International career‡
2023–2024 Italy U19 9 (1)
2024 Italy U20 2 (0)
2024– Italy U21 8 (0)
2026– Italy 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:48, 25 May 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:04, 31 March 2026 (UTC)

Marco Palestra (born 3 March 2005) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a right-back or right wing-back for Serie A club Atalanta, and the Italy national team.

Club career

Palestra began playing football with GS Assago where he stayed four years, had a year long stint with Inter Milan's academy before finally finishing his development with Atalanta's academy starting in 2014. Originally a central midfielder, at U17 level he was converted to a winger and then a right-back.[1] He was promoted to the newly created Atalanta U23's in their debut season in the 2023–24 Serie C.[2] He made his senior and professional debut with the senior Atalanta team as a substitute in a 4–0 UEFA Europa League win over Raków Częstochowa on 14 December 2023.[3]

International career

Palestra is a youth international for Italy. In September 2023, he was called up to the Italy U18s for a set of friendlies.[4] In November 2023 he was called up to the Italy U19s for a set of 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches.[5]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 24 May 2026[6]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Atalanta U23 2023–24 Serie C 40 3 1 0 — — 41 3
Atalanta 2023–24 Serie A 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 — 1 0
2024–25 Serie A 9 0 1 0 3[b] 0 2[c] 0 15 0
Total 9 0 1 0 4 0 2 0 16 0
Cagliari (loan) 2025–26 Serie A 37 1 0 0 — — 37 1
Career total 86 4 2 0 4 0 2 0 94 4
  1. ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Supercoppa Italiana

International

As of match played 31 March 2026[7]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Italy 2026 2 0
Total 2 0

Honours

Atalanta

  • UEFA Europa League: 2023–24[8]

Individual

  • Serie A Best Defender: 2025–26[9]

References

  1. ^ "Chi è Marco Palestra, il classe 2005 convocato da Gasperini contro la Juve". Atalantini.com. 6 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Dalla Primavera 1 alla Serie C: Marco Palestra convince sempre di più". La Giovane Italia News.
  3. ^ "Raków Czestochow 0-4 Atalanta: results, summary and goals". AS.com. 14 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Marco Palestra nell'Italia U18 - Zonamista Magazine". 15 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Il cammino dei campioni d'Europa parte dalla Svezia: i 20 Azzurrini scelti da Bernardo Corradi". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio. 10 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Marco Palestra". Soccerway. 8 February 2026.
  7. ^ Marco Palestra at National-Football-Teams.com
  8. ^ "Atalanta 3–0 Leverkusen: Lookman treble brings UEFA Europa League glory to Bergamo". Union of European Football Associations. 22 May 2024. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  9. ^ "The MVPs of the Serie A 2025/2026". Serie A. 22 May 2026. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
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