Juventus icon Del Piero congratulated Yildiz for Derby exploits via phone call | OneFootball

Legendary Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero reportedly called Kenan Yildiz to congratulate him for scoring in the Derby della Mole.

The iconic striker celebrated his 50th birthday on Saturday, so the Turkish teenager was keen to pay homage to his idol by finding the back of the net against the Granata. While it wasn’t exactly a trademark Yildiz strike, the 19-year-old managed to beat Vanja Milinkovic-Savic with a sliding header after meeting a sublime cross from Francisco Conceicao.

The Turkiye international naturally celebrated his goal by sticking out his tongue, thus mimicking Del Piero’s old celebration. After the contest, Yildiz explicitly dedicated his Derby goal to his role model. “I’m very happy with this goal. This is for you Alex, happy birthday!”. Il Pinturicchio then replied with a post on social media.

But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport via JuventusNews24, this wasn’t exactly the end of the story. The Italian icon didn’t only thank his heir apparent for his gesture on social media, but also called him to congratulate him for his display, and perhaps offer him some valuable advice.

So as the pink newspaper tells it, the bond between the 2006 World Cup winner and the teenager continues to grow, going beyond mutual esteem and appreciation.

The Turkiye international has been compared to the legendary striker due to his similar playing style. For instance, the teenager’s goal against PSV Eindhoven immediately evoked memories of Del Piero’s unforgettable strikes. Yildiz cut from the left flank before sending a superb curler towards the top corner, reminiscent of the “alla Del Piero” goals.

Yildiz has now scored four goals this term, including a memorable brace against Inter after coming off the bench to rescue a valuable draw in a thrilling Derby d’Italia contest that ended 4-4.