Ruben Amorim had barely unpacked his tactics board in Milan before he started handing out compliments. “I love Cissè. I love Cissè,” the new manager told reporters before the season even kicked off, gifting the internet a ready-made meme and his young forward a very public vote of confidence.
Turns out the praise was warranted. Alphadjo Cissè, all of 19 years old, scored on his competitive debut for AC Milan in a 2-1 victory at Torino on August 23, opening day of the 2026-27 Serie A campaign. In a squad refreshed by summer spending and a managerial overhaul, the teenager who arrived from the fringes of Italian football looked like the most exciting piece of all.
A quiet rise through Italy’s lower ranks
Cissè’s path to the San Siro was not the typical academy-to-first-team conveyor belt. He made just three appearances for Hellas Verona before being sent on loan to Catanzaro, where he logged 22 appearances and scored six goals. Milan made the permanent move in February 2026, bringing him in while the club was still navigating a turbulent season under Massimiliano Allegri. A fifth-place finish in 2025-26 prompted the front office to act decisively. Allegri departed and Amorim arrived in June to rebuild the project.
