Exclusive: Roma's Tony Sanabria on His Serie A and World Cup Dreams

A 17-year-old Tony Sanabria made a bold move in November 2013, opting not to accept Barcelona's offer of a contract extension in an attempt to fast-track his way up the footballing ladder. He'd been at the club since 2009, joining aged 13, but ambition drives the striker, and the path to La Blaugrana's first team seemed murky at best.

Three months later he'd signed a contract to play for Roma in Serie A, having been sold for a reported €4.5 million despite his tender age and inexperience. He was loaned to Sassuolo due to the capital club reaching their maximum non-EU contingent for that season, and officially joined in the summer of 2014.

Since then, Sanabria has been set on achieving success on every level, outlining his ambitions both domestically and internationally, as well as emerging as one of the Giallorossi's star U19 players in the UEFA Youth League this year.

"My biggest dream as a player is to keep playing in Serie A as well as to be able to play, and win, the FIFA World Cup with my national team [Paraguay]," Sanabria stated in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. 

With five full international caps to his name despite only recently turning 19, it's clear Los Guaranies see the same qualities in him that director of football Walter Sabatini did when pulling the trigger on the deal in 2014. He's been earmarked early to replace stalwart Roque Santa Cruz and lead his nation back to prominence after several years in the international wilderness.

His game is that of a typical South American striker—"I have good technical skills, I am good in the air and fast on the pitch," Sanabria says—and he has the somatotype, once filled out, to be a real handful to defenders.

The Paraguayan boasts a classic poacher's instinct and is quick across the ground, consistently testing the channels and looking to craft one vs. one chances against defenders. He likes the ball played to him quickly so he can turn, perhaps belying his upbringing inside La Masia's Catalonian walls.

He's not shy in affirming his lust for a World Cup win, spearheading his nation to glory in the process, but in the meantime, he's intent on making a splash at Roma and emulating many of the solid professionals Rudi Garcia has brought to the club.

"I look up to a number of players at Roma, including veteran players such as [Francesco] Totti, [Daniele] De Rossi and [Seydou] Keita," he says. "On top of these world-class players, I admire very much Leandro Paredes as a person."

He trains hard, arriving at Trigoria (Roma's training facility) hours before commencement and doing extra gym work. Garcia has installed a level of expected professionalism at the capital club, and Sanabria has embraced the cause.

"

Former La Masia player Tony Sanabria got his debut for Roma today. He left Barça B last season. pic.twitter.com/Kywm8ERWbm

— Navid Molaaghaei (@navidjaan) February 8, 2015"

Roma's UEFA Youth League campaign took them to the semi-finals in Geneva, Switzerland, where they fell to an impressive Chelsea side. Despite not having the star quality the likes of Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool or Real Madrid had at their disposal, the Giallorossi made the final four on the basis of a strong team ethic and hard yards put in.

He scored a brace against a Bayern Munich side featuring the likes of Gianluca Gaudino, Sinan Kurt and Marco Hingerl and led the line throughout the tournament. Despite falling at the penultimate hurdle, Sanabria will continue to work and push for a regular spot in Garcia's senior side—just as academy graduate Daniele Verde has done.

"I am very young and therefore still need to learn much," he admits. "I can say that through hard work and self confidence you can reach your goals."

Given he's such an ambitious teenager—one bold enough to quit Barcelona just as its golden edge was fading—it's difficult to fathom the Paraguayan not realising his potential in an environment so famed for nurturing youth and producing stars.

Tony Sanabria featured in our top 50 prospects to watch emerging from this season's UEFA Youth League.