Loïs Openda Reflects on His Italian Adventure

Loïs Openda has missed out on Belgium’s 2026 World Cup squad and endured a lean year in front of goal, but he refuses to file his brief Italian adventure under “failure.”

For the forward, that single season in Serie A still moved his career forward.

Speaking to L’Equipe, Openda revisited the conversations that first drew him to Italy and the tactical challenge that awaited him.

“I spoke with Damien Comolli, who was then the club director, and he explained how he intended to use me in a difficult league. In Italy, the team that really exploits depth is Inter. Roma are only just starting to understand it,” he said, highlighting how rare his preferred style of running in behind remains in the league.

The problem, as he tells it, was never just the system. It was the traffic jam ahead of him.

“The coach wanted me, but Vlahovic and David were already playing in my position. I had good chemistry with David, but the team wasn't used to playing with a player who runs in behind, and Vlahovic tended to keep the ball to himself.”

Openda pushed, waited, and grabbed minutes when he could. They never truly turned into a starting spot.

“I tried to get my chance, and sometimes I did, but towards the end of the season, I realised that to play, I had to leave,” he admitted. “It wasn't a mistake, and it allowed me to work on aspects I hadn't considered. I knew exactly what I was getting into, and I'm sure that in other circumstances, it would have gone better.”

No bitterness, no excuses. Just a forward convinced that the toughest year of his career might yet prove the one that sharpens him most.