Ruler of the Skies: Joshua Zirkzee Lands a Spot in Serie A 2023/24 Team of the Season

Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee has been named in the Serie A Team of the Year for 2023/24 at the prestigious Gran Gala del Calcio awards ceremony in Italy.

The award, voted for by the Italian Footballers’ Association, includes the best team of the season, along with other awards such as Coach of the Year, Club of the Year and Goal of the Year.

Zirkzee is one of six players nominated for the striker position in the squad, alongside prominent names such as Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Marcus Thuram (Inter), Rafael Leao (AC Milan), Albert Gudmundsson (Genoa, currently playing for Fiorentina) and Ademola Lookman (Atalanta).

The 23-year-old, who joined Manchester United from Bologna in the summer, has enjoyed an impressive season in Serie A, scoring 11 goals and providing five assists in 34 appearances.

Zirkzee’s excellent form helped Bologna finish fifth in Serie A last season, securing qualification for the Champions League. It was his performances that attracted the attention of Manchester United, leading to his move to Old Trafford in July.

The 2023/24 Serie A Team of the Year includes some of the best players of the season, including Yann Sommer (Inter Milan), Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Federico Di Marco (Inter), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Nicolo Barella (Inter), Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter), Marcus Thuram (Inter), Lautaro Martinez (Inter) and Joshua Zirkzee.

The awards ceremony in Italy was a big boost for Zirkzee, who scored twice in Manchester United’s 4-0 win over Everton in the Premier League. After the match, manager Ruben Amorim was full of praise for Zirkzee, particularly for the confidence he showed on the pitch.

Speaking to reporters, Amorim said: “Josh did very well, scoring two goals is always important for confidence. But more importantly, his performance, the way Josh fought in every situation, it was a great day for him and our team.”