Marco Giordani finished 2023 playing 11-a-side in Serie A amid freezing temperatures in Rome. He began 2024 playing beach soccer at the sport’s summit under the sun in Dubai. And, as he incessantly does on sand, the striker shone.

Giordani’s thunderous free-kick, indeed, helped Italy to a 3-1 win over USA in their opening match of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup UAE 2024 Dubai™.

“We started well,” he told FIFA. “It was a good win. We are all happy.”

Alessandro Remedi certainly was – and relieved. He earned a late red card, but USA were unable to capitalise upon it.

“Marco scored a beautiful goal in an important moment of the match,” he said. “We are very happy with this first victory.

“We knew it would be a difficult match. I’m sorry for the red card, I left my team-mates in trouble, but we still held on for an important victory.”Merely moments after the final whistle, Italian attention was already on Saturday.

“Our focus is already on Egypt,” said Giordani. “We lost to them at the Mediterranean Games, we know they are a good team. We will study them and try to win.”

Remedi added: “It will be a difficult match against Egypt. We will prepare for it as best we can to win it.”

Giordani was named MVP as Italy won last year’s EURO Beach Soccer League. Could he possibly repeat the feat and win the adidas Golden Ball at UAE 2024 Dubai?

“I hope so,” he said with a smile. “But the World Cup is a step up from the European Championship.”