WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL B - BRAZIL VS ITALY

March 7, 2026

Dante Nori

Daikin Park

Team Italy

Postgame Press Conference

Italy - 8, Brazil - 0

Q. Two homers, coffee, the emotions of not only listening to the Italian Anthem before the game, seeing your fans in the stands, the whole thing, after you opened the game 8-0 against Brazil.

DANTE NORI: It's hard to put into words. Before the game, the nerves are going crazy. You know, the home run, blackout, I don't remember either one, to be honest, kind of just blacked out right around the bases. No, it's something special. And just the feeling is unbelievable.

Q. How does a shot of espresso taste after a home run? And is Vinnie the ringleader behind the celebration?

DANTE NORI: Yeah, Vinnie is the one that came up with it. I do not like coffee, so it did not taste great. The first one, especially, I was like, ugh, but the second one, kind of liked that one a little bit more.

Q. The team has got so close. Can you describe how fun that flight was being next to here, just how close you guys had and how much fun?

DANTE NORI: We clicked really quick. Even from that first day of practice, everybody was close with each other. On that flight, I've never been on a (indiscernible) flight like that. So that was something really special to me. We were laughing, dancing, just having a great old time on there. So I think that really helped. And the bond's unreal.

Q. I talked to Andrew Fischer before the game. I asked him who one player on Team Italy that fans would be surprised by, was -- he said Dante Nori. Could you talk about Andrew and Dezenzo and this whole young group of prospects or players that are early in their career and what that youth dynamic brings to Team Italy?

DANTE NORI: I think with Vinnie, captain of our team, having all that youth surrounding it, it's just something that clicks really well. Fisch, he's one of those guys, he gets us fired up. He's an animal. I love him. He's a gamer. Just from watching him at Tennessee, I knew watching him on TV what he was going to bring to this clubhouse and it's nothing but phenomenal energy, and he gets us going really quick.

Q. Are there any family members for whom you wearing Italia across your chest means a little extra special something?

DANTE NORI: Yeah, actually both my parents' parents. Fred Nori, especially. That's my dad's dad. And Mike Magnone (phonetic) on my mom's side, especially those. I got the call, and it was one of those things that's really special to you. You get emotional even talking about it. In fact, when I got to tell him, they all cried. Yeah, something really special to me.

Q. Two homers today for you, for Brazil Lucas Ramirez had that yesterday, what does it mean to have the World Baseball Classic as a showcase for a lot of young talent across the baseball world?

DANTE NORI: I think it's sweet. You get to get the best group of guys from each area. You get to put it on the world stage. I think it does a lot for baseball, brings fans really close, brings them from all over. And I think it just brings a lot out of the game.