Giuseppe Pesce was in Bursa to watch Kayode make his first appearance for the national team and admitted he struggled to contain his emotions when the defender found the net.
The Italian was particularly struck by the circumstances surrounding the occasion, with supporters and officials creating an atmosphere that made even celebrating difficult.
“It is a source of pride to see Michael at this level. I was also in Bursa on Monday for his debut and when he scored I felt an incredible emotion,” Pesce told Tuttosport.
“Imagine that I even had to contain myself in my celebration because we Italians were surrounded by the police. So I remained composed, even though inside I was exploding. It was an incredible debut, worthy of the plot of a film.”
For Pesce, however, Kayode's international breakthrough is not the culmination of his development. The agent believes the defender has much more to offer and sees his first appearance as the beginning of another stage in his career.
“The best is coming now. Reaching the point of starting for the national team is only a starting point to continue improving. Michael still has great room for improvement.”
That belief is partly based on the qualities Pesce has seen from Kayode away from the pitch. The agent highlighted the defender's humility and his ability to maintain a positive attitude even when circumstances have been difficult.
“I was surprised by his incredible humility and by the way he faces every situation with a smile. Even when things were not going in the best way in recent months in Florence, Michael never became discouraged and continued on his path.”
Those difficult months did not ultimately prevent Kayode from securing a move to the Premier League, a transfer Pesce believes arrived at an important moment for the player.
“The facts proved him right with the move to the Premier League, which everyone strongly wanted, and it came at a difficult time when he was playing little.”
For Kayode's representative, the defender's international debut provides another indication that the decision to keep pushing through a difficult period has paid off.
His goal in Bursa has now added another milestone to a career that Pesce believes is still moving upwards.