For Wladimiro Falcone the 2025/26 season was another chapter in his climb as Lecce’s goalkeeper. His overall Sofascore rating of 6.99 was a bit lower than the two seasons. The real story is in the details. Falcone kept 10 sheets in 38 Serie A games. His number since becoming Lecce’s first-choice keeper. The telling number? +6.40 goals prevented.

That’s the mark of his Serie A career. Now at the start of the 2026/27 season Falcone is upping his game more. After four games his Sofascore rating is 8.15, second best player in the Serie A! His save percentage has jumped to 78.8%. He’s made 26 saves let in seven goals kept one sheet and his goals prevented is currently +3.10. It’s still a sample. The early signs show Falcone is right where he left off. Strong focused and ready.

The Rise

Falcone didn’t get to Lecce’s starting spot easily. His first Serie A chances came with Sampdoria in 2019/20. Two appearances. Then two years later he played 10 games with a 75% save rate and a 7.27 Sofascore rating. The turning point came when he joined Lecce. In 2022/23 Falcone stepped in. Played every single league game. He made 113 saves kept six sheets and ended the season with a 6.93 rating.

The season he did it again. Every minute, every game. His saves went up to 125 sheets to seven. His rating climbed to 7.08. He matched that rating in 2024/25. Then came 2025/26. Even though he made saves. 110, Down from 129. Falcone’s impact grew. His +6.40 goals prevented was his career best.. His 10 clean sheets? A new personal record in Serie A. That’s the key. It’s not about how many saves he makes. It’s about how he stops goals that should have been scored.

More Than Saves

A goalkeeper’s job depends a lot on the team in front of him. For Lecce Falcone has often had to be the line. He’s shown how crucial he is. His save percentage has stayed between 69% and 71% over his three seasons at Lecce. In 2025/26 he made up for it by preventing goals than ever before. Now in the season his save percentage is at 78.8%. It’s too early to say for sure. The jump stands out. From being a goalkeeper trying to find his place Falcone has become one of the reasons Lecce stays in games.

What’s also clear is how steady his growth has been. Since 2022/23 he’s played all 38 league matches for three seasons. That’s how solid he’s become as Lecce’s number one. His clean sheets went from six to seven, nine and finally to 10 in season. His ratings stayed steady too. Between 6.93 and 7.08. Showing consistency.

Mr. Mancini…

Now in 2026/27 the numbers are different. Four games isn’t enough to judge a season. That 8.15 rating is the best start Falcone has had in the data. Paired with 78.8% saves and +3.10 goals prevented it’s another sign of progress. For a goalkeeper who once struggled to get game time the path is clear. From those games at Sampdoria to becoming Lecce’s trusted keeper and now to putting up some of the stats of his life. Wladimiro Falcone has become more, than just someone surviving in Serie A. When the defense breaks down he’s the one they can count on to stop the damage.

Although he turned 31 this year, and if it’s perhaps a little too late, Falcone has shown through his standard in Serie A that he could perhaps be on the list of new Italian coach Roberto Mancini, if nothing else, as a reward for all these seasons of solid performances in the Italian league.