Italian soccer is on it’s way to be Back.
The World Cup in Germany sounds like something that happened a long time ago. Italian football in general has been under the shadows of English and Spanish football for at least a decade. It is the first time since 2006 that three of their teams are going to be in the quarter finals of the Champions League.
Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia / Picture taken from Pulse Sports.
This year seems to be hopeful for Italy with SC Napoli, AC Milan, and FC Internazionale Milano, but nevertheless these teams’ figures are not Italian and that is where the problem for Italy begins. The last 10 years have not been good for Italian soccer. They missed two World Cups, haven’t won a Champions League since 2010, and it appeared that obtaining the European Championship in 2021 was a breath of fresh air, but it was quickly taken by Macedonia. The last year’s World Cup did not have Italy, the reigning champions of Europe national teams on the group stage and it made many fans realize that this was the reality of their soccer. Besides a couple of Juventus seasons when they appeared in the Champions League final against Real Madrid, the Italian clubs have struggled continuously on the big stages and so their national team.
One of Milito’s goals against Bayern in 2010, the last time an Italian club won the Champions League / Photo by Reuters taken from Bein Sports.
A lot has changed since the Azzurra conquered the world almost 17 years ago with a team full of stars and talented players, most of them historic in their clubs. It has been a decade since Italian football was at its sweetest moment, it had many stars from around the world such as Crespo, Shevchenko and Kaka competing with Italian talents such as Alessandro del Piero, Francesco Totti and Gianluigi Buffon. These Italian legends were the top representation of talent at the team, and the world being difference makers. Italy has missed this type of players in the last decade, both Italian and from around the world with a few talents that have not stablished with enough consistency at the highest level. One of these players was Insigne, who surprisingly left SC Napoli being their captain to start an adventure in the MLS.
Italy World Champion in 2006 / Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Today, Italy coaching staff on their search for talent and new blood in the national team has reopened the doors to Argentinian players, something that has been done in the past. There has been more than 20 players born in Argentina that have played for the Azzurra but only a few of them have been successful. The most remembered Argentinian succeeding in the nazionale this century is Mauro Camoranesi, he won the World Cup in 2006 surrounded by one of the greatest generations in calcio. This success by former Racing player, opened the doors to players such as Daniel Osvaldo, Gabriel Paletta and lastly, Franco Vazquez who had his opportunity in two friendly games in 2015, eight years ago. The time passed and it seemed the nazionale had closed the doors to Argentinian players, but Roberto Mancini reopened them calling 23 year-old Mateo Retegui.
The calling to the national team was unexpected because it was Italy but considering the performances he is having; it is not that surprising at all. The striker’s great moment isn’t news, last year he was the top goal scorer in Argentina with 19 goals, and this season he has 6 goals in 6 games. Mancini’s decision is a surprise because he is not playing in a top tier league in Europe, but he sees something in him that made him trust the young striker. In the words of Roberto Mancini “I remember when Batistuta arrived to Italy, it is a similar type of player”, and those are major words. Retegui, now an Italy player, scored two goals in his first two games with the nazionale, surprising many people around the world and opening many doors for him in Europe but for other players with two nationalities to play for the Azzurra.
Retegui’s goal against Malta/ AP Photo - Rene Rossignaud
The Serie A teams great performances in Europe with SC Napoli, AC Milan, and FC Internazionale Milano, alongside with these brave decisions by Roberto Mancini are positive signs for Italian soccer. The good moment of their teams in the Champions League will attract new talents from around the world to play in Italy such as Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia and this will improve the level of their local competitions. The calling of Mateo Retegui will be a motivation for Italian players to know that anyone can be there, it must be earned. Italy is finding its way back, and it would not surprise me at all, to see a lot of improvement in Italian clubs the following seasons.
