"“There are so many things to fix,” he told Corriere della Sera. "Kids aren't playing in the street any more. And in Serie A, there are not many Italians. If you have to go and get a player from somewhere else and naturalise them, it means that you haven't been able to find an Italian ready at the same level."
"“We need to create a formula that really encourages the use of Italian youngsters. The talent is still there, but we have to seek it, protect it and recognise the value. And you need to have the courage to trust them.”"
Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a playoff defeat by Bosnia-Herzegovina on penalties. The team has missed the tournament since 2014 and became the first former champions to fail to qualify for three consecutive editions. Italy is now searching for a new manager after Gennaro Gattuso resigned following the loss. Roberto Baggio says multiple issues must be addressed, including a lack of young talent. He links the problem to fewer children playing outside and fewer Italian players in Serie A. He argues that relying on naturalized players indicates insufficient development of Italian talent at the required level. He calls for a formula that encourages Italian youngsters and requires courage to trust them.
#italy-national-football-team #world-cup-qualification #youth-development #roberto-baggio #coaching-change
Read at Soccer News
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]