When Mancini goes looking for a striker… in Argentina: “There are no players in Italy, that’s undeniable”

His name is Mateo Retegui. He was unknown to European football until today. And he symbolizes despite himself the great problem encountered by Italian football. Born in Argentina, trained only in Argentinian clubs, raised by Argentinian parents, but with Sicilian origins via his grandfather, this 23-year-old striker has just been selected by Roberto Mancini, to everyone’s surprise.

The boss of the Squadra turned to the player of the Club Atletico Tigre, current best director of the Argentine championship (6 goals in 8 games), to face his shortage of attackers. “We have plenty of midfielders, but there are very few forwards”plague Roberto Mancini. “We have been limited for too many years. Even in Primavera (Editor’s note: the U19 championship)there are few Italians.”

Like Gareth Southgate, the Italian coach therefore took the opportunity to throw a stone into the pond. “I will also have to fish in the lower divisions. There are no players in Italy, that’s undeniable. Years ago I said that those born in Italy should play in the national team. But the world has changed and all national teams have naturalized players or players from other countries. We had players who went through the whole process with young people and then were taken by others because they had a double passport. We have to do the same.”

The problem comes mainly from the confidence placed in young people, according to Mancini. “In my time, the best 17-year-old players were starters in Serie A and they remained so for the next twenty years. Coaches are good, but why no one took Gnonto (Editor’s note: striker left for Switzerland then Leeds after being dismissed from Inter) ? He could have played for Sampdoria or Fiorentina.”