Why is Italian football failing?
As a four-time world champion, Italy has prided itself on being a football nation for generations. But its defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina means that the Squadra Azzurra has failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row. A glance at the national press reveals the extent of the heartbreak.
Entire generation deprived of bonding ritual
Anthropologist Marino Niola reflects in La Repubblica:
“The last time we were in the World Cup was 2014; the next time – if all goes well – will be in 2030. In the meantime, there are young people who will grow up without ever having experienced that feeling. For an entire generation of Italians, the World Cup remains a forbidden dream. ... It's as if the thread that unites the generations by passing on and sharing feelings, passions and emotions has been severed. They will be deprived of the opportunity to experience this rite of passage, this affirmation of an identity-forming bond which allows you to feel as if you're on the pitch with your idol while also being part of a larger community that brings parents and children together.”
Get more young Italians on the pitch!
In 1977, Marco Tardelli won the UEFA World Cup with Juventus and went on to play for Italy's national team. Speaking to La Stampa from a coach’s perspective, he analyses what the team needs today:
“For years we have been hearing about necessary reforms: nothing but empty words and propaganda. To begin with – while complying with EU rules – we need to find ways to reduce the proportion of foreign players in our leagues, to give Italian players more opportunities. We also need a reform of the youth sector from the grassroots up: we may be among the best internationally at youth level, but all this talent is going to waste. Because instead of being given a chance to play, they are being stifled by the obsession with achieving results at any cost, by the career ambitions of coaches and managers, even in youth programmes.”