the blue crisis starts from afar

Cannavaro raises the cup in Berlin andItaly whole sings “popopopopopopo”. From that moment begins the world collapse of blue football: out in the first round in 2010 as reigning champions, same fate 4 years later, and, as a climax of the disaster, two sensational consecutive exclusions from the editions 2018 e 2022. If, as it is logical to expect, given that the World Cup will consist of 48 teams, the Italian national team will qualify for the 2026in exactly 20 years he will have only played 6 games in a global phase, losing 3 (against Slovakia, Costa Rica and Uruguay), equalizing 2 (Paraguay and New Zealand) and winning only one (England).

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Balance from a Central American country that rejoices with carousels on the street every time it manages to obtain a world qualification, not worthy of a nation that boasts 4 world titles. There would be enough elements to run for cover, to change the basicsorganization of Italian football. But we are able to spoil the ending: nothing will happen. In the aftermath of the shameful South African World Cup, in 2010, the FIGC decided for a radical change in the structure of nurseries. This was the communication of the time: “Roberto Baggio is the new president of the Technical Sector of Coverciano, Gianni Rivera the president of the youth-school sector e Arrigo Sacchi the coordinator of the national youth teams. With these appointments, the FIGC president Abete’s project on relaunching nurseries takes shape. A theme that the federal president has long proposed to the attention of professionals and which marks an important page for Italian football. “All the protagonists, who before and after, greeted, thanked and they have dedicated themselves to something else after realizing how complicated it was to revolutionize the mentality of our football.

And, ever since, it has always managed to get close to the bottom. Indeed to touch it, indeed to dig. The Under 21 coach Paolo Nicolato has raised the alarm in recent days complaining that the players of his selection do not find space in their clubs. The same happens for the other youth national teams. Italian teams prefer to focus on foreign players at a reduced cost rather than growing home-made elements. Obviously then the national teams are affected, even if the problem is more complex, given the international fool of Italian football even at club level. In 12 years Italy has only won one Champions League and reached 4 finals (including Inter in the Europa League). The problem is profound and difficult to solve. Try to give national selections a common work plan it was an intelligent road that also brought an excellent result such as the victory of the European Championship. Evidently it is not enough and evidently it is no longer a discussion on the different visions of football, if any a type of game like that of Mancini, made up of pressing, possession and collective football, has found its Waterloo (or Korea if you prefer). Now all that remains is to wait for a new revolution made up of words and changes in key roles. Everything changes because nothing changes. The only real certainty of this country.

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