In the footsteps of the new Messi: the work to attract Argentine youths in Europe

Nahuel Lanzillotta

05/24/2021 6:02 AM

• Clarín.com

• sports

Updated 05/24/2021 8:08 AM

The witness case is that of Luka Romero: the young 16-year-old talent who was born in Mexico, grew up and plays in Spain and feels Argentine for his parents. In this case, the Mallorca player decided to wear the shirt of the Argentine National Team (he played a South American Sub 15), but just like him there are hundreds of boys with blue and white roots who hit the ball in various parts of the European continent and that they might as well choose to act for another country.

They are, for the most part, the children of the 2001 crisis

. In total, there are more than 300

escaped

talents

that today are being monitored by the AFA thanks to the brand new International Scouting Department that has

Juan Martín Tassi

present in Madrid for two months.

At lunch with Claudio Chiqui Tapia in which he agreed to be the new coordinator of Youth Teams, in January 2020, Bernardo Romeo had already put on the table the president the need to have a presence in Europe due to the large number of boys there playing there.

“From the first minute that I arrived at the AFA I wanted to put together this project and luckily it is coming out.

Between 2000 and 2001 many families left the country and now there are many Argentine players or those with some family ties to the country, mainly in Spain and Italy ”, Romeo tells

Clarín

 about this project entitled

" Monitoring, analysis and control of young Argentine soccer players in the European continent ".

Bernardo Romero, AFA youth team coordinator and ideologist of the international scouting project.

Photo: AFA Press

"As the months went by," he explained, "videos came from all over the place and the list got bigger and bigger. It couldn't be managed from here. Tapia understood it. That's why I chose a qualified person, which is good people, teachers and who have management with juveniles such as Juan Tassi ”.

Tassi was a physical trainer with steps through San Lorenzo and Quilmes, he also worked in the youth divisions of Students.

He has a master's degree in High Performance Sports, studied in Seville and a doctorate in Sports Sciences at the University of Extremadura.

"There are more than 300 boys that we have registered in Europe. It ranges from the one who plays in a local league to the one who plays for Atlético de Madrid. And day by day that number is increasing.

Today we already have around 320, but in for a while we will be talking about about 400

because as one moves and the project becomes visible, they contact us to tell us that they know this or that player or even the parents to tell us that their child is playing, "he says Tassi in dialogue with

Clarín

from the other side of the Atlantic.

Juan Martín Tassi, director of international scouting at AFA

Spain and Italy make up the vast majority of boys: 80 percent play in these two countries

.

Spain has the largest number and there are more than 220 who live there, while in Italy there are about 50. There are also cases in France, Germany and England.

"There is a tendency for many midfielders and forwards. There are not so many defenders or many goalkeepers," adds Tassi, who sends a report to Buenos Aires every Monday so that the coaches, Fernando Batista, Pablo Aimar and Diego Placente, can follow up .

How is work?

Tassi details: "The first part was based on taking a census of boys throughout Europe. From there we obtained a map of regions within each European country. In Spain, for example, we have boys in the central area, which is Madrid. and surroundings, the area of ​​Catalonia, Andalusia ... The task is to establish contact and go visit the boys and their families to see what the situation of each one is like. Go to the training places and also to the games that play on weekends. during the week and during the week ". There is also contact with the clubs, coaches and youth coordinators.

But not everything is the ball.

"The most attractive thing for people is to know if a boy plays well and if he can have a future in the National Team, but

the project is comprehensive and also takes into account his family situation and his education.

I am a teacher and I like to connect from that place to find out about their reality, "says Tassi, who warns that

since this process began, he has not encountered any negative response

.

Juan Martín Tassi, on the Real Madrid grounds, watching a training session.

"The first reaction is one of surprise on the part of the families. They are pleasantly surprised that they ask about the situation of the boys. That also generates some enthusiasm. And the answer is very good," he says.

And he adds: "There are families that have settled in Europe many years ago and have the possibility of the boy being called by other national teams from there, but the Argentine National Team has a lot of roots. In fact, with all of whom we have established contact until Now they have told us that they want to be part of Argentina despite having other possibilities.

Some have even been called from another side, but they choose Argentina

. "

The first step has been taken, although it will not be the only one thinking about the next few years.

"This is a long-term project. And I have no doubt that it will bear many fruits and that it will continue to grow. It starts with one person, but more will be added. We have

just put a leg in Europe. In the future too we will seek to make it extensive in North America and all of South America,

"concludes Romeo, the ideologist of a plan that was needed to continue directing the Argentine youth teams.

From Luka Romero to Mateo Klimowicz

"

The most resonant case is that of Luka Romero

. Although he had already played a South American Sub 15 with Argentina, when I arrived I continued and strengthened the bond and the boy is totally convinced that he will play for Argentina. But there is a A lot of kids. And by now having a person there (in Europe), everything becomes easier. It's about continually strengthening and nurturing the sense of belonging. That the kids feel that Argentina is watching them ", Romeo says about him. 16-year-old kid who can choose Mexico or Spain, in addition to Argentina.

An opposite case, that is to say, of one who preferred to wear German clothes, is that of Mateo Klimowicz

, Diego's son, who is a central attacker in Stuttgart and has already played for the German youth team.

"We talk to him. But there is a reality: we have no competition and there we are at a disadvantage with the European teams. As we have no competition we cannot quote. Sometimes that becomes difficult. But we are convinced that with presence there will be a breakthrough. There's nothing cuter for a guy than knowing he's being followed closely, "

Bernie

clarifies

.

Luka Romero with the National Team clothing.

(Photo: AFA Press)

There are about 320 youth under 20s with Argentine ties that live throughout Europe and that the AFA already has under its orbit.

In addition to these two names that became better known for their peculiarities, there are others that stand out for their surname and projection.

Franco Carboni

, for example, is an 18-year-old forward who is in the quarry of Inter of Italy.

He is the son of Ezequiel Carboni, former Lanús.

Maurizio Pochettino

, the son of Mauricio -current PSG coach-, is 20 years old, was born in Barcelona but is currently at Watford B in England as an attacker.

In Spain is the grandson of the

Gringo

Scotta,

Valentino Fattore Scotta

(19).

He is a right-back for Sevilla B.

Federico Oliva

plays at Atlético de Madrid

, a 17-year-old forward son of Argentine parents who was born in the United States and already participated in the U-17 in that country, although he can still play for Argentina if He wishes to do so as the new FIFA regulations allow it.

Mateo Klimowicz made his U21 debut in Germany.

Photo: EFE

Pablo Paz's son,

Nicolás Paz Martínez

, is 17 years old and is a left midfielder who is at Real Madrid Juvenil C. He was also born in Spanish territory. One who left Argentina is

Francisco Bonfiglio

(19), who decided to leave San Lorenzo for parental authority and emigrate to Villarreal.

Matías Palacios

(19), another former

Cyclone

, is also followed: he plays for Basel in Switzerland, but his departure was through a sale. It is usual summoned by Aimar.