The
Retegui
effect , with its goals against England and Malta, turned out to be a success that caused a sensation in Italy.
And as always, any test that goes well, seeks to continue repeating it to get the most out of it.
That is what
Roberto Mancini
, coach of the national team, seems to want to do with our football.
This is due to the fact that the European media confirm that the coach would be analyzing ten other Argentine players to try to convince them to put on the Italian shirt.
The main objective of the entire Azzurra football federation is the search for new faces with the idea of laying a firm foundation that allows them to qualify for the 2026 World Cup -they did not qualify in 2018 and 2022- and for Euro 2024, as a short-term goal. and where he is second in his group with 3 units, with 6 dates to go.
For this reason, the sights of the former Manchester City coach do not seem to be on promises typical of Italian football, but will seek to resort to the phenomenon of the nationalization of players.
Although it may seem strange that a footballer decides to take the nationality of a country in which he was not born, this is something that has been more common than in previous years, Mateo Retegui or Alejandro Garnacho being a clear example for the case.
For this reason, according to
Tutto Sport
, the ten players who are in the Italian sights are:
Lucas Beltrán
(River),
Nicolás Valentini
(Boca),
Nicolás Capaldo
(Salzburg),
Pedro De La Vega
(Lanús),
Gianluca Prestianni
(Vélez),
Tomás Pozzo
(Independent),
Ignacio Maestro Puch
(Atlético Tucumán),
Gino Infantino
(Rosario Central),
Juan Sforza
and
Justo Gianni
(both from Newell's).
Nicolas Capaldo playing against Roma for the Europa League.
Photo: EPA/Anna Szilagyi.
Each one of them is well known and renowned in our soccer and several have even come to wear the Argentine shirt in the youth teams, as is the case of Capaldo, Infantino, Maestro Puch, among others.
Currently, according to the individual performance that each one has been demonstrating so far in the local championship, Beltrán, De La Vega and Sforza may be the most striking on this list.
Likewise, it must be recognized that other players such as Infantino and Maestro Puch can cause a headache if they leave for Italy since up to now they have turned out to be a fixture within the Argentine Youth Team, with the Rosario Central midfielder being the captain of she.
Nor should we leave out Capaldo, the former Boca who has been in the Austrian league for almost 3 years, where he was a starter from the moment he arrived and has a considered touch of the Champions League and the Europa League -he has played in stadiums such as Anfield and the Olympic of Rome-.
Sarmiento vs River.
Beltran 03.19.2023 Photo Maxi Failla - FTP CLARIN IMG_20230319_213903.jpg Z
What is clear when seeing that none of the players are not over
24 years of age
(Capaldo) is that Mancini's intentions are not only to reinforce his team in the present but also for the future.
In addition, what increases the chances that several of the members of the list agree to wear the Italian blue shirt is that so far they do not seem to be in the consideration of
Lionel Scaloni
and the rest of the coaching staff.
"Let's hope that if he plays for Italy he will do well, there is no point in thinking if he had been in Argentina, because
right now we were not convinced to call him up
," were the words of the world champion coach himself about Retegui's call-up.
Undoubtedly, the effect generated by Ex Boca seems to have moved the ground within the Italian coaching staff and will surely make Argentine soccer begin to be observed more closely.
The Tigre striker may think that he will share the Selection team with a colleague.
Gino Infantino celebrates a goal in a group stage match of the Sub 20 South American Championship. Photo: EFE/ Ernesto Guzmán Jr.
The Bruno Zapelli case
Retegui
was not the only Argentine player who wore the Italian shirt during the last FIFA date, but
Bruno Zapelli
, Belgrano de Córdoba's 10, also did so, although to join the sub 21.
The talent that emerged from the Cordoba team and that has been key since the pirate's promotion to the first division, already had its first minutes after having started one of the matches that Italy played.
Bruno Zapelli started his debut for the Italy under-21 team.
Photo: Giuoco Calcio Italian Federation.
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