Italy’s Il Messaggero newspaper points out that Italy has more registered players than Spain, but the gap in strength between the two national teams is growing. One important reason is that Italian clubs are reluctant to give opportunities to young players they have nurtured.
Commentators note that Italy’s elimination in the first round of the knockout stage at Euro 2024, losing to Switzerland, has led to widespread criticism of coach Spalletti. However, this can’t hide the fact that Spalletti is not responsible for Italy’s absence from the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Attributing Italy’s decline to a single coach is inappropriate.
After winning three major titles (two European Championships and one World Cup) from 2008 to 2012, Spain also faced challenges as the generation of Xavi and Iniesta aged. Their performances in the last three World Cups and two European Championships fell short of expectations. But now, with the rapid emergence of young players like Gavi, Spain has reached the final of the European Championship and regained its status as a world-class team. So, what is the gap between Italian and Spanish football?
Italian media provides four pieces of data. Firstly, the number of registered players. Italy has 1.4 million registered players, while Spain has only 1.2485 million, meaning Italy has a larger “football population” and a wider talent pool. Secondly, the percentage of youth academy players used by Serie A and La Liga teams. Serie A’s utilization rate is 5.5%, while La Liga’s is 19.6%, a nearly fourfold difference.
Thirdly, the percentage of players in the 2024 European Championship squads for both teams who play in overseas leagues. Italy has 12% (Donnarumma, Vicario, Jorginho), while Spain has a much higher 27%. Fourthly, the total minutes played in the Champions League in the previous season by the European Championship players from both teams. Italian players clocked 24,808 minutes, while Spanish players amassed 45,633 minutes, indicating a clear advantage for Spanish players in big-game experience.
Based on these four sets of data, Italian media concludes that Italy may still have the number of young talents and youth academy infrastructure needed for a football revival, but Serie A must change. Clubs need to dare to use the young players they have developed, allowing them to gain experience through the league. More players need to play for strong teams, top clubs, and participate in the Champions League, only then can the “advantage of having more registered players” be fully realized. Of course, Italian media also acknowledges that it is not easy to “solve problems” after “identifying them.” The road ahead for Italian football is long and challenging.
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