By dint of trying between clubs and national teams, a victory has arrived and it’s beautiful, because it smells of the future. Alberto Bollini’s Under 19 team wins the European Championship in Malta by beating the favorite Portugal in the final, which had overwhelmed the Azzurrini (in 10) 5-1 in the group stage. It ends 1-0, with a goal by Fiorentina’s Kayode on a cross by Juventus player Hasa: the former was born in Borgomanero (Novara) to Nigerian parents and his name means “one who brings joy”; the second is originally from Sora (Frosinone) and is of Albanian origin.
A multi-ethnic victory, but above all a well-deserved victory, because as with Spain (again favorites in that case), Bollini’s team plays the game, without complexes, on the contrary. The Roma player Faticanti (who played with Mourinho for a few minutes in Europe) dictates the pace in directing, the Inter player Esposito in the center of the attack does an almost directing job, while on the left Regonesi, Hasa and Vignato seem at times to reproduce the movements of Mancini’s Italy at Euro 2020. The concept, which led the coach to become coordinator of the U20 and 21, is precisely this: common game principles among all the national teams, in order to grow faster. For the same reason, the 57-year-old Bollini, for years one of the best coaches of the youngsters, is the strong candidate for the U21 bench and will face Nunziata, the U20 coach, in the sprint.
A victory after many lost finals
To take a further step, however, you need quality and Italy has it: it is the first victory of Maurizio Viscidi’s management as coordinator of the blue youth teams in ten years, but behind him there are 7 other finals played, a continuous climb to ranking of the U17 and U19, in short, the construction of a solid movement, which this year has made Italy the only national team with 4 teams out of 4 in the final stages (Corradi’s U17 and above all Nicolato’s U21 have left in advance). After the final loss against Uruguay at the U20 World Cup and after the European defeats in the last act of Fiorentina, Roma and Inter, the victory over Portugal is an important step for the whole movement, even psychologically: the young players are there.
A triumph awaited 20 years
The last victory of the Under 19s was dated 2003 with coach Berrettini, Chiellini full back, Aquilani and Pazzini protagonists. It is still too early to understand which of these kids can find space among the grown-ups, but certain paths are already very significant: iCher Ndour from Brescia, a very physical midfielder, has just won the Youth League with Benfica, released himself and signed a five-year contract with PSG. Luca Koleosho is at Espanyol, he was born in Connecticut, he has 4 passports (Italian, Nigerian, Canadian, American the others), but he has chosen the blue shirt. Kayode was discarded after 7 years at Juve, he restarted from D in Gozzano at 16, becoming the youngest scorer and then he was signed by Fiorentina.
Pisilli made his Serie A debut with Roma. Hasa is about to make his twelfth year with Juve and will be able to find space in the Under 23. Vignato (who comes close to making it 2-0 in the final) is at Monza and like Esposito (who has two ) has his brother’s example to follow, along a path paved with talent: his play against Spain (3-2 win) is one of those technical signals that give confidence to the whole team, who attack without losing balance and know defend themselves with the attention worthy of the blue school and an extra fairytale touch: the two central players are two cousins, Lorenzo and Alessandro Della Valle, one from Toro and the other from Juve.
2023-07-16 21:11:15
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