FIGC President Giancarlo Abete was quick to express his disappointment that no Italian player had been included on France Football’s list of 30 nominees for the 2009 Ballon d’Or award. It was really the least he could do, a token gesture the minimum required of him as official spokesman for Italian football. But could even he, the peninsula’s footballing tub-thumper in chief, make a case for any Italian player to have been included?
In truth the list of 30 is excessive. A list of two would be elaborate. The award is Lionel Messi’s and Lionel Messi’s only. The wider issue though is whether any Italian player currently deserves to be included in a list of the world’s top 30 players. I’m disappointed to say it but I find it very hard to think of any Italian who truly warrants – based on the last 12 months – a place on any such list.
Contenders would surely have to be international class, so let’s take a look at some of the Azzurri’s best XI. Luca Toni is playing in Bayern Munich’s reserves, Alberto Gilardino’s consistency roller-coaster is peaking at present, but another dip cannot be far away. Vincenzo Iaquinta? Really? Classic names like Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti, if they were to be included, would surely only be there on past glories rather than current form.
Gennaro Gattuso spent half the year injured, Andrea Pirlo’s form at the Confederations Cup should rule him out. Daniele De Rossi? Maybe, but he has had better years than 2009 and not been recognised. Fabio Cannavaro returned home after watching his Real Madrid side outclassed in every way by Barcelona, Giorgio Chiellini had a good year but good enough to be in the world’s top 30? Even Gianluigi Buffon conceded more goals than he had since 2003-04.
There is one player who you could make a solid argument for based on his form last season, and he was not tainted by the Azzurri’s wretched summer jaunt to South Africa either. That man is Antonio Cassano. However, would a player jettisoned from Real Madrid to a provincial club ever get acknowledged? Look at the teams the 30 nominees come from – all recent Champions League sides. Performing for Sampdoria will never be enough on its own.
The League as a whole is under-represented. From 2008-09 only Julio Cesar, Douglas Maicon, Kaka and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have made it on to the roll of honour. Two other contenders – Diego and Samuel Eto’o – have arrived on Italian shores but it is going to take a lot from any of the homegrown talents to return to the list next year. A good domestic and continental term along with World Cup glory could help someone make it – who exactly though is unclear.
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I fully agree with your blog & whilst it is worrying & disappointing it does not come as a surprise. Over the past year I think any honest calico lovers would struggle to pick out anybody for the list of 30 nominees. Italian football is & has been on the slide for a number of years, certainly domestically.
The initial thought was that Calciopoli would help clean up the game in the Peninsula & then allow it to grow stronger & dominate Europe once again. Sadly since that summer of 2006, despite the national team being crowned world champions, the game back at home has gone down hill. Even Italy, since winning the World Cup have flattered to deceive with their performances in Euro 2008, The Confederations Cup & their qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup.
Serie A teams are struggling in Europe too, and there doesn’t appear to be a lot of talent coming through at the moment that really makes you go “Wow, they’re going to be special”.
I think the game in Italy really needs a complete restructuring, right from grass roots level through to building new club owned stadiums. Without this, the players & teams from England, Spain & the rest of Europe will continue to grow stronger as Serie A lags further & further behind.
On a positive note – one Italian that could make the list next year if he continues the phenomenal goal scoring record he has kept up so far this season is Francesco Totti – Il Capitano is once again carrying Roma along & we Romanista can only hope he returns from his latest knee injury set back sooner rather than later!
Lee Roberts
Yep, I have to agree with you. At the moment there is no one except for Cassano. Unfortunately we all know why. If he was picked for the Azzurri then regardless of playing for Sampdoria, he could have made it at least in the 30 list.
The problem is that we do have decent young players but they are not played enough or even better they are not given enough time to blend therefore if we do not see them play, well no chance to be even considered.
World cup glory, well it is going to be very tough, not impossible. I am afraid Lippi has to choose better for the Italian players to be back on the big stage otherwise this critical time could go on for some time.
Tony Bianchi
Cassano should be on the list! Why the hell is he not on the national team???
Mikkel
I cannot agree with you more Steve, the most frustrating thing about this situation is that there are at least two teams worth of world class Italy starting XI’s playing the game today. The only problem is people like Lippi ignoring Cassano, Santon and the like. The fact which we cannot ignore is that Italian teams did not make an impact in last season’s European competitions. Quick glimpses of Santon sticking to Ronaldo like glue or Giovinco’s five minutes of fame against Chelsea were all you could see from an Italian player.
There is light at the end of this depressingly dark tunnel however, as I believe next year’s Ballon D’Or shortlist will contain Italian nationals deserving of a top three spot such as Cassano, Balotelli, Santon or Giovinco. To achieve this the players will have to play their hearts out in all competitions to get noticed, as Messi did last season.
Amar, London
It saddens me to say I can’t make a case for anyone other than Buffon with the possible yet unlikely exception of Inzaghi. I appreciate and admire Cassano’s undoubted talent but it really has to be said that the guy is trouble. Marcello Lippi isn’t a stupid man. He knows what effect the likes of Cassano has on a dressing room. Man United & Liverpool had it with Ince, Rangers had it with Ferguson and in each case the teams became stronger for shipping them out.
The whole furore over the Cassano for the Azzurri case stems from Italy producing very little home grown talent. If they did then he wouldn’t get so many column inches. Even Milan who refuse to spend any kind of money on a hopeless side, would be expected to have a youth policy to back their criminal transfer strategy but they don’t. They struggle with ageing inadequates. Inter buy the best players available (who aren’t Italian) and only Juve seem to want an Italian core but then again theyre not really all that good, so what’s the point. Well run clubs like Fiorentina are more likely to produce the next Italian talent but will probably end up selling to Milan who will waste him so the problem appears to be a deep rooted one and not a cycle.
However, you are right the award wholeheartedly belongs to the wonderful Messi so does it really matter where the also rans came from ?
Gary Parker
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Italy are in a dip now, with their successful 2006 World cup players getting old. Now, Serie A has many good young players and it will do very well in the future. I haven't seen the list but I'd imagine that Germany don't have any players either. This doesn't mean that either Italy or Germany will do badly at the world cup. Argentina and Portugal have the 2 best players in the world at the moment, but they don't have much strength in depth and their national teams are unlikely to go far in the world cup. The list is made by 'France football'- what do they have to say about the French national team? They could easily be knocked out by Ireland. Football is a team game and perhaps a list of the world's best teams would be more relevant.
Chris, Japan
If Thierry Henry deserves to be on that list, then every Italian you mentioned as well as plenty others, deserve to be on it, too.
Daniel
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