Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti welcomed a group of students including Alex Del Piero and Ignazio Abate, declaring ‘Italian coaches are the best in the world.’
In order to get their senior coaching badges to work in Serie A, Italian tacticians must go through the course set by the FIGC and receive a Master’s degree.
This is an intensive process with lectures and a final thesis, but also includes visits to clubs in order to study their methodology.
Previous coaches who showed the next generation the ropes include Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton and Francesco Farioli at OGC Nice.
Now the class is spending two days with Real Madrid and receiving instruction from Ancelotti.
Ancelotti’s lecture
“I always remember the coaching school, because that is where you start to learn what it means to be a coach. I recall the exchange of ideas and views that we had between classmates,” said the Real Madrid boss.
“I have to reiterate: Italian coaches are the best in the world.”
Ancelotti is certainly a great example of success, having won the Champions League four times and the only coach in history to have won all five major European league titles.
Among the students listening to Ancelotti were Juventus legend Del Piero, current Milan youth coach Ignazio Abate, new Udinese assistant Giampiero Pinzi and ex-midfielder Cristian Ledesma.