The Squadra Azzurra coach does not condone the behavior and attitude specific to certain contemporary footballers.
Since September 1, Luciano Spalletti has been Italy’s national coach. Winner of Serie A with Naples at the end of a historic 2022-2023 financial year, the 64-year-old technician will try to achieve the best possible run with the Squadra Azzurra during Euro 2024.
Since Spalletti began his coaching career in 1994 with Empoli, the mentality of footballers has changed considerably. “You come to the national team to win the Euros, not to win Call of Duty. I talked about video games because there are things I don’t like. If modernity consists of playing the Playstation until 4 a.m. when there is a match the next day, then this modernity is not good”declared the former midfielder during an interview given to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Return to “real” values
“We live in a world with little incentive to work hard and sweat: today’s young people would rather post a photo on Instagram with their hair done up than put their heads down and cycle. These are not the values ​​that my Italy should transmit. Italians demand a tough and responsible national team, strong and daring”continues Luciano Spalletti.
Absent from the last two World Cups but crowned European Champion in 2021, Italy barely qualified for Euro 2024, after a draw against Ukraine (0-0) last November. Italy missed the 2018 World Cups in Russia and 2022 in Qatar after defeats in the play-offs against Sweden and North Macedonia.
