Albertini: Euro victory didn't solve Italy's underlying problem
Quick summary
Former Italy midfielder Demetrio Albertini believes the Azzurri have the quality to reach the World Cup but warns that Italy's main structural issue remains unsolved: insufficient Italian players in Serie A.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceFormer midfielder Demetrio Albertini is confident the Azzurri have enough quality to get to the World Cup, but feels Italy have not yet solved their main problem: ‘There aren’t enough Italian players in Serie A.”
Read Football Italia Ad-Free and get access to Exclusive News – Free Trial – Click Here Italy visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final tonight, and Azzurri legend Albertini spoke about the state of Italian football prior to kick-off.
“Even in 1998, despite being a very strong generation and playing in the top league at that moment, we had to go through a play-off. In sports, it happens to have one or two games wrong; the important thing is to qualify,” Albertini told Tuttosport.
“The problem is that we have some good players, but not enough.
Albertini: ‘Limited selection options’ for Gattuso BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Sandro Tonali of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) “Generally, the national team coach has limited selection options, and, on top of that, some players have more Italy appearances than they do games played in European club competitions,” continued the ex-Milan midfielder, winner of three Champions League titles with the Rossoneri.
“It’s useless to beat around the bush; we are less prepared for a certain type of international match. This is why Gattuso wanted to recall Verratti, one who has played so many games at this level. That said, obviously, it doesn’t mean we don’t have the quality to win this play-off.”
Italy did not qualify for the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, but won the European Championships played in 2021.
FLORENCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 20: FIGC Technical Sector President Demetrio Albertini attends the Italian Football Federation ‘Panchina D’Oro’ Awards Ceremony at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on February 20, 2023 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) “That was a deserved win, but it didn’t address the underlying problem: there aren’t enough Italian players in Serie A,” concluded Albertini, a 1994 World Cup finalist with the Italian national team.
“I’ve heard the FIGC has announced a new technical project for youth football. I hope that concrete actions are taken and that it doesn’t remain just empty proclamations.”
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What happened
Ahead of Italy's World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albertini acknowledged that while Italy won Euro 2020, they haven't addressed the core problem affecting Italian football. He emphasized that even strong generations like 1998 have had to navigate play-offs, and that occasional poor performances happen in sport. However, Albertini's main concern is the lack of Italian representation in Serie A, which he views as a fundamental weakness that needs resolving.
Chance analysis
Albertini's comments highlight a structural vulnerability in Italian football: the domestic league's insufficient development of Italian talent limits the national team's depth and competitive edge. While the Euro victory suggests quality exists, the reliance on players developed abroad or limited domestic alternatives creates a dependency that weakens Italy's long-term competitive position. This impacts squad rotation, tactical flexibility, and overall resilience in major tournaments.
Italy's long-term competitive strength is constrained by insufficient Italian player development in Serie A, despite short-term qualification ability being intact.
Italy has quality to qualify for the World Cup but faces structural domestic league issues that could limit performance in tournaments; focus on squad depth and composition as predictive factors.