Former Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio has criticised the ‘truly alarming’ lack of development of young Italian players by Serie A clubs – stating the need to implement rules to help prevent an over-reliance on foreign youngsters.
Speaking in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, via TMW, Marchisio said “I now run an agency as a football agent and the data we have on the use of Italian players is truly alarming. Two or three years ago the Primavera was won by a team that didn’t have a single Italian player on the pitch. And only 2% of those non-european youngsters went on to play professionally.
Juventus former football player Claudio Marchisio takes part in the “Together, a Black & White Show” event, the first Juventus party dedicated to all its fans, at the Pala Alpitour in Turin, on October 10, 2023. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
“The rules state that foreign players can arrive after the under-16 level. From that point onwards, you see very few Italian or even European players in the youth teams.”
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Marchisio wants new rules to allow young Italians to flourish
Marchisio also provided a recommendation as to how he would protect the interests of Italian youth players, as well as preventing the exploitation of youngsters from poorer countries: “There’s also a significant economic exploitation of teenagers from the poorer parts of the world.
“What could be done? There should be a rule that youth teams can only field a maximum of three non-European players – rising to possibly six or eight in Senior teams.”
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Marseille, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League match between Brighton & Hove Albion v Olympique de Marseille at American Express Community Stadium on December 14, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
He also criticised the globalisation of the sport and how the desire to buy and sell has damaged the beauty of it: “Rino Gattuso said in his presentation that the percentage of Italian players [in Serie A] is just over 35%. There are Serie A teams that play without a single player trained in our country. Buying and selling has become the norm, like everything else in a globalised society – but the beauty of sport lies in developing talent.”
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Marchisio was a part of one of Italian football’s golden generations, playing alongside the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Pirlo in the team that finished as runners-up in Euro 2012. He was also a key player for Juventus as the Bianconeri lifted seven consecutive Scudetti between 2011-12 and 2017-18.
