Inter coach Roberto Mancini’s short answer to a question regarding naturalized players in the Italian National team have sparked a debate in Italy:
“There should only be players born in Italy in the National team,” said Mancini. Angelo Benedicto Sormani who was born in Brazil but played seven games and scored two goals for Italy spoke to Tuttomercatoweb.com about the matter.
“It is a fairly sensitive topic in the public opinion. I for one think that whoever is an Italian citizen in rights and obligations should also have the right to be called up to the National team. Maybe another topic should be that today you become Italian much more easily then in my day. Just think that in my day marrying an Italian woman who was already a citizen was not enough to become one yourself. You needed a certificate of descendants of five generations back. Now there are other rules, also due to the fact that people travel freely in the EU for work.”
Source: Tuttomercatoweb.com
Mancini is wrong about that. Some here pointed Diego Costa as an example.
If Costa felt like playing for Brazil, he would have played for them.
It is an honour for any country when a player wants to put it’s national shirt on.
I find this comment a little bit racist. And we should not forget the name and history of INTERNAZIONALE… even more when Inter’s manager is talking…
I think he send the message to Osvaldo. LOL
Might be viewed as a bit racist nowadays
I agree with him. Who wouldn’t?
i don’t , in a couple of cases . i think a player can play for his non birth country . just look at someone like diego costa who’s talent was ignored by NT . same goes for motta and camoranesi and osvaldo . italy-argentina ancestry is a big factor here
Sure Costa was overlooked by Brazil but if I was him I’d never play for Spain just because i lived there for some time. It’s about national pride and love for your country. Not quiet the same as club football. Just my opinion ofc, people will always have other thoughts.
fair enough
I agree 100%.. People took what Mancini said way out of context, it’s different when a person live their whole lives in a country that gives a different dynamics and understanding between the players. After all people should clearly distinguish between national team and a club.