Italian football supporters are anxious as their national team prepares for a decisive World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday, with fears of missing a third consecutive tournament. In response, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has unveiled a new initiative aimed at revitalizing youth football in a nation once renowned for producing world-class talent but which has seen a decline over the past generation.
The current squad set to compete in Zenica lacks the star quality of past legends like Alessandro Del Piero, Andrea Pirlo, Fabio Cannavaro, and Francesco Totti, who famously led Italy to World Cup glory in 2006. This sense of decline has been intensified by poor performances from Italy’s leading clubs in European competitions this season, contrasted with the country’s success in other sports.
Notably, tennis star Jannik Sinner recently secured victory at the Miami Masters, adding to the achievements of four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, who dominates men’s tennis at just 24 years old. In motorsports, Kimi Antonelli and Marco Bezzecchi are leading the Formula One and MotoGP championships respectively. Alpine skier Federica Brignone’s double gold at the Winter Olympics contributed to Italy’s record-breaking medal tally of 30, while the rugby union team has gained national admiration following a historic Six Nations win over England.
In a significant development, the FIGC has committed to grassroots reform and greater engagement with youth football across Italy after years of criticism from fans and media. Former Italy midfielder Simone Perrotta, who played alongside Del Piero and Totti, emphasized the importance of training coaches at the neighborhood club level, where all national players begin their careers.
Perrotta, now 48, works alongside fellow World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta under Maurizio Viscidi, the FIGC’s new head of development and long-time leader of the national youth teams. Their goal is to standardize training methods across the numerous clubs coaching approximately 700,000 children aged five to 15. The focus is on nurturing individual skills to cultivate a new generation of football stars.
Perrotta highlighted the lack of a unified training methodology and noted a decline in technical ability among Italian players. The reform includes free online courses for coaches and regular visits by FIGC training staff to youth clubs nationwide, aiming to integrate the federation more closely with grassroots football.
The pilot phase is expected to launch by October, targeting 162 clubs in Serie D, Italy’s regional fourth tier and highest amateur level. A common concern in Italy is that children no longer play football freely in the streets, as Perrotta did in his youth, and the cost of club participation limits access for children from less affluent families.
To address this, the FIGC plans to collaborate with local authorities to create more free play spaces and increase the amount of time children spend training and in contact with the ball. Perrotta stressed that this is a systemic issue requiring cooperation beyond the federation alone to boost youth participation and skill development.
