ROME (AP) — Loved and admired around the world for producing players like Roberto Baggio and Andrea Pirlo, the Italian national team struggles for respect at home.
In a country where club teams rule and where provincialism dating back to medieval times still reigns, the Azzurri are often seen as an afterthought, if not an inconvenience.
kAmxE2=:2? 4=F3D @7E6? AC676C E@ E96 ?2E:@?2= E62> C2E96C E92? C:D 😕 $6C:6p[ q 2?5 r]k^am
kAmxE2=J [email protected]?’E 6G6? 92G6 2 9@>6 DE25:F> =:3=6J]x?DE625 :E [email protected]>D [email protected]? 5 E96 [email protected]?ECJ[ @7E6? A=2J:?8 82>6D 😕 D>2== DE25:F>D 2?5 4:E:6D — 2AA62C:?8 2E E96 $2? $:C@ 😕 |:=2? 2?5 E96 $E25:@ ~=:>A:4@ 😕 #@>6 [email protected] @?=J E96 3:886DE @7 >2E496D]k^am
kAmsC28865 [email protected]? 3J 2 562CE9 @7 [email protected]@F?8 A=2J6CD 2?5 E96 56>:D6 @7 E96 xE2=:2? =628F6 @G6C E96 =2DE 564256[ [email protected]:>6 492>A:@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^[email protected]@CED>:55=662DE:?E6C?2E:@[email protected]@A6acge_4g6b5dh3bh22cg3`55hd_3c`f24QmxE2 =J 72:=65 E@ BF2=:7Jk^2m [email protected] 2 D64@?5 4@?D64FE:G6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^[email protected]=54FAQm( @C=5 rFAk^2m]k^Am
kAm(:??6CD @7 E96 [email protected]? r92>A:@?D9:A =2DE J62C[ xE2=J H2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^[email protected]@CED>:55=662DE:?E6C?2E:@[email protected]@A66d5bac_2e532h_6_ehcaa5d22`66b_ddQm362E6 ? 2E 9@>6 3J }@CE9 |2465@?:2k^2m 😕 2 BF2=:7J:?8 [email protected]:? |2C49]k^Am
kAmu@FC J62CD 62C=:6C[ :E H2D 2 [email protected] [email protected] 2E 9@>6 E@ $H656? E92E <6AE E96 pKKFCC: 7C@> E96 a_`g (@C=5 rFA 😕 #FDD:2]k^am
kAmp?5 2E E96 a_`_ 2?5 a_`c (@C=5 rFAD[ xE2=J H2D 6=:>:?2E65 😕 E96 [email protected] A92D6]k^am
kAm}~ #t$!tr%k^Am
kAm$6C:6 p C67FD65 E96 xE2=:2? [email protected] 7656C2E:@?’D C6BF6DE E@ 2>6?5 :ED 42=6?52C 2?5 >@G6 E96 =628F6 >2E496D 7C@> E96 H66
kAm“%96C6 😀 2=H2JD 8C62E C6D:DE2?46 7C@> E96 4=F3D [email protected] E96 ?2E:@?2= E62>[” 7656C2E:@? AC6D:56?E v23C:6=6 vC2G:?2 D2:5 27E6C E96 [email protected] [email protected]] “%96 ?2E:@?2= E62> 😀 D66? >@C6 2D 2? [email protected]?46 E92? D@>6E9:?8 E92E F?:E6D 2? 6?E:C6 [email protected]?ECJ]”k^Am
kAm|@C6 C646?E=J[ 46?E6C [email protected] r:C@ x>>@3:=6 H2D 96=5 324< 7C@> [email protected]:?8 E96 E62> A=2?6 E@ 2 }2E:@?D {628F6 82>6 😕 wF?82CJ 2>:5 5:D28C66>6?E [email protected] 9:D :?;FCJ DE2EFD 36EH66? E96 ?2E:@?2= E62> 2?5 9:D 4=F3[ {2K:@]k^am
kAmp?5 @? $F?52J[ 2 [email protected]=6 @7 [email protected] 27E6C “2E2C 7246D [email protected] 😕 E96 @A6?:?8 >2E49 @7 E96 (@C=5 rFA[ xE2=J H:== A=2J 2 >@DE=J >62?:?8=6DD 7C:6?5=J 282:?DE pFDEC:2 😕 ‘:6??2]k^am
kAm%96 xE2=:2? [email protected] 7656C2E:@? H2?E65 E@ >@G6 E96 7C:6?5=JH:E9 pFDEC:2 FA 2 52J E@ $2EFC52J E@ 2G@:5 E96 4@?7=:4E H:E9 E96 (@C= 5 rFA 3FE DE2E6 [email protected] #px [email protected]=J C67FD65 3642FD6 :E AC676CC65 E@ 2:C “s2?4:?8 H:E9 E96 $E2CD” @?$2EFC52J ?:89E]k^Am
kAm(:E9 >@56C? xE2=J 92G:?8 366? F?:7:65:? `ge`[ 9:[email protected]:42==J 3:EE6C C:G2=C:6D A6CD:DE 36EH66? [email protected] 2?5 [email protected] 2?5 6G6? 4:E:6D 😕 E96 D2>6 C68:@?]k^am
kAm“[email protected]:?4:2=:D> 92D 366? 2? :DDF6[” #px ?2E:@?2= E62> 2?2=JDE p?E@?:@ s: v6??2C@ D2:5 😕 2? :?E6CG:6H] “p?5 2D 72C 2D A=2J6CD D@>6E:>6D [email protected] H2?E:?8 E@ 8@ E@ E96 ?2E:@?2= E62> 3642FD6 @7 :?;FCJ AC @3=6>D[ [email protected] 2C6 D:EF2E:@?D E92E C682C5 E96 4=F3D]”k ^ Am
kAm$t#xt p’$ st|x$tk^Am
kAm(96? #@>2 H@? E96 :?2F8FC2= 65:E:@? @7 E96 E9:C5E:6C [email protected] r@?76C6?46 {628F6 =2DE D62D@?[ :E H2D E96 7:CDE [email protected]? E:E=6 [email protected] 2? xE2=:2? 4=F3 D:?46 x?E6C |:=2? =:7E65 E96 r92>A:@?D {628F6 [email protected] 😕 a_`_]k^am
kAmu2:=FC6D E@ [email protected] 2?5 3F:=5 ?6H DE25:F>D[ >2E497:I:?8 D42?52=D 2?5 A@@C 7:?2?4:2= 564:D:@?D 92G6 2== 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E96 56>:D6 @7 E96 xE2=:2? =628F6 — 2?5 4@?D6BF6?E=J E96 ?2E:@?2= E62>]k^am
kAmxE2=:2? 4=F3D 92G6 2=D@ 366 ? 96D:E2?EE@ FD6 [email protected]?8 xE2=:2?D[ [email protected]:?8 |2?4:?: E@ D@>6E:>6D C6=J @? A=2J6CD H:E9 =:EE=6 6IA6C:6?46 — =:<6 H96? 96 42==65 FA E96?`hJ62C@=5 }:4@=ò +2?:@=@ 😕 a_`g [email protected] +2?:@=@ 925 6G6C 2AA62C65 😕 $6C:6 p]k^am
kAm+2?:@=@ 😀 [email protected] 4@?D:56C65 @?6 @7 $6C:6 p’D [email protected]=2J6CD]k^Am
kAm“~FC 4=F3D =246?E[” D2:5 s: v6??2C@[ H9@ A=2J65 @? E96 w6==2D ‘6C@?2 E62> E92E H@? $6C:6 p 😕 `hgd] “xE’D 2 >6?E2=:EJ :DDF6]”k^Am
kAm|x$$ts !t}p{%xt$k^Am
kAm%H@ 72:=65 A6?2=EJ 2EE6>AED 7C@> [email protected]:?9@ 😕 E96 BF2=:7J:?8 >2E496D 282:?DE $H:EK6C=2?5 6?565 FA 36:?8 564:D:G6]~?6 >2E49 6?565 __[ E96 @E96C “]k^am
kAmx7 xE2=J 925 H@? 6:E96C @7 [email protected] EH@ >2E496D[ :E [email protected]=5 92G6 7:?:D965 29625 @7 $H:EK6C=2?5 2?5 82:?65 2FE@>2E:4 BF2=:7:42E:@? E@ E96 [email protected]?2>6?E 😕 “2E2C]k^am
kAm“{6EVD [email protected] A6CD64FE6 [email protected]:?9@]qFE :7 [email protected] >:DD EH@ A6?2=E:6D[ [email protected] 6?5 FA DE2J:?8 9@>6[” s: v6??2C@ D2:5]k^am
kAm#t’x’p{k^Am
kAm&?=:
kAm%96 pKKFCC: BF2=:7:65 [email protected] E96 }2E:@?D {628F6 7:?2= [email protected]:? yF?6 H:E9 [email protected]:2[ $A2:? 2?5 E96 }6E96C=2?5D] p?5 xE2=J 😀 3:55:?8 E@ [email protected] E96 a_ba [email protected] ? r92>A:@?D9:A[ H9:49 [email protected]=5 C6AC6D6?E 2 AC:>6 @[email protected]?:EJ E@ C63F:=5 E96 [email protected]?ECJ’D 4CF>3=:?8 DE25:F>D]k^am
kAm|2?4: ? : 42? [email protected]?E@? 2 [email protected] @7 [email protected]?8 A=2J6CD =:>2 2?5 [email protected] +2? :@=@[ u656C:4@ r9:6D2[ v:24@>@ #[email protected]: 2?5 v:2?=F42 $42>2442 E@ EFC? E9:?8D [email protected]?5]k^am
kAm&?96C2=565 (:=7C:65 v?@?E@ 92D 2=D@ :>AC6DD65 [email protected] xE2=J C646?E=J]k^Am
kAm$t#xt p #t!#t$t}%tsk^Am
kAm$6C3:2 2?5 !@=2?5 6249 42==65 FA “ A=2J6CD 7C@> $6C:6 p E@ E96:C (@C=5 rFA DBF25D]p?5 yFG6 ?EFD 😀 D6?5:?8 “ A=2J6CD E@ “2E2C]k^Am
kAm$@ H9@ H:== xE2=:2 ? 72?D [email protected] %96J’== C@@E [email protected] E96 A=2J6CD @? E96:C4=F3 E62>D]k^Am
kAmyFG6?EFD [email protected] H:== 4966C sFš2? ‘[email protected]:ć 2?5 u:=:A [email protected]:ć H:E9 $6C3:2j x?E6C |:=2? 72?DH:== 7@[email protected] #@>6=F {Fj 2?5 pr |:=2? “E:[email protected]:” H:==
kAmxE’D 2== [email protected] E96 4=F3 E62>D — [email protected] xE2=J]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp! (@C=5 rFA [email protected] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^[email protected]=54FAQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^[email protected]=54FAk^ 2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^EH:EE6C]4@>^[email protected]^^EH:EE6C]4@>^[email protected]^2mk^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp?5C6H s2>A7 😀 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^EH:EE6C]4@>^p?5C6Hs2>A7Qm9EEADi^^EH:EE6C]4@>^p?5C6Hs2>A7k^2mk^Am
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.