Italy ever more multiethnic! Eight second-generation “Azzurri” against France’s model

The last time Italy travelled to Paris — on 6 September two years ago — there were 4 Italian players of Luciano Spalletti’s with a different cultural, ethnic or national background: Destiny Udogie, Caleb Okoli, Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui.

Two seasons later, a national team in search of its future heads to Paris in a version more multiethnic than ever before. It goes from 4 to 8 for the next match against France, which on this issue was the first to follow this path and continues to follow it.

Coach Roberto Mancini has the task of strengthening the line to which Spalletti and Baldini gave substance and form with the presence of second-generation “Azzurri”. Honest Ahanor, Issa Doumbia, Michael Kayode, Mohamed Zoma, Samuele Inacio, Moise Kean, Edy Kouadio and Alessandro Romano are part of Italy’s squad. In June, interim coach Baldini also trusted names such as Ndour, Mane, Ekhator, Koleosho, Fini and Chiarodia.

Zinedine Zidane, in his first home match as France coach, is seeking a breakaway at the top of the Nations League group. He goes into this match with only 4 players born in France to French parents: Rabiot, Lepaul, Lacroix and Butez. Because the other 19 are of African origin, plus Da Cunha, of Portuguese origin.

The French model was born after the great shock of 1993. The defeat by Bulgaria cost France the World Cup in the USA the following summer. And it was the second consecutive absence from the World Cup. Coach Aimé Jacquet took charge of France with a clear mission: to prepare a competitive squad for the 1998 World Cup, which was being held in France itself.

The play was entrusted to the Franco-Algerian Zinedine Zidane. Lilian Thuram, born in Guadeloupe, the French Caribbean island, took charge of the defence, together with Marcel Desailly, of Ghanaian origin. Patrick Vieira, born in Senegal, also got his space, while Christian Karembeu showed his personality. Youri Djorkaeff, of Armenian origin, gave encouraging signals.

At Euro 1996 France reached the semi-finals; two years later it won the World Cup, beating Ronaldo’s Brazil in the final. France’s model is the one that last June, at the 48-team World Cup, presented itself to the world with 17 second-generation players in the team.

Italy went off track against Belgium and rose again in Turkey with that “poker” victory. Now comes the challenge against France, the most difficult crossroads of this 5th edition of the Nations League. At “Saint-Denis” Italy can stand on its feet. The most multiethnic Italian national team in history is not afraid to look Dembélé and his teammates in the eye.