Italian Football Federation President Giovanni Malago recently appeared on Italian national television, where he discussed in depth the path to the revival of the Italian national team, the naturalization of talent, and the bottom line principles of the Football Federation's work. He clearly stated that the Azzurri cannot be satisfied with merely qualifying for the World Cup; they need to focus on rebuilding their competitiveness in the football world in the long term.
Malago began by reviewing the Italian national team's long-standing World Cup struggles: "Since defeating France in the 2006 World Cup final, we have never been able to compete in the knockout stages of the World Cup. Italian football absolutely cannot make qualifying for the World Cup its sole objective and stop there after achieving the minimum goal." He emphasized that if Italian football wants to return to the world's top ranks, it must build a long-term development system, focusing on relying on young players to complete the generational transition.
Regarding the recent buzz surrounding Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano's successful naturalization and decision to represent Italy, Malago affirmed his decision and revealed the hard work behind it. "Romano's final choice of Italy is inseparable from the continuous promotion and efforts of Ranieri and Mancini." He also revealed that the Football Association is systematically advancing the talent selection process, and currently several young players with dual citizenship are eligible to naturalize and represent Italy; the recruitment process is progressing steadily.
When discussing the core ideas for the revival of Italian football, Malago proposed that the primary task is to rebuild public trust in the Azzurri. "We need to build a competitive and revitalized national team to reverse past negative trends and rebuild public confidence. Football matches are full of variables, but we must not allow a single unexpected defeat to cause another painful exit from the competition."
Finally, Malago spoke candidly and pragmatically about the unwritten professional code of the football federation president: "There's an unwritten rule in football, I don't know if it's absolutely reasonable, but every football federation president has followed this principle—World Cup qualification is the bare minimum. If even this basic goal cannot be achieved, I should accept the established rules of my predecessors." This statement also demonstrates the Italian Football Federation's firm determination to qualify for the World Cup and regain its glory.
