Former Italian striker Paolo Di Canio is impressed by the talent of English players, especially considering that Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have not been included in the EURO 2024 squad: ‘Three years ago, we wanted to call Mario Balotelli…’
Di Canio was one of the Sky Sport Italia pundits on Tuesday night and commented on England’s disappointing 0-0 draw against Slovenia.
The former Lazio and West Ham forward argued that the Three Lions have excellent quality but have been unable to prove it on the pitch.
To make his point more straightforward, he made a comparison with Italian football.
Di Canio: ‘We wanted to call Balotelli, imagine if Rashford was Italian’
“Think about Sancho and Rashford, who were left home,” he said.
“Let’s be honest here. We wanted to call up Balotelli three years ago, so imagine if Rashford was Italian. We’d be like: ‘Please come, even if you go out at night sometimes…'”
Over the last few years, there’s been a massive debate in Italy about the lack of talented attacking players like legends Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, or Francesco Totti.
Fabio Capello had his say a few days ago, arguing that youth sectors no longer focus on technique but prioritise tactics instead.
Other Italian football personalities, such as ex-Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, share Capello’s view.
We always say no talent in Serie an and every season players got sold to these league with so called talent pools. Yeah, if Sancho and Rashford were Italian, however, when was the last time England won something with all their talents? Italy has won the Euro and WC since England won their last. The UCL and Europa the English won are all with foreign players, these so called analyst don’t think deeply before they comment at times.
hahaha these English players are terrible. Italy Keepers, Defenders and midfielders are better. The only thing England has better is Kane and Bellingham they are also overrated. Foden? really I can score 20 goals playing for Man City
Rashford? Seriously? He’s a monumental disappointment with an increasingly bad attitude. Looked like a phenomenal player in the making when he was very young and first emerged. But he hasn’t developed at all – he was better at 19 years old. Sancho is a great talent but has lost his way (signing for Manchester Utd is not good for your career).
I’m sick to death of hearing about how good England’s players are when we have a first-choice defensive unit of Pickford/Maguire/Stones. Any number of the others are unproven, but the media treats any young player with talent as though they’re a game-changer on the international level – it’s laughable. It’s the same old delusion which will end in the same way it always does.
Rashford?
Is Di Canio serious? I doubt anyone, including Spalletti, would be desperate to have him in their squad.