“Messi and Mbappe are not going to prosper…” | Relief

Gabriele Gravina, the president of the Italian federation, took the stand to counter all the accusations related to national football. after the defeat in the 1/8 finals of the Eurocup against Switzerland. The President announced that both he and Spalletti would continue to hold their positions. Immediately after this, he made an eccentric speech against government measures, which, in his opinion, became a scourge for the team’s performances. The “Beckham Law”, known in Italy as the “Decree of Cresita”, is the basis of Gravina’s above-mentioned claim..

“There are rules that are not conducive to the development of our football, and despite this, everyone wants to reduce the space for national teams. We’ll share the trip with Luciano and the players, but You can’t think that Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi will suddenly blossom in Italy.. Now in our country we must appreciate the talent that we have. All our youth teams reached the final stage of the European Championship. After 120 years of history, the under-17 category won the European Championship. We cannot influence the decisions of companies, but we will make some reflections in the federal council.hoping that our talents will be given more space,” he begins.

Then he becomes more precise: “There are international laws that prohibit the use of young players, but it is also a cultural fact… 67% of Serie A players are foreigners, and this figure corresponds to other realities., and we as a Federation resist the possibility of registering non-EU citizens. Even Serie B would like to sign another non-EU player… If we do not understand that the development of the youth system is not a cost, but an investment for clubs, we will not get anywhere.. “There is resistance within us, and according to legal and international standards, I have no ability to move or impose a line.”

The President concluded: “At youth level our teams dominate, but none of these guys are in the first team. We only think about the result. We are promoting the second equipment project. “There are Spring (branch) teams with 100% foreign players.”

This is his speech, his loud speech, and now it’s time to find an explanation for it. Gravina mentions several phenomena, and one of them, although he does not name it, is, without a doubt, the “Decree of Cresita” or the Italian “Beckham’s Law”. In January last year, Georgia Meloni’s government repealed the law, which, in short, allowed clubs to benefit from a significant tax cut. for those players who come from abroad. This measure allowed, among other things, the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus.

But this is not the only case. According to Gravina, the presence of this law meant that 67% of foreigners ended up in the Italian league.jeopardizing the development of the national player. However, this is a reflection with dubious implications, since, if we go no further, the team that knocked them out, Switzerland, is characterized by the fact that most of its outstanding footballers are far from their borders. Moreover, this law did not exist when the team failed in the 2010 or 2014 World Cup, it did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup … And thanks to this, it enjoyed the great continental role of Italian teams such as Inter in the Champions League final or Atalanta’s Europa League (with the title) or Roma.

The “Cresit Decree” was based on the fact that clubs saved 50% of the taxes paid by a footballer arriving from abroad.. There was a nuance, for example, that only those players who had signed a contract of two or more years in Italy, the extension of which was also taken into account at the legal level to maintain this measure, could benefit from it. The abolition of this measure by the Meloni government pleased Gravina, but not Italian football.

According to the mentality of the federation president, by not legally favouring the entry of foreigners into Italian football, local players would have the opportunity to get a place in the clubs. Although this rule lasted until January, it cost the national team dearly. Meanwhile, the gap with the clubs is even deeper. Gravina expressed it concretely and directly: “At the youth level our teams are dominant, but none of these guys are in the main squad. We only think about the result“.

Of course, the clubs did not support the measure to repeal the law. “Only in Italy can it be changed overnight, without meeting with the clubs.“said Furlani, Milan’s CEO. Inter’s Marotta took a similar stance: “It’s an own goal. There will be an impoverishment at the qualitative level.”

But from the government side, they were clear. Matteo Salvini, the Italian government’s vice president and minister of infrastructure and transport, said: “It would be immoral not to repeal the law.” This is assistance and recognition of Italian quarries, the “Cresita Decree” is discrimination against Italian players.“.

Even Lotito, a Forza Italia politician within the government pact and at the same time the owner of Lazio, condemned him: “This is not good because the government does not collect money. “If you have a foreigner who pays taxes in Italy, it will be better than someone who doesn’t come and doesn’t pay them.”

Dance outside the community

Gravina added: “67% of Serie A players are foreign, a figure that is in line with other realities and we, as a Federation, resist the possibility of non-EU citizens registering. Even Serie B would like to sign another non-EU player. …”. In his days The Bosman Law favored the free movement of European footballers between clubs.although restrictions still apply for non-EU citizens.

In the case of Italy, There is a more complex system in which each club has an indefinite number of places. for non-EU players, depending on such details as whether they are replacing someone who is leaving, whether they are moving via another Italian club or how many international matches the player has played. Despite this, clubs have been demanding easier acquisitions in recent years, which Gravina also refuses because of the sporting consequences it could have for the team’s performance..

Italy lost in the 1/8 finals, and now it’s time to take stock. There is one certainty from the team: Clubs think about the result, and foreigners condemn the development of a local footballerThe truth is that the Italian team has had more failures than successes in recent years, helped by the 2016 Eurocup title. The new failure makes the country think and also leaves room for self-criticismNow that the law has been repealed, it is a matter of time as to who is right in this conflict of interests…