Ranieri: Italy has a tactical obsession unlike any other nation
Opinion·16 June 2026·31d ago

Ranieri: Italy has a tactical obsession unlike any other nation

Source: Forza Roma

Claudio Ranieri spoke at the presentation of Ivan Zazzaroni's book "Per vincere domani" (To Win Tomorrow) at the Aniene Circle on 16 June, offering his perspective on Italian football's structural problems and youth development. The event also featured Gabriele Gravina, former FIGC president, and Roberto Mancini, who managed Italy to Euro 2021 victory.

Ranieri, a former Roma manager and senior advisor at the club, emphasised that Italy's youth academy system is not fundamentally broken — the country won two Under-17 European Championships in recent years and the Under-19 team reached the World Cup final — but the transition to senior football exposes critical weaknesses. He argued that coaches at youth level are over-focused on tactics when they should be developing character and citizens. "Only in Italy are we sick with tactics," Ranieri said. "In England even the great coaches don't do it. A coach must win, unless you're at a club where developing and selling young players matters and it doesn't matter if you get relegated. But very few clubs can do that."

Ranieri pinpointed the lack of depth available to national team selectors as a key obstacle. When young players attempt the step up to senior football, Italy loses its competitive edge. He stressed that youth educators must focus on player development rather than tactical systems, and that the pool of mature professionals available for the national team remains too shallow to sustain international success.

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Testo Originale / Source Text

L'ex senior advisor giallorosso è intervenuto durante l'evento dedicato al nuovo libro di Ivan Zazzaroni Redazione 16 giugno - 18:53 Claudio Ranieri, ex tecnico e senior advisor della Roma, si è recato al Salone del Circolo Aniene per assistere alla presentazione del nuovo libro di Ivan Zazzaroni.…

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