| Subject: Editorial: Camoranesi for Italy: Si o No? |
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Date Posted: 09:02:02 02/12/03 Wed
One of the week's biggest headlines concerned Mauro Camoranesi's call-up to the Italian National Team. Camoranesi's quality performances for Juventus had put pressure on the under-fire Giovanni Trapattoni to call up the talented right-sided midfielder, which Trapattoni has now done for this week's friendly against Portugal.
The problem is that Camoranesi was not born in Italy, but in Argentina. He is eligible to play for Italy though because he has dual Argentine-Italian citizenship, being a holder of an Italian passport by way of his Italian great-grandparents. Also, he has never represented Argentina at any level, permitting him by FIFA laws to play for the Azzurri. Public reaction seems mixed. There has been some criticism leveled at Trapattoni and Camoranesi. To be fair, however, this is not the first time a player with dual citizenship has represented the Italian team. In fact, if Camoranesi steps out on the field on Wednesday he will become the 36th player of dual citizenship to wear the blue of Italy, and more incredibly the 17th Argentine-born player!
I was genuinely surprised to hear a number of high-profile players speak out against Camoranesi's inclusion to the Italian sqaud. The likes of Roberto Baggio, Paolo Di Canio, Mathias Almeyda, and current squad member Francesco Toldo all made negative comments about the Juve winger joining the Italian team. Robby Baggio quipped, "I am going to go play for Argentina." I feel for Baggio, I really do. I am one of those who have felt that Trapattoni has wronged Baggio, his performances for Brescia have been worthy of a call-up to the team. That having been said, I do believe that in this instance Baggio is wrong and that his words have more than a tinge of bitterness to them. Baggio's response to this situation is not worthy of his character.
Di Canio and Toldo's comments followed the same path, keeping Italy for the Italians. Obviously, the two quality players have done little research of Italian football lately, because if they had they would have seen that there have been many players before Camoranesi that have played for Italy having been born elsewhere. Raimundo Orsi, Luis Monti (both Argentine born members of the 1934 Italian World Cup winning side), Jose Altafini, Omar Sivori, and Juan Schiffiano all played for Italy even though they were born elsewhere. In some cases the players above and others had played for other national teams because in certain eras the rules were different. Nevertheless, these players are some of the best footballers to ever play for Italy. There is a history here and a healthy one at that, pointing not towards a lack of talented Italian players in Italy but rather a country that will cap the best players of regardless of where they are born (assuming they are eligible).
In recent years we have seen other national teams utilize players born outside that country. Could France have been so successful in the last few years, winning the World Cup in 1998 and EURO 2000, without the likes of Lillian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, and Christian Karembeu? These are players that were all born outside France. Despite this, does this make them any less French, having lived and played in France? What about the inclusion of many members of the United States National Team in many of the last World Cups? There are other teams for sure who have used players from other countries. It is normal practice this day and age. In some cases a country will call a player up because the player is of definite use regardless of where they were born. In other cases, the call-up of a player born elsewhere may be representative of the multicultural aspect of a certain country.
I don't see a problem with Camoranesi representing the Italians. From the player's point of view this gives him the chance to have a career in international football. The Argentines are the losers in this instance, missing out on a good player, while the Italian squad could use a player like Camoranesi, a player that has blossomed into a dangerous winger in his time in Italy. I think remarks like those of Di Canio, Baggio, Toldo, etc. are only damaging and certainly do not stand up in the face of historical or cultural reference. Camoranesi had made no secret of his want to play for Argentina initially, though in the past few months he has spoke at length about how much of an honor it would be to wear the Italian shirt. Now it is time for current players like Toldo, fans, and media alike to honor the decision of Giovanni Trapattoni, and the decision of Camoranesi himself to play for Italy. Lord knows that 'Trap' has made some very bad decisions at the helm of the Azzurri. In this case, though, he is spot on.
Football is indeed a reflection of national identity and it is for this reason that so many countries all over the world have brought into their national teams "foreigners" and naturalized citizens. Italy is no different. Given the right atmosphere, and the embracing of the players and public, Mauro Camoranesi will undoubtedly be as much of an asset to Italy as he has been to Juventus, and perhaps follow in the footsteps of other great Italian players such as Orsi, Schiaffano, Rivera, Zoff, and Rossi.
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