As AC Milan prepare to face Manchester United in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League qualifier on Wednesday night, one cannot but help draw parallels with the Italian National Team ahead of this summers World Cup Finals. Like the Azzurri the Milan team is filled with a number of genuinely world class footballers – many of whom, such as Alessandro Nesta, Rino Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo – still feature for the national team.
However despite the undoubted talent throughout the Milan side – even the most ardent Rossoneri fan would not fancy their chances of overturning a 3-2 deficit at Old Trafford this midweek.
As is normally the case with all teams who have a golden generation, both Milan and Italy have failed to properly prepare for life beyond the ageing limbs of Pirlo, Inzaghi, Nesta and co. That they are still talented and highly capable footballers is not in question, but in a footballing world where youth, speed and agility are key attributes, it is unlikely they will enjoy further success for club and country.
There popularity remains unquestioned – Pirlo himself helps make Italian soccer shirts among the best selling international soccer jerseys, and it is not beyond question that Milan can win the Serie A title this season, although it does appear at best a long shot.
If the club are to regain their former glory, however, the team must be built around a new set of emerging stars. A rejuvenated Klaas Jan Huntelaar is finally starting to show his worth after a slow start to his San Siro career and could yet form a very exciting partnership with the formidable talent of Alexandre Pato. Such is the populaity of Pato, that he has outsold the likes of Luis Fabiano, Ronaldinho and Kaka in sales of the new Brazil shirt.
At international level, the Italians face the same problem. No breakthrough stars of the quality of the previous generation of Francesco Totti, Alessandro del Piero or Roberto Baggio have as yet emerged and while you can never write off the four time World Cup winners, it is highly unlikely they will be adding a 5th star to their jersey this summer.
Written by Danny Watson, a sports writer who blogs about soccer jerseys.
