Interview with Gianfranco Zola, vice-president of the Serie C League. The crisis in Italian football and the reform named after him: “The principle is to ensure that young players can develop through playing foot | by Ivan Cardia
Gianfranco Zola, Italy are the Under-17 European champions. What does this achievement represent?
“It confirms that we are competitive at youth level. It’s a great achievement, and not the first one. The credit goes to the players and to coach Franceschini. They have done an excellent job.”
Yet we still struggle to bring that talent through to the senior national team. Why?
“Because the journey is a long one, and there is a huge gap between youth football and the senior game. We are heading in the right direction, but the most difficult stage comes from that age onwards.”
Does the fear of trusting young players play a role? Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí are already playing for Spain; in Italy they might not even be in the Under-21 squad…
“There is a huge difference between us and other countries. In Spain or Germany, when they see potential in a young player, they put him on a pathway that will help him improve, including through mistakes and difficult moments. We don’t accept that. We expect a youngster to immediately be a Roberto Baggio or a Paolo Maldini.”
Or a Gianfranco Zola…
“Even for me, when I arrived at Napoli at the age of 22, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. In my second season, I was close to being sold to Lecce. Then the club decided to keep me, I fought to improve, and eventually I made it.”
Once Italy had Zola and Baggio, Del Piero and Totti. Have we lost the number 10s?
“It’s a consequence of the way football is played today. In the past there was less organization, and teams relied on a creative player to come up with something special. Nowadays everyone is involved in possession, teams build from the back, and players with those qualities often become wingers or midfielders. Then it also depends on the player: Yamal, who in another era would have been a number 10, now plays out wide, beats defenders and takes responsibility. That is what we need to teach young players: there is a time when the ball must circulate and a time when you have to accept risks.”
Do we play with a 3-5-2 because we lack technical quality, or do we lack technical quality because we play with a 3-5-2?
“I wouldn’t make it a question of formation. If you have two attacking wing-backs, you actually give them more freedom. The key is understanding the moments of a match and when to attempt something creative. In the past, teams that didn’t want to take risks sat deep and counterattacked. Today they keep possession endlessly. It’s still a form of defensive football, just expressed differently.”
Two victories for Silvio Baldini. Did you like his ‘Young Italy’?
“Yes, but we must always aim higher with the national team. You mentioned some great names from the past: let’s not forget that Roberto Mancini, an absolute world-class player, never played at a World Cup. Someone like Domenico Morfeo, for example, had extraordinary talent. We need to raise the level of the players coming through the ranks.”
Do we need more educators and fewer coaches?
“Absolutely. But especially before the Primavera level. The people working with children from the ages of eight or nine must be truly skilled and qualified. In the past, those age groups almost developed themselves: we played in the streets, and by the time we were 11 or 12 we already knew how to move and play. Times have changed, however, in many respects.”
And if there were more people like Giovanni Maria Mele, your first coach…
“We are talking about people who devoted their lives to football. They knew how to deal with young boys like me, not only on the pitch but off it as well. They were educators, high-quality people. There were many of them back then, and we need many of them today.”
Are foreign players really a problem?
“There isn’t much we can do about it; European regulations are clear. Personally, I have nothing against foreign players. In England I was the foreigner, after all. Before that, I benefited from playing alongside great champions such as Maradona, Alemao and Asprilla. They are welcome. But they should raise the overall level. What I don’t like are foreign players brought in merely to fill squad places. In those cases, I’d rather see opportunities given to our own youngsters.”
When Zola moved to the Premier League, it seemed like a step backward. Today Italians abroad are celebrated. Has the world changed?
“Yes. Back then, everyone came to Italy. Great champions went to clubs such as Udinese or Pescara—players like Zico or Junior. Today the leading leagues are elsewhere, especially the Premier League. My situation was different: I was going through a difficult period, I needed a change, and when the opportunity to move to England arose, I took it. It turned out to be a great stroke of luck for me.”
Together with Matteo Marani and Serie C, you have developed a reform that bears your name.
“We are trying. It is not perfect, but nothing is. It is a way to start, and ultimately the clubs will make the difference. The fact that a league rewards clubs for investing in facilities, coaches and youth players is already something important. It will take a lot of work. This is not a one- or two-year process.”
It is also a cultural revolution.
“I always start from my own experience. I came from a small town, Oliena, with 9,000 inhabitants, a world away from Serie A. Yet it still gave something to Italian football. Why can’t a small club in Serie C or Serie D do the same? The principle is to provide widespread funding so that young people can grow through playing football. Tennis has done it successfully. We need to work in the right way—and then hope for the best.”
The Serie C season ended with huge crowds.
“The play-offs saw attendances increase by 30% and revenues by 37%. That’s a great result, but it also brings responsibility: now we have to raise the quality even further.”
What are reserve teams?
“They have existed in Spain for forty years, so they are nothing new. What matters is the principle behind them: if they help improve Italian football, then they are a positive thing. If they only serve the interests of individual clubs, then they are not. In the meantime, we have asked for special consideration to be given to the historic Serie C clubs when readmission decisions are made.”
There has been talk of a possible role for you within the FIGC alongside Malagò or Abete.
“I am very happy to have made myself available to work with Matteo Marani and his entire team. We are trying to work for the good of the system, and our journey is not over yet.”
