David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Andriy Shevchenko will be among the big names missing from Euro 2008 and there’s a fair chance you’ll be able to add Alessandro Del Piero to that list.
Del Piero was dropped for the victory over Scotland that clinched Italian qualification. Coach Roberto Donadoni has said the door is not closed on the Juventus striker, but also hinted the 33-year-old is getting too old for international football after a mediocre performance in his last Azzurri appearance against France in September.
Del Piero has not always featured in Claudio Ranieri’s Juve team this season and there was even a chance he could have quit Turin before signing a new contract last month.
Many pundits say Del Piero is now too slow in mind and body having spent last season in Serie B with Juve. They believe he is a spent force who rarely conjures up the magic which helped Italy to World Cup glory and inspired Juve to a series of scudettos and two European Cup finals.
Most Juve fans still adore their number 10, however, and he scored twice after coming off the bench in the team’s 5-0 win over Palermo at the weekend.
Some players in their thirties help national managers by retiring from international football, but Del Piero, like Beckham and fellow Italian exile Filippo Inzaghi, shows no signs of packing in.
Would you pick Del Piero for Italy or should he save his dignity by retiring from the national team now? Give us your thoughts in the comments.
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del piero = italy soul, italy without del piero ?, i’d better watch gossip, than italia match, for sure.
- Posted by BhimbimDELPIERO is not a star, DELPIERO is not a god, but DELPIERO is a gift for Italy. So its useless if Dona who? not bring Gifted Player into EURO. Just forget about the Cup.
Young player is not a guaratte for gifted player!!!!
- Posted by AkbarDel Piero mayb old..but he has a lot of experience n some skills that everyone in azzuri doesnt have….coach donadoni should have a better mind set of him….he is a legend and the best italian player all time……i beg u donadoni! plz give another chance to him and i will ensure u the victory of the azzuri in the next european tournament!!!!!!!!
- Posted by ikramOf course, Del Piero might be able to solve more than 1 match during Euro 2008. Remember Italy-Germany during World Cup.
- Posted by Juan Cavalierei think this time donadoni is wrong. many people say that del piero was back to his form again in 2007-2008 season. Del piero is not a star like ronaldo, pele etc, he is a player, who knows what moves are required at what time. he has a great ability to read the game that only few players have. see after being criticized by coach he still wants to play rather than giving up. i think italy will miss a real meastro of the game if they do not take del piero. if donadoni is reading this then he should know that if he thinks that winning small games like friendlies and just qualifying for euro, will help them to win euro then you are just a fool. i must tell you if del piero would not have been in world cup 2006, italy would have lost the game against germany. Donadoni, you are a fool if you donot take the italian golden boy with you in the finals.. Hope you will understand.
- Posted by Rahul Sur[...] by the host of replies to our blog about Del Piero in November, he has a hefty fan [...]
- Posted by Will Italy recall Del Piero? - Reuters Soccer BlogDel piero is italy through and through!!!!!
best goal in the world cup!!(vs germany)
best striker of all time at juventus!!(stats speak for their self)
beckham, shrek (wrooney) and ronaldiniho and co would get ripped apart in seria a!!!
and all this bias I hear from channel 5 (so called footie expert) expect prem quality football but sorry to point this out football in seria a is art and not a pub fight like the prem!!!
also i think donadoni is bias because he is ac milan (crap).
DEL PIERO IS GOD FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!
- Posted by Dave Russo