By Marta Elena Casanova
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Index
In recent years, the topic of young talents in Italian football has been at the center of passionate and often controversial debates. On one hand, there is the awareness that our youth system struggles to compete with those of other European countries like Germany, France, or the Netherlands; on the other hand, there are concrete examples of clubs successfully investing in a model of nurturing and developing young players, both for sporting and economic reasons.
The problem of lack of widespread investment
According to data from the CIES Football Observatory (2024), only 12% of minutes played in Serie A are entrusted to players under 21, compared to 25% in the Bundesliga and 22% in Ligue 1. This difference reflects less trust in young players and greater reliance on experienced or foreign players.
Moreover, the number of young Italian starters in Serie A has decreased compared to ten years ago, while leagues like La Liga and Bundesliga show the opposite trend, with a steady increase in the use of local talents.
Virtuous clubs: reference models and success stories
Despite these challenges, there are examples of Italian clubs that are changing course, seriously focusing on the development and valorization of young players. Teams like Atalanta, Sassuolo, Empoli, and partly Torino have built effective scouting and training models, capable of discovering talents—often foreign as well—integrating them into the first team, and then selling them for significant sums, generating capital gains essential for economic sustainability.
The case of Rasmus Højlund, who moved from Atalanta to Manchester United for over 70 million euros, is a clear example of how smart investment in youth can bring huge economic and sporting returns.
The cultural and structural challenge
However, these realities remain isolated compared to the overall landscape of Italian football. The Bundesliga, for example, has the highest index of youth valorization, thanks to structured investment policies in youth sectors and a culture more open to generational change.
Serie A, on the other hand, still suffers from a culture of immediate results that penalizes internal growth. The risk is turning young players into mere financial assets, a trend that generates capital gains but may compromise sporting competitiveness in the long run.
Prospects for the future
To close the gap with other major European leagues, Italian football must focus on structured investments in youth sectors, greater trust and playing time for players under 21 in first teams, innovative and sustainable scouting policies, leading to a balance between technical development and economic sustainability.
Only in this way can a system be built capable of nurturing new talents, keeping Italy competitive both sportingly and financially.
By Marta Elena Casanova
