Mateo Retegui conquers the front pages of Italian newspapers with his first goal for the national team

In his first game with the Italian national team, Matthew Retegui grabbed the headlines of the Italian sports media for his goal in a 2-1 defeat against England in Naples. “Retegui is not enough”also highlighted the digital site allsport.

After just three days of training with the blue team, the Tigre striker left and scored his first goal in the blue shirt. For this reason, despite the painful fall at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, his photo ended up on the front pages of the newspapers.

“Two Italys”, titled Sports Courier with an image of the exultation of Retegui’s goal with Lorenzo Pellegrini. “Disappointing start and brilliant recovery: Retegui promoted“Added the popular medium on its cover.

“We saw two Italys: that of the first half was disarming and distracting, that of the second was lively and more credible. As if, after the break, the team excluded from the World Cup had been replaced by a team that was not too renewed but he still wants to get to the end of the Eurocopa”, analyzed the Corriere.

On Retegui’s goal, meanwhile, he explained that “it was not enough to win over the Italian fansfor the Azzurri’s defeat against England in the first Euro 2024 qualifying match played at the Maradona stadium in Naples and, above all, for his post-match interview”.

What happened? Although she surprised by singing the anthem, in the post-match interview with RAI, the it happens spoke in Spanish and used the resource of the translator, which unleashed “the storm on social media”. Several users also joked about his accent: “He’s from Bari” read on Twitter, according to Corriere dello Sport.

“The tone of the discussion – notes the newspaper – becomes more serious when someone points out that ‘there are children born in Italy who still do not have the citizenship that Retegui obtained’, while there are those who venture a parallel: ‘The same it will happen with Banchero, someone who doesn’t even know where Italy is and doesn’t speak the language.

In the other most important sports newspaper in Italy, The Sports Gazette, Retegui’s goal was featured as part of Roberto Mancini’s team ‘reaction’. “Little Italy: the national team was dominated in the first half. Afterwards, the reaction: Retegui’s first goal and 11-on-10 assault were not enough“, headline the Turin media.

“All the fault of a tragic first half: the English managed to score five goals but only scored two, with Rice and Kane from the penalty spot, thankfully. Then, in the second half, another game starts and almost equals what we deserve After all, Retegui’s goal: on the worst day there is finally a center forward in the area, the old-fashioned way, just serve him. One assist, one goal,” the note continues.

Precisely, La Gazzetta spoke in another article about the “dilemma in Italy: the 9”: “The central theme, as far as selection is concerned, has been the same for a long time: center forward hunt. Immobile has been underestimated and – as has happened to many great players – he is criticized when he is there and then realizes his importance when he is not there.”

“Then the whirlwind began, up to Retegui, catapulted onto the field after just three days of training with his teammates. And we talk about this with insistence in these hours, because the goal on his debut still gave him a place on the cover,” commented the journalist Alessandro Vocali.

The revenge for Retegui and his new companions will come this Sunday at 15:45 in the second match of group C of the Eurocup qualifying phase. The rival will be malt at Ta’Qali National Stadium.