«He is a ravenous animal, a mix between Belotti and Iaquinta»- Corriere.it

Mateo Retegui never thinks twice: if there is a choice of which national team to play with and if there is a shot on goal. As soon as he sees a glimmer of light, he often scores goals, as a pure centre-forward. Young, but not very young, since he’s going for 24; well placed but not static (1.86 for 86 kg), modern in interpreting the role thanks also to the athletic training received in field hockey, which in his family (father ct, mother and sister practicing at a high level) is a true religion. From the Buenos Aires Tiger with fury, Mateo definitively chose the ball instead of the ball at 16, at 18 he was still playing in midfield but has become the prototype of the number 9 that today serves Mancini’s Italy, without Immobile, Raspadori and Belotti, always waiting for the best version of Scamacca and the growth of the various Colombos or Pinamontis.

Lele Adani, great connoisseur of Argentine football and voice of Rai, who is Mateo Retegui, Italy’s new center forward?

«It is a ravenous animal, which attacks the door and the spaces as if there were no tomorrow. He is still a crude footballer: he will never be Van Basten just to be clear, but he is one who if you put the ball to him also jumps against the knee of the outgoing goalkeeper. He’s not afraid, he’s available, he opens up spaces, in the sense that he’s someone who runs a lot ».

What is his path in his homeland?

«He’s a River fan, but he was registered by Boca: he could have returned, but he chose to stay at Tigre again this year to improve and also because he risked being on the bench for Benedetto at Boca. This demonstrates his desire to grow and his aptitude for hard work: he has a great professional ethic ».

Who do you look like among the Italian forwards?

«If we talk about characteristics, consider putting Belotti and Iaquinta together: he is a center forward like the first, but attacks the long and works for the others as Iaquinta can be. Last year he scored more than 20 goals, this year a little less because the Tigre is not doing well. But his performance is always due to fatigue, struggle, work. I don’t mean that he doesn’t have a fine thought, but if he comes to Europe and works with coaches who are still working on details, he has room for improvement ».

«In my opinion it could be useful, also to give a signal. Also because this Italy, which must start again and find itself, does not have one with these characteristics, apart from Belotti. In the shortage of forwards it’s right to bet and call too, who is a ’99».