Correspondent of the magazine "Football" and a permanent author of Football. ua Sergey Shevchenko examines the Legionnaires of Serie A.
Legionnaires play a crucial role in modern Italian football - in Serie A they are almost 54%, more than half. This, of course, is not the ultimate limit of the nuclear submarine (67%), but it is also very impressive. This ratio is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, identity is eroded, and orthodox amateurs of the catenary can not consider the current Italian championship to be completely authentic. On the other - thanks to strong legionnaires, the spectacle is increasing, it is enough to look at the table of the top scorers.
We will evaluate other statistics. Which countries are speaking in Italy? The selection criteria are simple: the player must be in the team's application and hold at least one match in Serie A (not necessarily in this season), which will eliminate the notorious doubles. The exception is the newcomers, who have not yet debuted because of injuries, like Nani or Hededes. Go.
31 players Brazil: Alex Sandro, Douglas Costa (Juventus), Alisson, Bruno Perez, Jesus, Castan, Gerson (Roma), Rafael, Allan (Napoli), Toloi (Atalanta), Wallace, Luis Felipe, Mauricio, Leyva, Felipe Anderson (Lazio), Gabriel (Milan), Miranda, Dalbert (Inter), Vitor Hugo (Fiorentina), Lianco (Torino), Dodo (Sampdoria), Raphael, Joao Pedro, Farias (Cagliari), Samir, Evandro, Danilo, Matos Udinese), Yes Costa (Bologna), Felipe (Spal), Nicholas (Verona) Who would have topped the rating, if not the Brazilians? These guys are everywhere where they play football. Another question is that there are practically no top stars among Brazilian Serie A players, it's not Ronaldo and Cafu. One reason is that there are leagues that are financially more attractive. The other is Brazil's football today as China in the consumer goods market: there are a lot of goods and in general it is tolerable, but for extra-quality it is necessary to contact other countries. Two more patterns: the love of the Roman clubs to the Brazilians and the fact that the Brazilian center-forwarders disappeared in Italy, but a lot of central defenders.
27 players Argentina: Dibala, Higuain (Juventus), Fazio, Perotti (Roma), Palomino, Gomez (Atalanta), Musacchio, Billa (Milan), Ikardi (Inter), Pezzella, Simeone (Fiorentina), Burdisso, Ansaldi, Boyer Torino), Silvestre, Alvarez (Sampdoria), Bizzarri, De Paul, Maxi Lopez (Udinese), Castro (Chievo), Palacio (Bologna), Gentileti, Spalli, Centurion (Genoa), Isco (Crotone), B. Suculini, F. Suculini (Verona) Argentines are slightly smaller, but their share in Serie A is higher than the Brazilian. Ikardi, Gomez, Dibala and Higuain are people who determine the face of the championship. Calcio has a long-standing relationship with Argentine football due to the similar philosophy of the game, as well as the Italian roots of many Argentineans (remember at least the "Oriundi" like Mauro Herman Camoranesi). Squadre Azzurre would not be disturbed by some of the guys from here, poorly involved in the South American national team. A characteristic point: among the Argentine legionnaires the "attack group" prevails, but from the goalkeepers only 39-year-old Bitsarri.
15 players Croatia: Piazza, Manjukic (Juventus), Horn (Napoli), Vargic (Lazio), Kalinich (Milan), Brozovic, Perisic (Inter), Badel (Fiorentina), Strinic (Sampdoria), Bubnich, Balic, Perica (Udinese ), Petkovic (Bologna), Brlek (Genoa), Budimir (Crotone) The first place among European countries was occupied by a small Croatia, which has long been importing high-profile football players. Italy is geographically close to the Balkans, and Serie A clubs need strong attacking players, so there is a complete coincidence of interests. Defenders from Croatia comes very little, ex-Dnipryanin Strinic is an exception.
14 players France: Matuidi (Juventus), Gonalon, Defreil (Roma), Karamo (Inter), Laurini, Vereto, Icelic, Tero (Fiorentina), Nyang (Torino), Frei, Leri (Chievo), De Mayo (Bologna), Erto, Suprien (Verona) A large neighboring state and championship, which is somewhat inferior to Italian - it is logical that from France they willingly move to Serie A, although they are even more eager to go to Anguia. Particularly fond of the French in Fiorentina, where all four - the players base or almost the basics. Many of the legionaries there, as usual, have African roots.
11 players Uruguay: Bentancourt (Juventus), Vecino (Inter), Olivera, Cristoforo (Fiorentina), Ichaso (Torino), Torreira, Ramirez (Sampdoria), Lashalte (Genoa), Cabrera (Crotone), Caceres, Gonzalez (Verona) annex to the Argentines. Reasons for popularity in Serie A - similar. There were Uruguayans in Italy and stronger (Recoba, Montero), but even now their presence is felt. Among the roles dominated by central midfielders.
10 players Spain: Reina, Albiol, Kalehon (Napoli), Patrick, Luis Alberto (Lazio), Suso (Milan), Borja Valero (Inter), Berenguer, Iago Falke (Torino), Lirola (Sassuolo) Serbia: Kolarov (Roma) , Maksimovich (Napoli), Basta, Milinkovich-Savic, Djordjevic (Lazio), Llajic (Torino), Djuricic (Sampdoria), Tomovic, Radovanovich (Chievo), Lazovic (Genoa). What are the different fates: for Spaniards? Serie A is an alternative to the native and powerful example, for the Serbs - almost the limit of dreams, ex-Yugoslavs in general have traditionally been valued in Italy. By the way, Serbia, unlike Croatia, mainly supplies defenders: the Yugoslav team would be an excellent team. As for Spain, we note that there the legionaries all as for selection play important roles in their teams. Napoli still under Benitez became the mainstay of the Pyrenees in the Apennines, but another "hotbed", Fiorentina, from all the Spaniards got rid of.
9 players Poland: Szczesny (Juventus), Skorupski (Roma), Zielinski, Milik (Napoli), Dragovski (Fiorentina), Bereshinski, Linetti (Sampdoria), Stepinski (Chievo), Salamon (Spal) The abundance of Poles is surprising, although many of them - reservists. Unquestionably, except that the skill of Polish goalkeepers, who gladly take themselves even top clubs. However, the Poles themselves are more often sent to neighboring Germany, and not to Italy.
8 players Portugal: Mario Rui (Napoli), Nani (Lazio), Andre Silva (Milan), Cancela, Joao Mariou (Inter), Gaspar, Dias (Fiorentina), Veloso (Genoa) Belgium: Nanggolan (Roma), Mertens (Napoli ), Kastan (Atalanta), F. Lukaku (Lazio), Prat (Sampdoria), Miang (Cagliari), Bastien (Chievo), Omeonga (Genoa) The Netherlands: Karsdorp, Strootman (Roma), De Vrey (Lazio), Chatebourg, De Roon (Atalanta), Van der Wiel (Cagliari), Letchert (Sassuolo), Nyutink (Udinese) Yeah, in the old days the Dutch were represented in Serie A much more solidly: the great Milan trio, Bergkamp, ??Stam, Seedorf. The problem in the systemic crisis of Dutch football, here at least for Strootman with De Vries, thanks. But Italy fell well from the "golden generation" of the Belgians, Nainggolan with Mertens - piece goods. The current champions of Europe, alas, only two: Nani and Joao Mariou.
7 players Slovenia: Ilicic, Kurtic (Atalanta), Handanovich (Inter), Cesar, Birsa (Chievo), Kotnik (Crotone), Belets (Benevento) Bosnia: Pjanic (Juventus), Dzeko (Roma), Lulich (Lazio), Bayic (Udinese), Zukanovich (Genoa), Pavlovich, Shulich (Croton) Again the Balkans, and the players are the most that are starry. One has only to admire the ability of these small countries to grow whole generations of quality players.
6 players Romania: Lobontz (Roma), Kirikesh (Napoli), Radu (Lazio), Haji (Fiorentina), Stoyan (Crotone), Puskas (Benevento) Albania: Husai (Napoli), Berisha (Atalanta), Strakosha (Lazio), Aieti (Crotone), Memushai, Jimshichi (Benevento) Colombia: Quadrado (Juventus), Sunigi (Napoli), Perea (Lazio), K. Zapata (Milan), Sanchez (Fiorentina), D. Sapata (Sampdoria) Ghana: Asamoah (Juventus), Aqua (Torino), Duncan (Sassuolo), Donsa (Bologna), Kofi (Genoa), Chibsa (Benevento) Senegal: Tiam (Juventus), Coulibaly (Napoli), Drama (Atalanta ), Babacar (Fiorentina), Mbaye (Bologna), A. Gomis (Spal) The importance of legionaries from Africa has fallen significantly. The reason - the stagnation of the local football, where there are no level teams, for example, Nigeria 90's or Cameroon 00's. It is not possible to go out on physical readiness, and with the obligatory tactical literacy for Italy Africans do not glue. Rare exceptions like Neapolitan Coulibaly only confirm the rule.
5 players Switzerland: Lichtsteiner (Juventus), Froller (Atalanta), Rodriguez (Milan), Widmer, Behrami (Udinese) Sweden: Gustafson (Torino), Helander, Kraft (Bologna), Rodin (Crotone), Armenteros (Benevento) Funny coincidence two consonant countries. The proportion of Swedes - the minimum, they are both on the selection play for outsiders or sit in reserve. It's not Greene and not even Kenneth Andersson.
4 players Czech Republic: Shik (Roma), Yankto, Barak (Udinese), Krejchi (Bologna) Germany: Hevedes, Khedira (Juventus), Gosens (Atalanta), Kragle (Crotone) Nigeria: Sadik, Obi (Torino), Okwonkvo (Bologna ), Simi (Croton) Algeria: Ghulam, Una (Napoli), Tider (Bologna), Fares (Verona) The Czech Republic is also "not the same", and in Serie A play almost the main talents of this country. Germans do not need to go to Italy when their Bundesliga blossoms and smells (in the early 90's the layouts were completely different, remember Matthaus, Klinsmann and Breme). Very few Nigerians: the most talented go to England, where you do not need to learn the language, and play with an emphasis on physics.
3 players Greece: Manolas (Roma), Torosidis (Bologna), Oikonomou (Spal) Slovakia: Hamsic (Napoli), Shkrinyar (Inter), Ivan (Sampdoria) Morocco: Benatia (Juventus), Taarabt (Genoa), Lazaar (Benevento) Cote d'Ivoire: Kessye (Milan), Gnukuri (Inter), Fofana (Udinese) Captain Napoli - the best advertisement of footballers from Eastern Europe. All three Greeks are defenders, which does not surprise.
2 players Denmark: Cornelius (Atalanta), Stryuger (Udinese) Finland: Hetemay (Chievo), Vaysanen (Spal) Bulgaria: Galabinov (Genoa), Tonev (Crotone) Turkey: Under (Roma), Chalkhanoglu (Milan) Paraguay: G. Gomez (Milan), Barreto (Sampdoria) Both Turks and both Danes - summer beginners. Previously, legionaries from Denmark were also more interesting (Helveg, Tomasson), but the local football in relative decline, similar to the Swedish.
1 player Iceland: Halfredsson (Udinese) Norway: Zekhnini (Fiorentina) Liechtenstein: Buchel (Verona) Hungary: Nagy (Bologna) Montenegro: Maroushic (Lazio) Macedonia: Pandev (Genoa) Moldova: Ionita (Cagliari) Chile: Pulgar (Bologna) Ecuador: Caicedo (Lazio) Venezuela: Rincon (Torino) Mexico: Moreno (Roma) Costa Rica: Gonzalez (Bologna) Guadeloupe: Gravigilion * (Verona) Japan: Nagatomo (Inter) South Korea: Lee Son Wu (Verona) Iraq : Adnan (Udinese) Angola: Bashtouch (Lazio) Cameroon: Nculu (Torino) Guinea: Diawara (Napoli) A total of one player is represented by Cameroon (to a catastrophic decline of football - yes, despite winning the CAS), Mexico (not a priority, a rich championship) and Chile (the aging of the "golden generation"). Macedonians would be more, play in the elite of Palermo. But there is such an exotic as Iraq with Liechtenstein, and for Perugia in Series B stands Khan Kwan Song, attacker from the DPRK.
* He also has French citizenship, but in all sources he is listed as a representative of Guadeloupe - an island in the Caribbean Sea, which is the overseas department of France.
Who is absent?.
Of Ukraine. Our football players, alas, do not go to Italy: only Vasily Priyma tried unsuccessfully to gain a foothold in Torino and Frosinone, and the transfer of Zinchenko to Napoli failed. The post-Soviet space actually disappeared from Kalchos, Russians do not go abroad because of the difference in salaries (Dzyuba in Zenith earns twice as much as Belotty in Torino), and the only exception is the Moldavian Ionita.
Of England. Last season was Joe Hart and played so that it's better not to remember. There are also representatives of Scotland, the two Irish, Wales - for them there are a variety of English leagues.
USA and Australia. There are now few quality foreigners from there, and the priority areas are England and Germany. There we will write Austria - a country that has a common border with Italy, but at the moment nothing in common in football.
Peru and Bolivia - the only South American countries (more precisely, representatives of CONMEBOL), not included in the rating. In the case of the Peruvians, this is even surprising, there is now a great team, but they prefer the championship of Mexico.
Of China. That's where the disorder is!
Since some Serie A matches start at noon local time for broadcasts in the Middle Kingdom, it's time to take a couple of players from there to increase interest.
Bonus Brazilian national team Alysson - Bruno Perez, Toloi, Miranda, Jesus, Alex Sandro - Felipe Anderson, Allan, Leyva, Douglas Costa - Farias Argentinian team Bizzarri - Ansaldi, Fasio, Musacchio, Palomino - Billia, Castro - Dibala, Gomez - Higuain, Ikardi Team of the ex-Yugoslavs Khandanovich - Basta, Maksimovich, Cesar, Kolarov - Milinkovich-Savich, Pyanich - Lyaich, Perisic - Manjukic, Dzheko Author: Sergey Shevchenko.