Former AC Milan and Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi has hit out at Italy’s youth set-up by claiming it features “too many blacks” and “too many foreigners.”
Renowned soccer coach and innovator Sacchi, who notably helped Milan win back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990, was speaking at an awards ceremony in Montecatini Terme on Monday evening.
According to a report on the La Gazzetta dello Sport Web site, 68-year-old Sacchi used the occasion to hit out at the number of non-native Italians involved in the lower ranks of Italian soccer.
“Italy now has no dignity or pride, because we have too many foreigners playing in the under-20 leagues: in our youth sectors there are too many blacks,” said Sacchi, who is a former director of Italy’s under-21 national team.
Sacchi claimed he was not racist because he signed Frank Rijkaard, a Dutch player of Surinamese origin.
However, he said that “too many colored players” featured for Italian youth sides at the Viareggio Cup World Football Tournament Coppa Carnevale.
“I’m certainly not racist, as my coaching history demonstrates with Rijkaard,” Sacchi said. “But look at the Viareggio Tournament. I would say that there are too many colored players, also in the under-20 teams in Italy.”
When asked to clarify his remarks, Sacchi claims he had been misinterpreted.
“I’ve been misinterpreted, you think I’m really racist? All I said was I saw a game featuring a team who fielded four colored players,” he added. “My history speaks for itself, I’ve always coached teams with great players from every color and I’ve brought in a lot, whether to Milan or [Real] Madrid. I only wanted to underline that we are losing our national pride and identity.”
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