After the extraordinary feat of the National Under-17 Team, which last June won the European Youth Soccer Championship for the first time in Cyprus, beating Portugal, a new and exciting chapter opens at the end of October, with the start of an even more competitive championship. The new teams promise spectacle, with increasingly prepared and fierce lineups.
As has become a tradition, the young players will be supervised not only by the coach, the head coach of the national men’s teams, Maurizio Viscidi, and the qualified technical staff, but also by a team of specialized teacher-tutors, who will support them during the championship, helping them to manage the delicate balance between their sports career and schooling.
The project, born 10 years ago thanks to a far-sighted collaboration between the University of Rome “Foro Italico” and the FIGC, represents a unique opportunity for young athletes, who often face long school absences to participate in national and international competitions. Thanks to this agreement, they are no longer forced to choose between their sports dream and education, thus being able to cultivate both aspects of their lives.
Competitive activity, by its very nature, has a limited duration, which is precisely why it is essential for athletes to start building a solid and attractive professional alternative early on.
The University of Rome “Foro Italico,” which has always been at the forefront of the study of sport and health, has fully espoused this vision. As evidence of this, it has activated a specific curriculum in its degree program in Sport and Exercise Sciences – High Level Sport Management and Organization (Gosal) – designed for those pursuing dual careers as students and athletes or future sports managers.
Stefano Presciutti, a key figure in the project, is the mentoring manager for the Under-17 and Under-19 men’s teams. An employee of the University’s Directorate General and a great lover of sports and humanism, he has dedicated years to this program, growing up side by side with young talents, accompanying them along a path of growth not only in sports, but also personally.
Many of these young champions have gone on to become stars of Italian soccer: Lorenzo Pellegrini, now at Roma; Giovanni Fabian of Bologna; Daniele Ghilardi of Verona; Giacomo Raspadori of Napoli; Davide Frattesi and Nicolò Barella, both at Inter; and Salvatore Esposito of Spezia, are just a few of the athletes who have found in Stefano not just a tutor, but a true mentor. With his passion and dedication, he has managed to create a special bond with each of them, helping them to face challenges with serenity and overcome every obstacle, both on the field and in daily life.
Together they have achieved extraordinary results, facing moments of crisis and learning to treasure mistakes in order to grow and improve.
May the 2024-2025 Championship be for all Italian youth teams an opportunity for growth, passion and unforgettable success, on and off the field. Good luck to all our future champions: may your dreams come true, one goal at a time!
article by Paola Claudia Scioli
