Italy striker Mateo Retegui says he made the right decision in choosing to represent the Azzurri. The 24-year-old scored a brace for the national side in their 2-1 win over Venezuela, taking his tally to four goals in five games. Speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, he explained why he feels he made the right choice in representing Italy over Argentina, and his excitement for the upcoming EUROs
Your father Carlos is often beside you: how important is he?
“My family is always close to me and helps me become who I am. They were very happy with my performance. My godfather was there too, we hugged, we all had coffee together. It was a beautiful moment. I will always be grateful to them.”
Four goals in five matches. Comparisons with Batistuta return, the model you perhaps aspire to…
“Calm down, let’s stay grounded. I don’t look too far ahead; there’s a lot of work to do here, and I need to improve day by day to become stronger. I’m here with Italy, and it’s a great achievement. I have to thank two people: Mancini who called me and Spalletti who confirmed me.”
Ready for the European Championship?
“I’m always ready to play. The better I feel, the calmer I am, and everything becomes easier. Football is my life. But there are still many days until Germany. I don’t know if I’ll play in the Euros; the coach said no one has a guaranteed spot. If I don’t go, I’ll cheer for Italy. I have to earn my place.”
How?
“Resting for the Ecuador game if Spalletti needs me. And then returning to Genoa and continuing to score goals to earn the blue jersey.”
Spalletti also complimented you for the ‘dirty work’ beyond the goals. He said he didn’t know about this aspect…
“I’m glad I showed him. My dream is to do well with the national team, to come back to the group every time with pride.”
What does the coach ask of you?
“To always attack depth, play calmly, and help the team all over the field. His confidence makes me grow.”
Happy to wear the Azzurri jersey?
“I made the right choice in choosing Italy. Now I have to earn it; I know I can’t stop. I chose it, and I want to play with it as much as possible.”
