Italy coach Mancini adopts youth-focused strategy similar to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Italy's national football team head coach Roberto Mancini is adopting a strategy of prioritizing young talent, a move being compared to the recent success seen in Bosnia and Herzegovina under coach Sergej Barbarez.

Mancini has shifted the Azzurra squad toward a much younger profile, with an average age of just over 24 and several U21 players. In a recent 4-1 victory against Turkey, none of the starting eleven players were older than 27. Additionally, one-third of the current squad plays outside of Italy, a departure from traditional Italian football norms.

This approach mirrors the development path taken by Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Barbarez has focused on integrating young players into the starting lineup. This strategy has led to Bosnia and Herzegovina qualifying for the World Cup and seeing young talents like Kerim Alajbegović emerge as potential stars for major European leagues.