Sebastian Giovinco has been lighting up the MLS but ignored by the Italian National team despite their own lack of talent. Danny Lewis investigates why.
The world watched on as Italy were defeated by Sweden, missing out on a World Cup for the first time since 1958. Jakob Johansson’s deflected effort was the difference between the two sides, with Italy unable to get a single goal in 180 minutes of football.
Images of Gianluigi Buffon with tears running down his face and Danielle de Rossi’s fury on the bench were soon doing the rounds on social media, with many questioning the direction Italian football is taking. There were calls for reform in Serie A and the jury was out on those who failed to get their country to the World Cup as was expected of them. However, there was little mention of those who were readily available but not selected by Gian Piero Ventura. One of those men was Sebastian Giovinco.
The 30-year-old five-foot four-inch trequartista will have watched these events unfold from almost four and a half thousand miles away in Toronto, after being shunned by the Italian national team since his move to the MLS. There have been arguments both for and against his inclusion, with some citing his brilliant form whenever he’s had regular game time as a reason why he should be involved in the Azzurri set-up, while others say that his exclusion from the national team is an expected consequence of opting to play in the MLS due to its perceived lack of quality.