Italy U21 boss Silvio Baldini predicts his assistant Andrea Barzagli, a former Juventus and Italy defender, is ‘truly’ talented and ‘will have a great career as a coach, if he finds a good sporting director.’

Baldini spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport after securing qualification for the U21 Euros, to be played next year.

Fiorentina midfielder Cher Ndour grabbed headlines after Italy U21’s latest 6-2 win over Poland U21 , scori ng from seven meters out.

During his interview with Gazzetta, Baldini also spoke about his assistant, Andrea Barzagli, who won multiple Serie A titles with Juventus and lifted the 2006 World Cup with Italy as a player. Baldini praised the ex-defender highly.

“A surprise. I never would have thought that someone with his pedigree as a player would be so humble. It’s as if he had always played at the amateur level and were eager to learn the trade,” Baldini said.

“He has my complete respect; in fact, during technical meetings, he’s the one who gives the explanations, not me. He’s truly talented, and if he finds a good sporting director, he’ll have a great career as a coach too.”

Barzagli, 45, won, among other trophies, eight Serie A titles with Juventus and four Coppa Italia titles.

He also played for Chievo Verona and Palermo in Serie A and Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. Barzagli also won the German title in 2008-09.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Он будет «великим» тренером: высокая похвала экс-защитнику «Ювентуса» и сборной Италии Барзагли" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Gironi & Calendario metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Mondiali 2026 Italia Editorial Desk. Readers following "Он будет «великим» тренером: высокая похвала экс-защитнику «Ювентуса» и сборной Италии Барзагли" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.