Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has praised the impact of Thiago Motta on the rest of the national squad, stating that he is an example for all other players to follow.
The Brazilian-born defensive midfielder is one of several naturalised stars involved in the current Azzurri set-up, and Prandelli believes that including players of Italian origin has benefited the development of his side.
“Why do we have so many Oriundi in the side? People can think what they like, but the problem is the high number of foreign players in our league,” the 56-year-old tactician told Radio Deejay.
“These are players who can help us to grow and Thiago Motta sets the example in that sense, as his character helped the whole group to move forward.”
Prandelli also confirmed that Giuseppe Rossi’s ability to recover from a knee ligament injury will dictate his World Cup squad selection.
“How many players will be called up for each area of the team? That depends on Rossi,” he continued.
“There isn’t much time, but we have so much love towards this player.”
