In the 154 years since Italy was recognised as an independent state, the country has been able to count emigration as one of its chief exports. Italian diaspora has placed pockets of people with Italian heritage across the world, from the United States to Argentina, Australia to Brazil.
Just over 12 years ago, Mauro Camoranesi made his Italy national team debut as Italy defeated Portugal in a friendly.
The tricky winger, who played for Juventus at the time, held Italian-Argentine dual citizenship thanks to his grandparents who had emigrated from Italy. Despite becoming the most-capped Italian national team player born outside Italy, or Oriundo, Camoranesi’s selection by Giovanni Trapattoni was controversial.
Until his selection in the winter of 2003, no Azzurri coach had chosen an Oriundi to represent Italy since 1963.
The last Oriundo selected was AC Milan great Angelo Sormani. The Brazilian-born Sormani was a big, bruising forward, but like Camoranesi, Sormani could trace his family’s roots back to Italy; allowing him to obtain citizenship.
In just over seven years of playing for the Azzurri, Camoranesi excelled for his adopted nation. He became the 36th player with dual-nationality to represent Italy, and 17th from Argentina.
Playing 55 times for Italy, the winger tallied four goals and nine assists. He also has the distinction of being in Marcelo Lippi’s starting lineup at the World Cup Final in 2006. Taken off in the latter stages of normal time for Alessandro Del Piero, the midfielder missed out on the penalty shootout.
Camoranesi’s final bow for Italy came at the 2010 World Cup when Lippi’s Azzurri fell flat on their faces in South Africa. The winger only played twice at that tournament, both times coming on as a substitute.
The year prior at the Confederations Cup, a tournament in which Italy previewed their failures in South Africa, Camoranesi played well; although it looked like Lippi was already phasing out the player.
After the Azzurri’s back-to-back debacles in South Africa, Camoranesi found himself an unwanted man. The Italian-Argentine and Juventus agreed to terminate his contract and Camoranesi left for Germany’s Stuttgart.
His Bundesliga stint lasted only a few months as the World Cup failures seemed to stay with Camoranesi. Both club and player ended the arrangement and Camoranesi returned to the country of his birth, Argentina.
Now retired, Camoranesi finished his successful career with Lanus and Racing Club. Despite is success on the field, perhaps Camoranesi’s biggest success was opening the door for the once exiled Oriundi.
In recent weeks, the firestorm of debate was ignited thanks to the selections of Argentine Franco Vazquez and Brazilian Eder. Like Camoranesi, both players can trace their roots back to the peninsula. And like Camoranesi, many feel that unless a player is born in Italy, they shouldn’t wear the famous Azzurri shirt.
Prior to Vazquez and Eder’s call-ups, others have been named to either a preliminary squad or full Azzurri team.
The Brazilian-born Romulo was called up under Cesare Prandelli to the World Cup 2014 preliminary squad. Pablo Osvaldo has also been selected at times despite, like Camoranesi, being born in Argentina. Osvaldo played for Italy as recently as October 2014.
Camoranesi’s legacy should be sealed as one of the top players in Italy during the 2000s; and as a player that helped the Azzurri lift the World Cup trophy post-Calciopoli.
If more Oriundi thrive for the Azzurri, then he should also be hailed as the man who crossed the line and prompted Italian coaches to select them over their Italian-born colleagues.
Yet, even if those players fail, Camoranesi, Sormani and others like them, should be celebrated for their contributions to the four-time World Cup winners.
As an aside, the rules for getting an Italian passport are bizarre to say the least. It’s not uncommon for people who can’t speak a lick of the language or even have much knowledge of the country to get one because they happen to meet the ‘cut off’ standards on the maternal side. Moreover, many Argentines, for example, don’t have a parent born in Italy and are far removed from the country and have a passport. And if you happen to have a parent who became a citizen of another nations – like my father in Canada – after a certain date, then their children may not be eligible.
It’s unfortunate because it leads to scenarios where I know of three brothers who applied. Two were accepted but the third did not because he was born after the parent became a citizen – and he’s just about Italian one can get.
In my personal situation, I faced the same problem. As an Italophile who spends much time learning the language, culture and history of Italy, I’m not eligible. Yet an employee of mine, who is half Italian on her mother’s side has a passport. She has absolutely no connection to Italy; let alone speak the language. In addition, to make it worse, she uses the passport to go to England!
Sour grapes!
So all this to me suggests this. I have no problem with the Oriundi provided they demonstrate on some level they’re ‘Italian’. That they just happen to want to play for a national side is not enough. Yes, blood is blood. I may be born in Canada but my roots are Italian so I can sympathize with the Oriundi. But my nationality is Canada; the country that has given me much and I honor. So if one will hold a dual citizenship, I think they need to also be extra diligent in respecting their adopted country.
Sorry for the length.
his not the first player born overseas to represent Italy since 1963 Gentile was born in Libya his first cap was in 70s
In researching the article, Gentile’s name was not listed as I believe due to the fact he was born in a country that at one time was annexed by Italy. Gentile was born in ’53 shortly after Libya was given independence. His parents were Italian citizens from what I’ve found. Camoranesi’s parents were not. Thanks for reading.