Americans Abroad: U.S. under-20s Bernardo, Nazzani refine their trade in Italy.

U.S. under-20s Bernardo, Nazzani refine their trade in Italy.

Vincenzo Bernardo

Vincenzo Bernardo holds the ball against an Atletico Madrid defender.
-- Photos by Rodrigo Erades --
By Chris Courtney
SoccerTimes

NAPLES, Italy (Friday, November 28, 2008) - There are those who have wondered when the Italian-American community, which has produced so many great athletes, would once again start producing players for the United States men.

The U.S. has had some great Italian-American coaches, such as Bruce Arena with the men and Tony DiCicco with the women. But where are the great players?

With just over 17 million Americans descending from Italian immigrants, some have wondered when the Americans would produce their own Andrea Pirlo or Fabio Cannavaro. Now, as 2008 draws to a close, a few who might one day fill those shoes have become apparent..

Funny enough, a few of the most promising young Italian-Americans are actually sharpening their skills back in Italy starting with New York City-native Gabe Ferrari. Following last summer's Under-20 Men's World Cup, Ferrari was loaned from Serie A's Sampdoria to Perugia of Serie C, where the striker sees regular playing time each week. The 20-year-old Ferrari will most likely return to Sampdoria next season, but could stay with Perugia if its earns promotion to Serie B.

Then, there's New Jersey native Vincenzo Bernardo, whose future at Serie A's Napoli is looking up now that he is in his second year with the club, and midfielder\defender Giuseppe Nazzani of Bologna, also in Serie A.

Bernardo, an 18-year-old forward has worked his way up from the youth team to the Primavera, surviving a cut which kept seven out of 20 remaining in the club's system . This was seen as a clear sign he is being groomed for the first team, currently in fourth place in Serie A. Along the way, Napoli signed him to a three-year professional contract and is now looking to loan him out to another club in January.

Bernardo recently had his second call-up from U.S. under-20 coach Thomas Rongen, this time for the recent camp in Madrid, where the team took on reserve sides from Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Rayo Vallecano. Bernardo played in all three matches. "He is a good addition to the squad," Rongen told SoccerTimes. "He can play attacking midfielder or second forward, is technically sound, has a nose for goal and a pretty good shot."

Giuseppe Nazzani and Vincenzo Bernardo

Giuseppe Nazzani (left) and Vincenzo Bernardo.

Napoli seems to agree since he has been practicing more often with the first team and appears to be in the team's future plans. In Italy, one or two promising reserve-team players are loaned out when they are 20 or so, while Bernardo appears poised for a loan at 18. What's more, Napoli also appears ready to provide appearance incentive pay to whatever club takes him on loan to ensure he gets quality playing time.

The last time Napoli made a similar deal was a year ago when Italian U-21 midfielder Cosmo Palumbo was loaned to Cesena for one season. After a six-month loan, Bernardo's aspiration is to play in the Under-20 Men's World Cup next summer in Egypt, then return to Napoli and compete for first-team play.

According to Bernardo's agent Pasquale De Rosa, they have received interest from the Premier League and League Championship in England, second-division sides in Spain, a Romanian first-division club and several Serie C teams in Italy. For Pasquale and his client, the most important factor is to get regular playing time and to have a club which will support Bernardo if, and when, he is called up for any U.S. U-20 appearances.

"It's good that he'll be getting more playing time when his club loans him out in January," Rongen said. "Getting first-team playing time at all levels is important, so this will help him. We'll continue to monitor him and we plan on bringing him back for our December camp in the U.S. where we'll play Germany and Canada."

And what does Bernardo himself think of these developments? "I would be honored to represent my country in the U-20 World Cup qualifiers," he told SoccerTimes. I want to try to help the team qualify and then try to win it. I think it's our time since we have talent. I want to win. I'm a competitor, so I want to win games and trophies. That's what I want to do with my country, as well as my club."

Of course practicing every week alongside players, such as Napoli's Argentine international Ezequiel Lavezzi, offers Bernardo a chance to learn from one of the game's hottest players. Bernardo mentioned that, "I try to learn from the players with my characteristics, so I watch Lavezzi and players like Leo Messi and Giuseppe Rossi. They are present on the ball, very technical and very fast, and very intelligent.

"For example, Lavezzi is always very calm on the ball, so when I have the ball, I try to be calm, keep my head up, just like he does."

It's not every day a promising young American player can be found apprenticing under a player some call the new Maradona.

However, Bernardo is not just learning from Lavezzi at Napoli: "When I practice with the first team, its always a good experience and a pleasure to be with such great players like Lavezzi, (Walter) Gargano and (German) Denis," Bernardo said recently after finishing practice at the club's Castel Volturno training grounds. "It's more tactical and technical than I experienced in America, so I feel like I've really grown tactically with my movements on the field. I've become more technical and developed better speed on the ball as well."

Bologna's Giuseppe Nazzani made his debut last week for the U.S. under-20s in a friendly against Rayo Vallacano's reserve team. Despite showing up with an injury he picked up in a club reserve match against Livorno and then sitting out the first two U.S. U-20 matches in Madrid, it appears Nazzani has already made an impression.

"Its not too often you find a 6-foot-1 left-footed player with his experience at that age," Rongen said. "He can play left back, left midfield, or even defensive midfield. He has good all-around skills and is a guy we'll definitely look at again."

Nazanni was born in Carpi, Italy, to an American mother (from New York's Long Island) and an Italian father. He was brought to Rongen's attention by Ferrari and acquired his U.S. passport a few months ago. "I started playing soccer at the age of five and I've never stopped playing since then," Nazzani told SoccerTimes, describing his career to date.

Nazanni played for local club Carpi Due Ponti from age five to 11, when he was discovered by the Bologna youth system. Currently 18, he has played within the Bologna system ever since, working his way up to the primavera (reserve) squad and inching closer to a possible appearance with the first team or a loan deal similar to Bernardo's.

"My dream is to play in Serie A one day for Bologna," he said in an e-mail. "I train hard day after day and give all I've got."

When asked about his first experience with the U.S. under-20s, he responded. "The training camp was a wonderful experience and even though I don't speak English very well, everybody was very friendly. Thank god Vincenzo was there -- he was my translator."

Bernardo and Nazzani were assigned U.S. roommates in Madrid, probably not for the last time.

Chris Courtney writes the blog Letters From Vagabondia.

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