Mateo Retegui: The Striker Fulfilling Italian Football’s Search

Mateo Retegui currently leads Serie A in scoring with 11 goals this season. On 4 August 2024, Atalanta supporters anticipated a peaceful summer day, with upcoming holidays and a new season on the horizon. Their club, fresh from its Europa League victory, was participating in a pre-season friendly in Parma. An atmosphere of anticipation, yet also tranquility, prevailed. Warm temperatures, the fact it was a Sunday, and the short travel distance – Bergamo is merely 100 miles north-west of Parma – drew several hundred Nerazzurri fans to Stadio Tardini. During the match, striker Gianluca Scamacca sustained a left knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear while attempting to control the ball. This resulted in disbelief and dismay among the spectators, alongside an operation and a six-month recovery period for the player. This injury represented a significant setback for both Scamacca and his team, occurring just 10 days before the Uefa Super Cup final against Real Madrid in Warsaw. Three days later, Atalanta announced the acquisition of Genoa and Italy striker Mateo Retegui for 25m euros. Atalanta made a substantial investment in what was considered a promising talent, whose emergence in Italian football was unexpected. By early 2023, Italy, a nation that once boasted forwards such as Filippo Inzaghi, Christian Vieri, Luca Toni, and Vincenzo Montella, had been struggling for years due to the absence of a true centre-forward for the Azzurri. The achievement of Roberto Mancini’s Italy in winning Euro 2020 with Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti leading the attack was, in retrospect, a considerable feat given this context. When Retegui’s name began to circulate that March, many fans and experts reacted with skepticism. Questions arose about Italy’s need for an unfamiliar, Argentina-born striker whose father and sister had won Olympic medals in field hockey, who had never been considered by Argentina, and whose great-grandfathers hailed from Liguria and Sicily. Mancini remained resolute, calling him up for both Euro 2024 qualifiers against England and Malta. He had barely been introduced before he had already scored in both matches. “Mateo can score, and that’s not peanuts,” former Italy head coach Mancini stated at the time. “He is a classical centre-forward – he reminds me of Gabriel Batistuta when he arrived in Italy.” Mancini added, “He needs time though – he still has plenty to learn. Playing in Serie A would do him good. He would become stronger, learn the language and communicate better with his team-mates.” Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has been instrumental in Retegui’s development. Despite speculation about a potential transfer to Inter Milan, it was Genoa who secured Retegui from Boca Juniors in July 2023 for 15m euros. His inaugural season in Italy saw him score seven goals in 29 Serie A appearances, though he was sidelined for three months due to injury and was tasked with extensive pressing duties by manager Alberto Gilardino. Nevertheless, Retegui’s inherent qualities were apparent: he demonstrated exceptional comfort within the penalty area and consistently sought opportunities to shoot. In August 2024, another discerning manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, recognized his unique potential. The Atalanta coach is renowned for his strong personality, which has led to disagreements with players like Alejandro Gomez, Timothy Castagne, and Pierluigi Gollini, yet his capability to develop players is widely acknowledged. Retegui, who has thrived in Bergamo, is the latest beneficiary of this approach. He has netted 11 goals in his initial 12 Serie A matches for Atalanta, averaging a goal every 71 minutes. Atalanta currently holds second place in the league standings and boasts the division’s most potent attack, a success largely attributable to Retegui and, of course, Gasperini. “I love the way he [Gasperini] wants us to play – we all push forward, up into the pitch, and create a lot of chances,” Retegui commented in September. He further explained, “I spoke a lot with the manager and his staff. They also showed me videos of what they expect from me. It’s an ideal situation for me – they want the best of me and they know how to get it. And I am really eager to learn.” Retegui, adept in aerial duels, has enhanced his precision inside the box and his ability to connect with teammates. He frequently withdraws from the penalty area, moving deep into midfield, playing with his back to goal, and executing a one-two pass before making a run into open space. This tactic enables other players, particularly Ademola Lookman, to begin wide and penetrate the penalty area at speed. The Nigeria winger has scored six goals this season. Italy manager Luciano Spalletti has closely monitored Retegui’s progress, remarking after their disappointing Euro 2024 campaign that a “necessary generational change” had commenced. Retegui, who brings these same attributes to his national team, is a crucial component of this transformation. Having scored against Israel and Belgium in the Nations League, he has already contributed to his country reaching the quarter-finals and securing a seeded position in the upcoming World Cup qualifying group. Spalletti’s immediate focus is on qualification – with no one in Italy daring to contemplate a third consecutive failure after France 2018 and Qatar 2022 – followed by achieving success at the 2026 World Cup. Concurrently, Gasperini aims for a Scudetto with Atalanta. This is a challenging objective, but with Retegui – the striker Italian football has long desired – consistently scoring goals, neither manager needs to conceal their aspirations.