Bonaventura: “I aim to score many goals, I never give up. Spalletti and the Italian are similar”

Fifteen appearances for the national team since 2013 with Prandelli, Conte, Ventura and Mancini. Zero goals and the impression that the story would end with the 6-0 in a friendly against Moldova, September 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. Instead, three years later, Spalletti included him in the list, after his splendid start with Fiorentina, with the regret of not having called him up in the already crowded first squad. Jack Bonaventura, 34 years old and not hearing from them, was surprised: “I thought I would never come back. In recent years the national team had opened up to young people. Then now I was hoping for it, I won’t deny it, but I wasn’t expecting it. Italiano’s game is similar to Spalletti’s, I thought I was useful. And in any case, if you play well, have high performance, you have to be in the national team. Regardless of age.”

Sparletti and Italian

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In fact, there is no shortage of similarities between Italiano and the coach. “There are different details and situations, but in broad terms we are there. We need a dynamic midfield, which plays the two phases, goes into the area to score goals, close by. Here in Coverciano we are working towards this, we have the characteristics to do it”. The Fiorentina coach is growing: “Young man, he is doing well in Serie A, he plays great football, he has incredible passion and room for growth. I see it from how he works”. Instead, from the way he speaks, it almost seems like he can imagine Bonaventura as a coach one day: “I’m just thinking about playing, but I try to learn from all the coaches because I like football.”

bellingham

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Bonaventura could play against Malta as a midfielder-attacker. It goes behind Bellingham and the uncomfortable comparisons, of course. “You make the comparisons, everyone has their own story, for me at 34 it’s already a satisfaction here.” With Italian he feels good tactically: “I’m aiming to score many goals, the position is now closer to the goal to have more opportunities. He gave me stability and confidence. When I left Milan I immediately found new motivation. Fiorentina is the ideal environment.”

no secrets

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Being called up to the national team at 34 is not common. But today Bonaventura runs like a twenty-year-old. “I didn’t put anything into my head. Just to do well day by day, train, improve even at 34 years old. No secret to longevity, I train well, I go to bed early, I eat well.” The dedication goes to father Gianfranco, who passed away a year ago, but his voice cracks dangerously: “he was very proud to see me in the national team…”.

regrets

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Bonaventura denies having regrets about a past that, in blue, could have been brighter: “I was called up ten years ago, the path wasn’t smooth, I had some difficulties but I always gave my best. I have never asked myself why no coach confirmed me for a long time. I stayed out but I never gave up on returning to the national team. Every call is a joy. It depends on you, attitude, commitment. But not everything. And in any case the past is the past.” Perhaps having changed so many roles didn’t help: “So I saw football from many angles. However, if you always play the same one you specialize. Difficulties have allowed me to be who I am.” Who knows what the future of the national team is like with fewer and fewer selectable candidates for a coach: “The numbers say so. Previously there were at least 4/5 Italians in the big teams, but the clubs have tax advantages in hiring foreigners.”