The future of Italian football inevitably runs through the feet, minds, and value of its young players. This strategic pillar took center stage at Coverciano, the “home” of Italian football, where Lega Serie B—in collaboration with the Social Football Summit—organized a high-level conference titled: ‘The Importance of Human Capital in Football: The Role of Youth Academies as a Lever for Development and Sustainability’.

The day was entirely dedicated to Academy systems and youth sector professionals, structured into three panel discussions featuring top industry experts. It served as the perfect prelude to the afternoon’s Primavera 2 Supercup final between Como and Empoli.

Mario Beretta, Head of the Federal Technical Sector, opened the proceedings by welcoming attendees on behalf of the FIGC. He issued a clear call to action: put young players back at the center of football projects and focus on continuous training for youth academy coaches. Further welcomes were extended by Maurizio Francini, Head of the Coverciano Technical Center, who reminded the audience how the facility “has always been at the cutting edge and frequently emulated abroad”, and by Lega B General Secretary Gabriele Nicolella, who thanked the clubs for their massive and productive participation.

Lega B clubs and the (Winning) Bet on the territory

The first panel, ‘The Role of Serie B in Developing Young Talents’, showcased the best practices of second-division clubs. The data presented by Fabio Guadagnini, Head of Marketing and Communications for Lega B, paints a clear picture of a well-defined identity: 72% of the players in the league are Italian, 139 Under-21 players have been fielded (78% of whom are Italian), and Under-23 players account for 24% of total playing time. “This demonstrates a shared vision and a concrete contribution from our league to the entire football system,” Guadagnini explained.

The discussion then turned to field experiences. Federico Bargagna, Head of Youth Development at Empoli, highlighted the importance of club ownership: “We are fortunate to have an owner who is close to us, constantly follows our work, and believes in our technical project. This gives us ideal working conditions.” Davide Succi, Technical Director of Cesena’s youth sector, spoke on the value of territory and a sense of belonging: “Ours is a unique reality. Ten players from the Primavera 1 team, which enjoyed an excellent season, actually came through our grassroots academy.” Finally, Alessandro Frara, Head of Frosinone’s youth sector, shared a tangible example from their first team: “This year, two academy products who grew up in our youth system since the Giovanissimi level became permanent fixtures in the first team. A child from Frosinone dreams of wearing our jersey, and that creates a huge identity advantage. Sporting Director Castagnini is firmly continuing down this path.”

The National team pipeline and the “Right to make mistakes”

The second panel, titled ‘The Future of Italian Talent: Vision, Regulations, and Development’, shifted focus onto the Italian youth national teams, which have achieved major international success in recent years. Andrea Barzagli, technical assistant for the Under-21 national team, gave high praise to the level of the second division: “Following the Under-21 project, I’ve observed many players in Serie B. I can state that their quality is incredibly high. They grow exponentially in just a few months. We must follow them step-by-step: let them make mistakes, but let them grow.”

Massimiliano Favo, Head Coach of the Under-18 national team, shared the same sentiment: “We need more courage. The talented players are out there, and they have the right to make mistakes. Our job is to give them responsibility and make them aware of their own quality. Our work must be about enrichment.” Luigi Milani, supervisor of the Under-14 Project, focused instead on scouting and education: “When it comes to grassroots football and talent, we need equally talented scouts to find them and educators to transmit the joy of playing football. We must always avoid definitive judgments and instead unlock the unique qualities of every single boy.” To underscore the link between Serie B and the national teams, Guadagnini noted another significant statistic: 43 Serie B players have been called up to various national selections from the U18 to the U21 levels.

European benchmarks and the culture of time

The third block of discussions, ‘Comparing Models: European Best Practices’, broadened the horizon to the international stage. Here too, the numbers validate Serie BKT’s approach: the league accounts for 13% of total Under-21 playing time, compared to 8.3% in Europe’s major top flights and 11.35% in their respective second divisions. “Nearly double the European average. The foundation is there,” Guadagnini commented.

Pasquale Sensibile, former Head of Scouting at PSG and current Sporting Director of Kas Eupen, offered a lucid, critical analysis: “This data challenges the usual narrative. The talent in Italy exists and always will, but we struggle with the final transition to the top levels. What is missing is courage. We need to bring order to the football ecosystem, where everyone within a club fulfills their specific role.” For Antonio Tramontano, Italian Market Scout for West Ham, the secret lies in balance: “We are exceptionally strong in technical-tactical aspects and attention to detail. However, we must learn from abroad how to enhance talent through squad stability. A stable environment provides the fertile ground a young player needs to realize their potential.” Sensibile concluded with a direct message to the media: “We must grant them the time to learn, and I say this also to those who report on the game.”

Closing remarks from President Bedin: “Youth is our Research & Development”

Lega B President Paolo Bedin closed the workshop by outlining the league’s strategic vision: “A league’s duties also include training and educating clubs on crucial matters like youth development—a highly topical issue in recent weeks. Italian talent is not an opinion; it is backed by objective data. While it is unfortunately true that the senior national team will miss its third consecutive World Cup, we must remember the results achieved by Italy’s youth teams over the last four years: U17 and U19 European champions, U20 World Cup finalists, and a third-place finish at the U18 World Cup. Speaking of talent in Italy is a fact crystallized by results; the objective problem lies in accompanying this talent to the highest levels.”

Bedin then highlighted the concrete reforms enacted by Lega B: increasing the minimum playing-time threshold required to access league resources, tripling the financial bonus for homegrown academy players, and progressively lowering the cap on “over” players in squad lists.

“We must view this in terms of a supply chain: every category must fulfill its specific role within our shared federal home. Investing in youth is fundamental because it represents the ‘Research & Development’ department of our football industry. A young talent has a positive impact on the income statement, increases the club’s asset value, boosts technical performance—as Frosinone beautifully proved this year—and helps the national team by widening the player pool. There is simply no alternative path for our clubs.”