Mateo Retegui: The Striker Italian Football Had Been Waiting For

A Summer Shock for Atalanta Fans

What should've been a relaxed summer Sunday on 4 August 2024 turned into heartbreak for Atalanta fans. The club, fresh off a stunning Europa League victory, was playing a pre-season match against Parma at Stadio Tardini. With the scorching sun overhead, hundreds of Nerazzurri fans made the 100-mile trip from Bergamo, excited for a glimpse of their team before the season officially kicked off.

But today was not a great day. Atalanta striker Gianluca Scamacca fell to his knees to hold the ball. The diagnoses were grim: a torn ACL in his left knee. Scamacca would go through surgery and six months of rehabilitation.

It couldn't have come at a worse time for Atalanta, who were preparing for the UEFA Super Cup final against Real Madrid a few days later. They needed to circumvent this.

Mateo Retegui Joins Atalanta

Three days later, Atalanta sprung into action, signing Mateo Retegui from Genoa for 25 million. They had chosen the Italian-born Argentine striker, an Italian from Liguria and Sicily, to replace Scamacca.

When he came to Italy, the 24-year-old was by no means a celebrity. Italy had an insufferable lack of good strikers at the start of 2023 - unlike Filippo Inzaghi, Christian Vieri and Luca Toni. The national team had won Euro 2020 without a single top-class striker.

Therefore, when Roberto Mancini, then Azzurri manager, signed Retegui for two Euro 2024 qualifiers, the questions were raised. Was this Argentina-born striker whose family played field hockey the solution?

Turns out, he was. Retegui bagged goals in both the England and Malta games, shutting down the dissenters. Mancini likened him to Gabriel Batistuta, but said: "He needs time to mature."

Retegui's Journey in Serie A

After being linked to clubs like Inter Milan, Retegui ended up joining Genoa from Boca Juniors in July 2023 for Є15 million. His debut season in Serie A wasn't earth-shatteringᅳseven goals in 29 gamesᅳbut the potential was there. Injuries sidelined him for three months, and under coach Alberto Gilardino, he was tasked with a lot of defensive pressing.

Still, Retegui's instincts in the penalty box stood out, and he showed flashes of brilliance. That caught the attention of Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta's tactically astute coach known for shaping raw talent.

Retegui's Rise Under Gasperini

Jump forward to this season, and Retegui has been burning. After 11 goals in his first 12 Serie A games, he is now one of the most wanted strikers in the league, scoring an average goal every 71 minutes. Atalanta have moved into the second position of the table, and now they have the most powerful attack in Serie A under Gasperini.

Retegui himself couldn't be happier. 'I'm happy with the games Gasperini lets us play,' he said last September. "We're always on the offensive side of the ball, opening up opportunities. The staff has been awesome, teaching me exactly what to expect of myself. It's the best place to develop myself".

Gasperini's philosophy of attacking football, where he has players chase each other up and run the ball, has been perfect for Retegui. And he's not only scoring, he's been an important player. By dropping into midfield, interchanging with teammates, and providing room for others such as Ademola Lookman (six goals in a row), Retegui has improved Atalanta's overall game.

One of Club and Country's Big Three.

Italy manager Luciano Spalletti knew all about Retegui's success and is likely to bring the national team back up to speed after their Euro 2024 failure. Spalletti has described Retegui as a "pivotal figure" for the Azzurri's new century.

Retegui has already established himself in the Nations League, scoring against Israel and Belgium to take Italy to the quarter-finals. In time for the 2026 World Cup, Retegui will be at the centre of Italy's campaign to prevent another 2018 and 2022 qualification catastrophe.

Does Atalanta Have a Scudetto?

Spalletti has his sights set on the World Cup, but Gasperini has his sights set on the Serie A. With Retegui gone, Atalanta has every reason to believe that they can claim the Scudetto.

Not only is Retegui an amazing striker but, to Italian fans, a symbol of promise. It took me decades to find a true No. 9 Perhaps finally the Azzurri and Serie A have struck upon something.