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A new chapter in familiar Azzurri colours. On 10 September, Ciro Immobile embarked on a new chapter in his football career, taking on a different role as head of delegation for Italy's Under-16 national team. A special feature dedicated to the former striker is now available on the Italian Football Federation's streaming platform, Vivo Azzurro TV, as he looks back on his career and shares his emotions, memories and ambitions for the future. "I'm proud to be back as part of this family. I'm highly motivated, but I also know the responsibility that comes with the role," said the former Lazio and Torino striker.
The call came on a day Immobile will never forget: 14 August, the day he announced his retirement from professional football. Just hours later, he received an unexpected phone call from Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malagò, opening the door to a new challenge. After discussing the opportunity with his wife, who encouraged him from the outset, Immobile decided to embrace the role and put his experience to good use in helping the next generation of Azzurri.
The statistics speak for themselves. Immobile finished as Serie B's top scorer in 2011/12 with Pescara, netting 28 goals, before going on to win the Serie A Golden Boot four times: with Torino in 2013/14 (22 goals) and Lazio in 2017/18, 2019/20 and 2021/22, scoring 29, 36 and 27 goals respectively. His remarkable 36-goal campaign also earned him the European Golden Shoe, making him only the third Italian to win the award after World Cup winners Luca Toni in 2005/06 and Francesco Totti in 2006/07. Immobile's tally was the highest of the three, surpassing Toni's 31 goals for Fiorentina and Totti's 26 for Roma. In 2017/18, he also finished as the Europa League's joint-top scorer alongside Aritz Aduriz, with eight goals apiece. His greatest moment in an Italy shirt came at Wembley, where he lifted the UEFA EURO 2020 trophy: "The European Championship final was the pinnacle of it all."
Now, however, a different challenge awaits: helping the next generation of Italian talent fulfil their potential. Working alongside head coach Giovanni Costantino, Immobile is keen to instil the values of discipline, respect for the rules and pride in wearing the Azzurri shirt. The aim is to ensure that all the youth national teams work together to develop players capable of progressing to the senior national team. "There's still plenty of room for Italy and its young players to grow and improve," he emphasised.
After a career built on scoring goals, Immobile is now focused on guiding young players through their development, sharing the experience and passion he has gained over the years. And as he prepares to take his first steps towards becoming a coach, he has already found a new mission: helping to shape the future of Italian football.