Spalletti makes Cristiano Ronaldo claim as Kean and Retegui shine for Italy | OneFootball

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti is delighted by Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean’s developments and believes the two strikers can play together, although ‘it depends on the type of match.’

Retegui and Kean are the Serie A leading scorers after 23 rounds. The Atalanta striker has netted 16 goals so far, one more than the Fiorentina star.

Italy have been missing a consistent centre-forward in the last decade and Spalletti is delighted by the pair’s development this season.

“At the moment, this is how it is, and it’s always good to say ‘at the moment.’ It is primarily so because of what the top scorers’ standings say: they are two true strikers in every sense,” the Azzurri coach told Gazzetta.

“And for me and my work, this is more of a gratification than a consolation.

Spalletti makes Cristiano Ronaldo claim as Kean and Retegui shine for Italy

BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 14: Mateo Retegui of Atalanta BC celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal (1-1) during the Serie A match between Atalanta and Juventus at Gewiss Stadium on January 14, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

“They are different types of center-forwards. In terms of characteristics: Retegui is a classic target striker, while Kean is more mobile and almost a support striker in certain aspects,” continued Spalletti.

“I definitely see a parallel between the two: both are completing their development this season and growing on a personal level.”

Where has Retegui improved at Atalanta?

“Inside the box, he remains a lethal finisher, he controls the ball, turns, and shoots,” Spalletti replied.

“But he has improved his play with his back to goal: laying the ball off for teammates, acting as a pivot, and dropping back to help the team. He remains a positional striker but is now more mobile, which makes him harder to mark.”

How about Kean at Fiorentina?

“Moise is still a mix of power and technique, but before, he wasn’t as clinical in front of goal, less of a penalty-box player, more of a roaming forward,” Spalletti argued.

“He has refined that aspect, improving a lot on the small details he was missing. Although, compared to Mateo, he still takes a little longer to get the ball under control with his first touch. However, while Retegui often needs to be set up for a shot, Kean can carry the ball into dangerous areas on his own to create a scoring opportunity.”

Kean has also played as a left winger in his career, but Spalletti is happy to see that the ex-Juventus and Everton striker is becoming a reliable centre forward at the Stadio Franchi.

“He played that role at PSG and at Juventus, and I have even used him on the left. He has improved in finding space inside the box,” he said.

“Did you see his goal against Genoa? He followed the cross, turned his body, and struck with the outside of his foot. It was an Ibrahimovic or Cristiano Ronaldo-type goal. And his header against Inter? A pure centre-forward’s goal.”

“He first positioned himself in front of the defender to be seen, then ‘hid,’ and finally made a sharp move to attack the ball and score. That’s the first thing a striker must learn: how to disappear. Because a defender is most comfortable when he sees both the ball and his man. This is just a basic principle, but it often works.”

Spalletti believes Retegui and Kean can start together, but only in certain types of games.

“Yes, they can, especially given what I said earlier about their ongoing development and how they are expanding their skill sets to become top-level strikers. But it depends on the type of match,” he said.

Kean and Retegui joined Fiorentina and Atalanta last summer. Was it important for them to work under new coaches and in a new environment?

“No doubt about it. But they have put in the work and deserve credit for that,” Spalletti concluded.

“Especially in Florence, you can’t just coast along; you must earn your place. Kean, whom we’ve seen in Italy for longer, has matured a lot. Retegui, since I first met him, has always struck me as a good ‘soldier’, a hard worker.”