Italy’s nervous 2-1 victory over Austria on Saturday proved what many already knew and what even more refuses to believe: Jorginho is Gli Azzurri’s most important midfielder.
Now, before Twitter implodes with anger and laughter, let’s clean this up. Jorginho is not Italy’s best midfielder, but among the current crop of players at Roberto Mancini’s disposal, he is the most irreplaceable.
Do not believe me? Take a look at the Italian coach’s changes during the 67th minute. In response to a struggling midfield trio of Chelsea man, Serie A winner Nicolo Barella and elite Paris Saint-Germain star Marco Verratti, Mancini led Matteo Pessina and Manuel Locatelli.
The men who made their way? Verratti and Barella. There were, of course, external factors to this decision; Barella was already on the yellow card and became increasingly angry with referee Anthony Taylor. He was a ticking time bomb.
And Verratti only played his second game since returning from injury, which means he lacked some much-needed match condition for such an intense battle. Now one can easily argue that these circumstances were the main reason why the couple was hooked, and the only reason for Jorginho’s extended stay on the pitch.
How Jorginho celebrated the final whistle is everything? pic.twitter.com/zSFakUZtjj
– Italian football TV (@IFTVofficial) June 27, 2021
In fact, it only adds to the case that the Chelsea metronome is a fixed movement at the base in midfield. In the heat of battle, and with the stakes as high as they have been for Mancini as Italy’s boss, he could not rely on his best box-to-box midfielder not to end up expelled for his petulance and bubbling emotions.
And while Verratti is possibly the most technically talented midfielder on the side, he is also the most injured. Compare that to Jorginho then, who was part of every Premier League match group throughout the 2020/21 campaign.
The great game knowledge (which also came in for good use during Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League final), combined with his incredible fitness, makes him invaluable to Mancini and Italy.
And that is without considering what he takes to the side of the field.
Jorginho misplaced only one of his passes during the first half against #AUT
◎ 51 sessions tried ◉ 50 sessions completed
He also made more interceptions than any other player (2). pic.twitter.com/8fZs9Z7OaX
– Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 26, 2021
Jorginho thrives in front of Italy’s backline and lets in to collect the ball before offering it and making himself available for return. While this metronomic style has not lived up to expectations in England, Serie A viewers are all too aware of how effective he can be.
He was the key to Napoli’s dynamic build-up game during their most entertaining year under Maurizio Sarri, and the coach decided he could not replicate his Sarrismo without the 29-year-old and took him to Stamford Bridge 2018.
The good news for Jorginho is that international football is not played at the frantic and chaotic pace of the Premier League, which gives him more time on the ball, and often leaves him a few more seconds to read an opponent’s next move and cut the pass lane.
No player has completed more passes on the euro than Chelsea and Italy’s Jorginho.
Another nice screen in the midfield for Azzurri. pic.twitter.com/0TmEhpXng9
– bet365 (@ bet365) June 26, 2021
He topped the charts against Austria in the Euro 2020 round 16, completed 50 of his 51 attempts in the first half and produced the most interceptions in 45 minutes. For his nation, no one has completed more passes, wiretaps and tackles. He is a colossus in midfield.
So there is no more reliable, efficient, impressive or valuable for this Italian site.
His teammates know that too. The attacking talisman Lorenzo Insigne even tipped the maestro to be listed for the Ballon d’Or, saying he “deserves” it.
“It’s not me who decides if he deserves the Ballon d’Or, but I hope he will be on the list, he deserves it, he is a good player. I call him the professor and we are all happy to play with him, “said his former Napoli team-mate.
Napoli player Lorenzo Insigne insists that Chelsea midfielder Jorginho deserves to be listed for the Ballon d’Or. pic.twitter.com/ryp8Sk45Lj
– Frank Khalid (@FrankKhalidUK) June 25, 2021
But if you believed everything you read on the internet, you would think that Jorginho is completely useless and an obligation to those around him – and that would be his strengths.
However, this is the real news. Jorginho is loved by teammates, trusted by managers and at the heart of a Champions League winning side. Do you think about it, is it actually so crazy to say that he is the best midfielder on this Italian side, after all?
