Giuseppe Rossi left Clifton N.J., just before his 13th birthday to join the Parma youth system in Italy and pursue his dream of playing for the Italian national team. The United States invited him to training camp before the 2006 World Cup, but Rossi demurred, ignoring criticism that he was dismissive of American soccer and suspicion that he might be pursuing a father's dream instead of his own.

Fernando, Giuseppe's father, defends his son's autonomy. "He just made a decision," Fernando said. "A lot of people try to blame me, say I pushed the kid. I didn't. He didn't even ask for my input. He was big enough to make his own decision. We have to respect their choices. They are the ones who have to play the game. Giuseppe took a big chance that he would make the Italian team. It was his goal. He was born here, but he grew up soccer-wise in that environment."

After becoming the leading goalscorer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Rossi, 22, made his debut with Italy's senior team in October. Then, last Saturday night during a friendly against Northern Ireland in Pisa, Rossi blasted a left-footed shot from 20 yards and scored the maiden goal he had often imagined back when he was playing in his backyard in New Jersey. "It was something I've been waiting for a long time," said Rossi, who scored 12 goals last season for Villarreal in the Spanish League. "Something that I always dreamed about, playing with the national team and scoring with them. A great feeling." Rossi will most likely start for Italy in the Confederations Cup, which begins Monday when Italy faces off against the USA.

 

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