Most goals for Italy - 35 - Who will beat that?

Do you have the whole list?

 

Balotelli has the talent to do so, perhaps even double it. His mental strength will put him to the test though. At the moment, I won't pick him to be the one to beat Riva's record but if he wasn't a temperamental player, I'd say yes.

If Borini and Insigne become regulars, it wouldn't surprise me if they did it. Insigne could even take free-kicks and penalties too.

 

no one will beat that record

azzuri is never a team that relies on one person to deliver, never been like that never will. I actually expected more of balo in euros, he really had a good sub performance (one goal really off a set piece) and then the germany game....the rest of the games he was wasteful

 

r.baggio would have pissed on that if we didnt have stupid managers, i cant pick a player who will beat that for now, especially as we dont even know how balotelli will behave

 

The attack is not nearly as clinical in finishing as past editions of the more defensive era however.

In response to your original post, sure Balotelli has the ability to top 35, but I don't think we'll ever see a striker reach a .83 or .88 per game goal average again. That's unheard of for the national team these days.

 

finishing is not that great but the build up is amazing. I love watching this team when they are in their rhythm...its nothing short of beautiful football. But its those few min. during the game where they lose focus is what kills the team. IF prandelli can make them focus all game, like against germany in semis then this team is unbeatable.

 

I agree, now couple that with the deadly finishing in the era's before, where you could almost count the minutes on one hand where Italy would recover if they ever went down, and I'll give two thumbs up instead of just the one now.

 

We still have a stupid manager.. One that relied on an heart patient that had not played in a year to provide assists to Balotelli. If Saint Miccoli would have played instead, Balotelli would have easily scored twice as many seeing as the Bomber of Salento is three times the player Cassano ever was.

 

na i still dont think Balo will beat that....he's still not as consistent for NT as he should be.

 

he scores in like every other game, he will put in 2 against Malta

 

I don't know who will beat that. Only Silvio Piola could have if he played more games.

I'm all for balotelli beating that record it will mean he will have fulfilled his talent at best. I like the guy with all his imperfections and that would automatically be a major contribution for the NT.

Baggio, Totti, Del Piero were/are great players. They just weren't pure strikers, with that instinct for goal (coupled with the necessary skills*) that gives you a 0,83 goals per match. Probably if Baggio had played the same amount of games Del Piero played...

* inzaghi, for example, had that instinct but he was never at the same level of talent/skills compared to gigi riva.

p.s. imho silvio piola/gigi riva are the best strikers ever. In italy, of course. Noone comes near. This is not to say we didn't have other world level strikers, just not on the level of those two. It is to highlight the magnitude of their talent.
The other super-greats were defenders or trequartisti who happened to score a lot but they weren't pure strikers.

 

Balotelli's on 9 goals for Italy--and he's only 22. Let him stay calm and keep performing for Milan, he can certainly make a run at Riva's record.

 

I think Balo is definitely on track to break 35 goals, but not in 42 games, that's already passed. Riva keeps that record for sure!

 

I will score 50 goals easily.

 

Gigi Riva won a scudetto with Cagliari and helped Italy win its first and so far only Euro title! Balotelli was on a team on millionaires at Inter another team of millionaires at Man City and now another team of millionaires at AC Milan plus his experience at the Euros ended in a historic defeat that we will tell our grandchildren about to frighten them. No doubt he is a talented player, but he is not going to make a team like Cagliari win a scudetto. Worse yet, ever since he moved to Milan, el shaarawy has stopped scoring.

In this age of crappy friendlies and Confederation Cup, Balotelli will break the record.. What he will not do is become a more influential player than Riva.

 

ORLY

 

lmaoooo

 

No one said he's a better or will be a better player, just has the potential to beat the goal # specially considering how young he is.

Baggio will forever be the #1 Italian in my book and the score sheet sure doesn't speak about what this man was for Italia.

 

I'd rather he concentrate on scoring important goals that matter like at the Confederations and the next WC then about records. To me, that will really cement his place as an all-time great more than beating a 30 year old record.

 

He's obviously not afraid of scoring in big matches already.