NOT Another San Marino Story

2022 World Cup 2nd Round: Serbia VS San Marino

After a convincing performance in group stage San Marino will face Serbia in 2nd round of this World Cup. This isn't a bad draw to be honest, Serbia stand at 17th place in FIFA rankings and they don't seem to have much star power in their squad, playing a simple flat 4-4-2 with traditional wingers and quick strikers. First time we reach knockout rounds in a major international tournament, should be a good challenge for the lads though we'll have to do without defensive anchor Luca Tagliani who's suspended for this match.


Serbia VS San Marino

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Wait you weren't thinking we'd just go and win World Cup now, were you!? A bit disappointed with the result, but certainly not with the overall performance despite this 0-2 loss. In the immortal words of Rasheed Wallace "both teams played hard", and actually both created many chances during the match. The difference was their striker was on fire and scored a brace (including a screamer from distance just seconds after kick-off), while Manel Di Marco missed pretty much everything he could in front of goal. Yep, that's football.


Serbia had a strong tournament and went on to finish 3rd, while Holland eventually won their first World Cup ever here in Qatar.

San Marino did very well in the tournament, qualifying from a tough group and fighting bravely against eventual 3rd placed Serbia. It was also a great improvement form last EURO, when we struggled mightly to even create scoring chances. This time we were able to do that with some consistency (playmakers Fabio Scarano and Giuseppe Vitiello had a good tournament), but we struggled to finish those chances. Of course when I say we I mean Di Marco... Really I love Manel he's done so much for our country and he boasts an absurd record of 70+ goals in 70 apps with the NT at only 23 (!), BUT to be really competitive in major international tournaments we obviously need something else up-front. And I'm waiting for that something to turn 24 in January 2023 and finally accept the call-up for NT, and his fate as SM saviour...​
 
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You got the chances this time and scored a few plus you had a better left winger and left back. Your key defenders were fit and you scored some chances.
 
National Team: EURO 2024 Qualifying Group

After a more than respectable World Cup campaign the NT is back in business with first games of their qualifying group for EURO 2024. I have to say San Marino had quite a slow start here:

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We started decently with a good win in Georgia in September, then disaster struck as SIX first choice players (including key attackers Di Marco, Scarano and Vitiello) all suffered minor injuries that made them unavailable for the October games. A disappointing draw at home against Albania was followed by a heavy 0-4 loss vs Serbia, honestly there wasn't much we could do without our best performers. We have new decent players like Cristiano Serafino and Massimo Ghilardi that can provide some depth, but we simply lack the quality to face an injury crisis like we had in October, especially against strong teams like Serbia.

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I think we have a tricky group this time, if we play at our best I think it's fair to say we can beat everyone quite comfortably (except Serbia) but there aren't extremely weak teams this time. The likes of Georgia and Albania might not be the strongest NT's but they're no Andorra or Azerbaijan either. Still confident we can recover, this is going to be a very close group and we should get a couple of excellent defectors in time for next competitive match, including our future superstar striker...

I can actually anticipate that Alessandro Paolone accepted the call-up for San Marino the day he turned 24 in January 2023. That same day I recalled him from loan (he was at Benfica) and decided to make him instant first choice for the club, despite already having some "decent" strikers...

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Yep, current Golden Ball and World Player Of The Year Alex will serve as a back-up for the great Sammarinese hope Alessandro Paolone. World class striker Diego Toranzo, also 3rd placed in both awards (fellow San Marino star Fabio completed an all-San Marino podium), will be our 3rd choice striker then... Madness? Well, wait until you see the kind of start Paolone had with the club...



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You do realise that now that you have waited so long for Paolone too accept his fate of not playing for Italy, in your next couple of youth intakes you will get a striker who is just as good if not better then Paolone and will be fully Sammarinese. Its sods law/fate that it will happen
 
wonderkid360 said:
You must be so glad Paolone's finally accepted a call-up
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I am! kind of a bittersweet feeling though, seeing how well he's playing and how many years we had to waste...

@Stokiescott: haha I hope so! we're always short on strikers, have a couple of good ones currently playing for Italy U21 (sigh), not even close to Paolone though. Latest youth intake (2023) brought me two very good defenders fully SM, I think they'll be ready for our World Cup triumph in 2026 ;)
 
I hope you do. I only had one striker though all my time at San Marino. Or at least a pure striker. I did have like 10 that were an AMR/AML with a ST as well. It always seem though that whatever I was short on the next year or two I would get like 3 or so players to fill that role.
 
awesome cnt wait to see how well he doing for you can only guess amazing lol
 
The Prodigal Son: Alessandro Paolone

Or if you prefer The Return Of The King

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King Alessandro! Legendary Sammarinese striker Alessandro Paolone (see post #33 and #66 for more details) finally accepted the call-up for NT in January 2023 the day he turned 24, though I had to wait until March to give him his international debut. It was a friendly match against unimpressive Cape Verde (about 50th in FIFA rankings), and Paolone introduced himself at international level in typical fashion, scoring a beautiful hat-trick.

Alessandro also had the chance to impress with our club, the second he embraced our NT I recalled him from loan (he was doing decently at Sevilla) and made him undisputed first choice ahead of world class strikers Alex and Diego Toranzo. His "new" start with San Marino has been quite impressive really:

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Ok in my tactics and idea of footbal the lone striker always tends to get a few goals, but 21 goals in 10 league apps is something truly amazing at this level. Alessandro is an ideal poacher blessed with lightning pace and excellent technique, and his PPM's (which he learnt via tutoring in first years) make him even more lethal. Of course everything's easier playing behind world class playmakers like Fabio and Kingsley Agbo, but Paolone has been absolutely on fire in these months, being even more effective than Golden Ball winner Alex. Great to see him finally doing well with the club, after such a globetrotter career...


The Return of The King also means the end of the Manel Di Marco era for San Marino national team, especially considering we play with just a lone striker:

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Manel has been a hero for San Marino in last years, he led our team to qualify for EURO and World Cup with great performances, scoring 76 goals in 73 matches with the NT at only 24 years of age - truly impressive numbers. Di Marco is still part of my plans for the NT, he will be a decent back-up for Paolone and will always wear his No.9 shirt but this is the start of a new era for San Marino: this is the reign of King Alessandro...





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Glad you finally got him for San Marino! Can't wait till the next international tournament!
 
San Marino are unstoppable now but I feel sorry for Manel Di Marco as he is the player who put San Marino on the map.
 
gogogo golem said:
San Marino are unstoppable now but I feel sorry for Manel Di Marco as he is the player who put San Marino on the map.
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haha maybe not unstoppable but we do have an international class striker now! And if we can qualify for next EURO our brand new attacking trio will be up there with the best ;)
 
Club Update: Season 2022/23

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Another highly successful season for San Marino, as the Titani brought home more silverware winning Italian Super Cup, European Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Italian Cup together with their 7th consecutive Serie A title. Surprise surprise, for the first time in last seven years we didn't win Champions League, as we lost to eventual winners Barcelona in the quarter finals. We were actually quite unlucky and probably deserved to go through, but hey I guess it had to happen sooner or later...


Sammarinese playmaker Fabio Scarano was surprisingly chosen as Fans Player Of The Year after a decent season, but more than everything this was the year of prodigal son Alessandro Paolone:

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Despite coming back from loan only in January Alessandro was able to win Serie A Top Scorer with an absurd 35 goals in 19 matches, which is something absolutely amazing at this level. His 41 league goals between San Marino and Sevilla were also enough to claim European Golden Boot. Hail to the King!

I was very pleased to see several Sammarinese players doing well with the club this season, especially the all-SM attacking trio Alessandro Paolone-Fabio Scarano-Emanuele Bartoloni. Young playmaker Bartoloni was particularly impressive in his super-sub role, higlights include a hat-trick coming off the bench and a four-assists performance in his first start for the club. He really looks like a special player, and seemed to link extremly well with Paolone on the pitch. Unfortunately he's a dual nationality defector and is currently part of Italy U21, might have to wait until 2027 before I can use him for the NT... Here's a screen of Bart:

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San Marino No.10 of the future for sure, too bad I'll have to give him the "Paolone treatment" until he turns 24 and accepts SM...sigh


Next update with NT year 2023 and EURO qualifiers (hint: Paolone on fire!)


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National Team Year 2023: EURO Qualifying Group

After a somewhat disappointing start in 2022 San Marino were determined to bounce back and earn a spot for next European Championship, as we faced key matches in our EURO qualifying group. Let's just say we did alright in 2023...

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Fabulous year for the NT as we really destroyed any opposition to claim 1st place in our group despite a slow start. I was extremely pleased with our performances in every single game we played this year, especially those stunning wins against a more than decent Scotland team (including a 7-0 thrashing at Hampden Park).


San Marino could count on three "new" players this year, as three of our infamous defectors - all former U21 internationals for Italy - finally turned 24 and accepted the call-up for SM:

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Francesco Toniolo is a solid defender, certainly a huge upgrade at right back for the NT. Winger Matteo Leonardi made Italy preliminary squad back in 2020 though luckily he never got a cap for the evil Azzurri; he's learning the AMR position and should become first choice ahead of fellow lefty Fabio Scarano, had a very good start both with club and NT. And then there's the King, Alessandro Paolone: what more can I say about him, well I'll just let the numbers speak for themselves - 9 caps/21 goals.


San Marino: Where Amazing Happens

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After those spectacular results in EURO qualifiyng group San Marino find themselves at 7th place in FIFA World Ranking, which is obviously an all-time best for the NT; however the best part is we're now well ahead of Italy (12th), what a great moment for our country!

San Marino have made huge improvements since last World Cup, and "new" players really boosted our squad this year (another very good attacker should become available soon), so we look at EURO 2024 with hopes of doing well, I think we have a good chance of qualifying for knockout stages and then we'll see what happens. After all we're the 5th best NT in Europe according to latest rankings...




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Maybe you'll be able to get all your defectors to embrace SM early due to this improvement and accelerate away from Italy.
 
gogogo golem said:
Maybe you'll be able to get all your defectors to embrace SM early due to this improvement and accelerate away from Italy.
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unfortunately they're still rejecting, stupid kids can't understand San Marino is now an international powerhouse and Italy are ****...

young playmaker Bartoloni (still playing for Italy U21) is now described as "wonderkid", first SM wonderkid ever produced at the club. Too bad I can't use him for next four years :mad:
 
kandersson said:
unfortunately they're still rejecting, stupid kids can't understand San Marino is now an international powerhouse and Italy are ****...

young playmaker Bartoloni (still playing for Italy U21) is now described as "wonderkid", first SM wonderkid ever produced at the club. Too bad I can't use him for next four years :mad:
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Maybe you could arrange a load of friendlies against them as we know you will win and it will down their ranking.
 
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