Toldo praises Meret: "An underrated keeper, he won the league with Napoli" | OneFootball

Toldo praises Meret: “An underrated goalkeeper, he won the Scudetto with Napoli”. The former Fiorentina and Inter number one analyzes Italian goalkeepers and highlights the value of the Azzurri’s (co-)starter

Toldo praises Meret: “An underrated goalkeeper, he won the Scudetto with Napoli”

Francesco Toldo, legendary goalkeeper for Fiorentina, Inter, and the National Team, gave an interview to La Stampa in which he analyzed the current landscape of Italian goalkeepers. Among the names mentioned, Alex Meret, Napoli’s last line of defense, could not be left out. According to Toldo, Meret deserves more media attention and recognition.

“Meret won the Scudetto with Napoli”

Straightforward words from the former goalkeeper: “I really like Meret. He’s a guy who doesn’t get talked about much, but he won the Scudetto with Napoli. You can count on one hand the goalkeepers who have managed to win without playing for Milan, Juve, or Inter. Like Antonioli, for example. What I appreciate about Meret is his attitude, the way he approaches matches. And he still has room to grow technically,” said Toldo.

Perin and Di Gregorio under the microscope

The former goalkeeper then spoke about the competition between Mattia Perin and Michele Di Gregorio, both standouts in Serie A: “I say what I think, but I don’t want to be misinterpreted. Perin—like Donnarumma, Meret, and then Cragno—I also coached him in the Under 21s with Di Biagio. He reminded me of Zenga in his day: exuberant character, quality. If only he were a bit taller… That way, he concedes more goals at the corners. But he has worked to improve, and I recognize that: today he is one of the great Italian goalkeepers. Di Gregorio, on the other hand, comes from Inter’s school, a different kind of approach: he’s less carried away by emotions, he’s a bit of a ‘Peruzzi-style’ goalkeeper,” Toldo explained.

Meret among the most reliable Italian goalkeepers

Toldo’s words confirm that Alex Meret, often criticized and rarely celebrated, remains one of the most reliable Italian goalkeepers. His growth, culminating in winning the 2023 Scudetto with Napoli, represents a strength for the Azzurri and for Antonio Conte, who continues to rely on him in the rotation with Milinkovic-Savic.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.