For many soccer players, competing in top leagues across Europe is a pipe dream. Standing shoulder to shoulder with stars such as Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry or Didier Drogba seems like an idea that only comes deep into the night.
But for 18-year-old Gabriel Enzo Ferrari, this dream, over the past few weeks, has become closer to reality. Ferrari, a former member of the Red Bulls Academy, signed a contract with Serie A club Sampdoria last Friday. Though he has a ways to go, Ferrari could be the first American to play in Serie A since Alexi Lalas (Padova - 1994/1996).
"I think that Gabe is a talented player," said Red Bull New York director of youth soccer and player development Giovanni Savarese. "Right now, being surrounded by Serie A players, I think he will grow more as a player. He will become a better player and I think it's great for him that he already is in that type of environment at such a young age."
Ferrari, who was born in New York City and went to nearby St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J., played forward for several of the Red Bulls' youth teams. Joining the Academy three years ago, Ferrari was an integral part of the U-16 squad which won the USL Super-Y Finals in 2005. He was named the MVP of the tournament.
Because of his talent, New York wanted to keep Ferrari in its system and was willing to provide him the opportunity to play with the team.
"We wanted to invite him to come to a week-long tryout we had with the first team," Savarese said.
However, due to the fact that there was a chance that Ferrari could have lost his college eligibility if he tried out for the first team, he did not participate.
Last year, Ferrari decided to examine his options and tried to find out what situations would work for him in accomplishing his goal of becoming a professional soccer player. Ferrari traveled to Europe to pursue opportunities with a number of different clubs.
Ferrari's search to find a club and to fulfill his goal of becoming a professional soccer player ended recently when Sampdoria approached him. Savarese indicated that in his conversations with Sampdoria that the Serie A club is extremely interested in putting Ferrari in first team matches soon.
"He's got the necessary skills; eventually he'll get the opportunity," Sampdoria spokesman Matteo Gamba told the Associated Press. "He's already training with the senior squad."
Today, Major League Soccer has its Youth Development Initiative, which was unveiled at MLS Cup 2006. Among the regulations put forth in this include a "Homegrown Player Rule," where teams would have exclusive rights to their own, homegrown talent, all the way up to the first team. Last year, the only other way Ferrari would have been able to play for the New York first team would be by entering the draft (where any team could choose him).
With the regulations set in place by the league to make it easier for homegrown talent to join their respective senior teams, Savarese said that players like Ferrari now have options to stay with their current programs and eventually train with the senior squad.
"In the past, we didn't have anything which would have provided him with the opportunity to come into the first team at that particular moment," Savarese said. "Now, we have a real regulation that enables players to go through the system and into the first team."
