Quagliarella: “Italy call and scoring record down to Sampdoria”

Fabio Quagliarella has credited Sampdoria with his scintillating goalscoring form and call-up to the Italy training camp in Coverciano this week.

“I have the club, the coach, the staff and all my team-mates to thank for helping me equal Batistuta’s scoring record,” began the Doria captain. “The fact that I’m here with the national team is down to the way I’ve performed in the league.”

The striker is under no illusions as to the reason behind his purple patch.

“There’s no secret to my second spell of youth,” he explained. “It’s just about working hard, being professional and taking it seriously. You have to push hard and not hold anything back, because you have to find an extra gear after weekend.”

Quagliarella is back with the Azzurri four years on from his last call-up.

“It’s amazing to be here,” he said. “I want to thank Mancini for the opportunity he’s given me – to be here with the national team at the age of 36 is a source of pride. I have dreams, but I don’t want to share them. At my age, you take it as it comes. My advice to anyone else would be to train well and rest well too.”

? #Quagliarella out here representing Samp with the national team.

Our captain has been training with #Italy?? on the first day of the Azzurri training camp! pic.twitter.com/T1Vo1mx9Mx

— Sampdoria English (@sampdoria_en) February 4, 2019