Former Dutch player Marco van Basten, a three-time Ballon d'Or winner and AC Milan icon, provided a very clear—and quite critical—read on the status of contemporary Italian football. The occasion was the launch of his book "50 partitas, emozioni infinite, il AC Milan," which he discussed in an interview with journalist Carlo Pellegatti, a long-time Rossoneri reporter. However, the discussion swiftly moved beyond an autobiographical perspective to examine the current situation in Serie A, particularly the identity dilemma confronting Italy's top clubs. According to Van Basten, the most important issue is club ownership. A recurring topic in European soccer, but one that, he claims, has had a particularly devastating impact on Italy. "Currently, there are many foreign owners in Italy who have nothing to do with the clubs' histories and are uninterested in them. This is a shame. It would be critical to try to get Italian soccer back in the hands of Italians so that they can return to the top of Europe". Van Basten then returned to his personal experience with AC Milan, the club with which he won everything in the 1980s and 1990s, expressing his frustration at seeing the Rossoneri struggle today as local competition grows: "One example is AC Milan, which is no longer what it once was. I watch them and hope they recover soon, because Inter presently rules Italy, which I do not like". His assessment of the Azzurri, widely regarded as one of the most historically successful national teams, was as harsh: "I've seen the Italian national team; now the stars are missing. Italy has always produced exceptional goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and strikers. It's strange how hard it is to see them these days. Italian soccer once ruled the world, but that is no longer the case".