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Few players in the Premier League divide opinion more than Jorginho but Italy coach Roberto Mancini has no doubts about the man they call ‘the Professor’.
In three seasons at Chelsea, Jorginho has won the Europa League and the Champions League yet still not everybody is convinced.
While nobody would question the 29-year-old’s intelligence or passing ability, doubters point to his lack of pace and what they deem his safety-first approach.
He was signed under Maurizio Sarri and never entirely convinced Frank Lampard before growing in importance again for Thomas Tuchel. But for Italy, who approach their first major semi-final for nine years, Jorginho is indispensable.
No player has made more appearances in Mancini’s three-year reign and he is key to Italy’s possession-based 4-3-3 system.
It may raise eyebrows in England, but Jorginho is regarded so highly in Italy that team-mates and media believe he is a contender for the Ballon d’Or.
‘It is not up to me to say who should win it, but Jorginho would deserve it,’ said Italy forward Lorenzo Insigne, who played with Jorginho at Napoli from 2014-18.
‘It’s correct that people are talking
