JOHANNESBURG - No European team has yet matched the standards set by Brazil and Argentina at this year's World Cup, and Italian soccer federation president Giancarlo Abete says he knows why.

Europe's traditional big six of Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, France and England have mustered only four wins between them in the tournament's first 11 days - and the Dutch provided two of them without hitting anything like top gear.

Abete blamed Europe's big clubs, awash with money from lucrative broadcast contracts, for failing to develop young players good enough for international soccer.

"If you look at this World Cup you'll realize that all the big European teams are having problems," Abete said. "Between Spain, France, England, Germany and Italy we've only managed one win. Apart from the Netherlands, only Central and South American teams are smiling.

"The clubs have more power than the federations."

While the problems facing France and England have much to do with player unrest, that cannot explain all their ills.

Factor in defending champion Italy's dispiriting 1-1 draw with New Zealand and three-time winner Germany's 1-0 loss to Serbia and Abete may have a point.

Nine players in Italy's squad are 30 or over, led by 36-year-old captain Fabio Cannavaro, who lifted the World Cup trophy four years ago but was responsible in part for both of the goals Italy have allowed so far.

UEFA president Michel Platini is attempting to swing the balance back in favor of national associations and young players by enforcing minimum quotas on so-called homegrown players.

But Abete is unconvinced.

"Real Madrid have a budget eight times that of the Spanish federation," Abete said. "Nobody can stop a club from relying on a proven champion from another country, rather than a promising young Spanish player 'not even Platini'.

"All we can do is try to encourage coaches to put more faith in younger players. That's it."

The problem is particularly acute in England, who have a strong starting 11 but have been severely disrupted by injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry.

Ferdinand, the team's captain, is missing the tournament, while Barry sat out the opening 1-1 draw with the United States and looked rusty in the dismal 0-0 draw against Algeria.

More than half the players in the Premier League are from overseas and even the Football Association's head of development, Trevor Brooking, said the national team will face greater problems once the current generation of players fade. associated press

(China Daily 06/23/2010 page10)