Italy's U21 coach, Silvio Baldini, has taken football to the next level.
During training sessions, his players practice with one eye covered, looking like pirates.
While this may seem unusual, training in this way has a clear purpose.
Training with one eye covered improves coordination and reaction time at the same time, allowing the brain to adapt even when the view on the field may not be clear.
The exercises last 20 minutes and are divided into three phases. In the first phase, the eye on the side of the foot the player is playing with is covered. In the second phase, the other eye is covered, while the third phase is performed without covering the eyes.
This practice is also used in boxing.
This is not the first time Baldini has used this working method.
He has also done this at Pescara and Palermo.
In boxing, this is used to develop reflexes and vision on the playing field.
"I want to encourage the boys to look at the field not only with their eyes, but also with their minds and bodies," Baldini declared when asked about his working method at Italy U21.
Italy has the maximum points in the qualifiers for "Euro 2027", which is organized in Albania and Serbia. In Group E, Poland also has 12 points after four matches.