One of the most important youth professional showcases in the world, the Viareggio Cup has produced world-class talents since 1949, in what is truly a breeding ground for stars. The club's Under 18's will be on display in hopes of becoming scouted and becoming professional players overseas, whether it be in Italy or other countries in Europe. Acting as a professional showcase, the Viareggio Cup has been the launching pad for many soccer legends. Pirlo, Inzaghi, Totti, Buffon, Gattuso, Nesta, Cannavaro, De Rossi, Balotelli, Del Piero, Costacurta, Maldini, Insigne, Darmian, Zaza, Marchisio, Zambrotta, Cassano, Giovinco, El Shaarawy, Bonaventura, and Bernadeschi are just some of the Italian alumni that have risen from this tournament. Non-Italian alumni include Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Papu Gomez, Pandev, Basta, Cavani, Éder, Nainggolan, Biabiany, Lukaku, Falque, Obi, Jorginho, and Icardi to name a few.