AS Roma striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo has defended his Italy caps.

Osvaldo is Argentine-born.

"I play for Italy because I have an Italian great-grandfather from Filottrano, in the Marche region, but my interrupted childhood was in Argentina. That is my home, it's where my friends are.

"Having said that, I'm happy to wear the Azzurri jersey. To those who say only those born in Italy should play for the country, I ask what's the point? It's pure racism. Mario Balotelli was born in Palermo and speaks with a Brescia accent. Mauro Camoranesi helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup. It's wrong to offend someone just because they weren't born where you wanted them to be."