Italy shall be getting ready for the World Cup play-off semi-final in opposition to Northern Eire with two main dilemmas, even when Gennaro Gattuso that his precedence shall be to work on the staff’s mindset.
The World Cup play-off draw, organising a semi-final between Italy and Northern Eire, has sparked a Azzurri supporters haven’t been accustomed to constructive considering after failing to qualify in 2018 and 2022.
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Based mostly on FIFA’s rankings, Italy shouldn’t be involved about taking over the staff sitting at 69th, to not point out the appreciable technical hole between the 2 sides.
As talked about above, nonetheless, we Italians have grown painfully accustomed to World Cup letdowns, as 4 years in the past, we have been expressing the identical confidence in opposition to North Macedonia.
PALERMO, ITALY – MARCH 24: Alessandro Bastoni and Joao Pedro Galvao of Italy look dejected throughout the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier knockout spherical play-off match between Italy and North Macedonia at Renzo Barbera Stadium in Palermo, Italy. (Picture by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Pictures)
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Italy didn’t should lose that match; we keep in mind that. Lower than a yr after profitable the Euros, Roberto Mancini’s Italy dominated in Palermo, created a number of goal-scoring alternatives, but Aleksandar Trajkovski’s late purpose despatched North Macedonia into the play-off Ultimate, the place they’d finally lose to Portugal.
Since then, the Azzurri have employed two new coaches, Luciano Spalletti and Gattuso. The staff have been eradicated within the Spherical of 16 of the 2024 Euros and conceded seven occasions in two video games in opposition to Norway within the World Cup qualifiers group section, scoring simply as soon as.
Gattuso started his spell in September with little time to make an affect and absolutely the must earn as many factors as doable in Group I. He took cost of a staff that confirmed tactical confusion underneath Spalletti and was mentally drained, however regardless of 5 wins and one loss in his opening six video games as a coach, Ringhio nonetheless hasn’t mounted Italy’s issues. In all honesty, no different coach might have executed it.
Italy will play the one-legged semi-final in opposition to Northern Eire at house, and, but once more, Gattuso could have little time to organize for the match.
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Moise Kean of Italy in motion throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Picture by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Pictures)
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The Italian Federation is a number of weeks earlier than the worldwide break in March, however it guarantees to be a tough activity because of the packed fixture record domestically and throughout Europe.
Naturally, the longer Gattuso can spend along with his gamers, the higher, however it’s unlikely that the additional time the coach may be given shall be sufficient to show issues round in a single day.
So, what is going to the CT must work on to get Italy to the World Cup?
As he has beforehand mentioned, the precedence shall be to place issues collectively from a psychological standpoint. Italy appeared manner too susceptible of their final recreation in opposition to Norway, regardless of a really constructive first half and melted as quickly as their opponents scored the equaliser within the second half.
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Greater than something, Italy should take care of strain of their subsequent two video games and should be capable of combat their demons to safe two wins and a ticket for the USA, Canada and Mexico.
All of the strain shall be on them within the semi-final, the place all people, even the nationwide champion of negativity, would count on a win. The strain within the potential closing shall be completely different as Italy already know it is going to be an away recreation, both in Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Italy, points directions throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Picture by Marco Luzzani/Getty Pictures)
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There’s little doubt the Azzurri are technically higher than any of their subsequent opponents, together with the potential finalists, however taking part in the ultimate away, particularly in Cardiff, stays a matter of concern, particularly contemplating the staff’s fragility.
It’s no coincidence that, in line with , Gattuso urged his gamers to grasp “how sturdy they’re” even after Norway’s 4-1 trashing at San Siro the opposite night time. It’s true. Italy don’t have a world-class champion like up to now. We’ve talked sufficient about not having Baggios, Del Pieros or Tottis, but this staff nonetheless has expertise, and the gamers should be the primary ones to grasp it.
Lots of Italy’s stars play within the Premier League – Gigio Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori and Sandro Tonali – the core of Inter gamers have made it to 2 Champions League Finals in three years. Up entrance, the likes of Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean are scoring extra persistently than their predecessors at a global stage. In different phrases, there are causes to be optimistic, however optimism is just not sufficient if you’re Italian and haven’t seen your nation play within the World Cup for over ten years. Inevitably, strain shall be Italy’s undesirable companion within the subsequent 4 months, and the gamers should present the psychological power to take care of it, one thing that clearly didn’t occur up to now.
However there’s one other challenge that, for my part, shouldn’t be neglected, and it’s tactical.
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Gattuso is correct when he says that each system has execs and cons, however on the similar time, discovering a transparent staff identification ought to have been one other precedence for his first six video games in cost.
Don’t neglect that tactical arguments performed a component in undermining the chemistry between the Azzurri and Gattuso’s predecessor, Spalletti.
Gattuso mentioned at a press convention in September that he most popular a four-man defence as a three-man backline would But once more, the coach tried a number of methods in his first six video games in cost, together with a three-man defence within the latest loss in opposition to Norway.
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Italy throughout the Nationwide anthems previous to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Picture by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Pictures)
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The Azzurri appear to be missing creativity on the wings when taking part in with a 3-5-2 system, however on the similar time, one of the best wingers at the moment obtainable, Riccardo Orsolini and Mattia Zaccagni, are usually not a assure of success on the highest ranges in worldwide soccer.
The case might be completely different for Federico Chiesa, however it stays to be seen whether or not the Liverpool winger will change his thoughts within the new yr and eventually return to the nationwide staff after nearly two years.
Don’t neglect that one of many largest enhancements underneath Gattuso was in assault, the place Retegui and Kean have linked up completely, so the coach shall be reluctant to select simply one in every of them within the playoffs. This implies Gattuso will decide a 4-4-2 system or a 3-5-2 in opposition to Northern Eire, until Kean is utilized in a barely wider place on the left flank in a 4-3-3 formation.
Italy desperately miss a participant who could make issues occur within the closing third, and regardless that they haven’t but discovered somebody to tailor the proper go well with, the general high quality is excessive sufficient to keep away from one other World Cup fiasco.
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Certainly, there shall be little time obtainable for Gattuso and the staff to organize for – hopefully – two massive video games, which could appear simple on paper, however just for any person not accustomed to negativity, as Italy has been in recent times.