Spalletti’s group shone in the Nations League and can improve further: qualification for the 2026 event is within reach
First duty, then… Italy led by Luciano Spalletti has the obligation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup: we don’t want to imagine another world championship tournament with frustrated spectators, it would be too much. Once the categorical imperative has been established, it will be a pleasure to embark on an adventure in North America, between the United States, Canada and Mexico, waiting to be discovered for the unprecedented variety of locations, weather conditions and maxi trips. The Zurich draw indicates two paths, which however pass through the crossroads with Germany: if we beat the Germans in the Nations League quarter-finals, a group with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg awaits us. If, however, we emerge defeated, we will be faced with Norway, Israel, Estonia and Moldova. The first hypothesis appears to be the easiest: finding Haaland’s emerging national team as a direct rival for supremacy in the group would require, at least in theory, raising the bar.
with Germany
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In March against the Germans the first leg is at San Siro (20th), the return match in Dortmund (23rd), a city that evokes the victory in the semi-final in 2006 against the home team. Intriguing, of course… But, by going back to the good old days, we risk losing sight of the true meaning of the mission, that is, to avoid tearing up the pass for the World Cup for the third time in a row. The current national team seems to have learned from the lesson it underwent at the recent European Championship: the elimination against Switzerland, after a group lived on the razor’s edge, was taken by Spalletti as an educational step, which produced its positive effects in the subsequent Nations. Now there is the first step towards the World Cup, a competition which due to the latest setbacks makes rehabilitation essential. Slovakia on one side and Norway on the other command respect, but the national team that shone on several occasions in the second part of the year has enough numbers and potential to place itself at the top of one group or another. There would also be the possibility of a playoff, as runner-up, but given the precedents it will be better to stay away from the insidious trap.
no calculations
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Spalletti, rightly, does not make calculations, which would not help the mission: the coach’s main objective, in addition to the results, obviously, is to continue the path of maturation of his team. He himself suggests that, beyond the changes dictated by emergencies, there is already a solid basis for a restart on the module, with the three-man defence. The basic training, barring sensational revelations, is well defined: it won’t be a national team with limited numbers, it wouldn’t even be logical, but it has established hierarchies. Let’s name the names: Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Cambiaso, Barella, Ricci, Tonali, Dimarco and Retegui are credited as starters, so it was understood in the Nations. However, there is a decent number of players which allows you to maintain a good technical level. Without precluding emerging young players, for example Camarda and Comuzzo, from an internship with the national team which could, if necessary, turn into more frequent employment. Compared to the unsuccessful Euro ’24, Spalletti’s project appears clearer and more legible. The conditions for tackling the journey towards 2026 are encouraging. Let’s remember that no one goes to the World Cup for rights acquired who knows where or for the palmares: we experienced it after the knockouts in the play-offs with Sweden in 2017 and with North Macedonia in 2021. This time we are more cautious, never say never, but the national team current appears up to the task. The watchwords are: grow and qualify.
goals
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And then? Is it important to participate? The answer is yes, if you come from two painful flops. Without expecting the moon, however, the real leap in quality would be to go as far as possible, to ride the wave born in September. At the World Cup, the lean period does not only include the failure to qualify in 2018 and 2022. At the 2010 tournaments in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil we were kicked out of the groups: from the year of grace 2006, after the triumph in Berlin, to final stages we only played six games. The result is one win, two draws and three defeats. The last Italian player to score was Balotelli, who scored the 2-1 win over England on 15 June 2014 in Manaus, in the Amazon. Then only goals conceded in narrow defeats against Costa Rica and Uruguay. Here, there would be enough to get fully charged up, immediately turn the page and perhaps give meaning back to the four stars of the federal coat of arms. Italy seeks America: difficult but fascinating mission. First the duty, then another duty, just so as not to live on memories alone.
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