Under 20, the report cards: Casadei is almost perfect: 9.5. Baldanzi 8.5

The little soldier in the right defensive lane, always reliable in line mechanisms and one-on-ones: he suffered only with Korea, in the final, physiological fatigue.

When he didn’t play through suspension against England, he was missed. He presides over his area well but has a sense of high anticipation and vertical thinking. From relegation to D with Mantova (he lost the playouts of C) to the top of the world. What a story.

He enters with Brazil and dances a bit, then lets England pass on Devine’s goal, in the only one as a starter. It’s not easy to start from reserve, but he is always ready.

Less flashy than Ghilardi, with whom he forms a perfect couple. Sense of position and perfect timing in line movements, that’s why Maurizio Sarri likes him.

Left-back who knows how to adapt even on the right, constant and never reckless push: he put his signature on the construction of two goals, the first against Brazil and the (decisive) one by Casadei against Korea. He could be the next Juventus Next Gen to make the leap to the greats.

He wrote the first page of the Argentine blue tale, immediately inserting Brazil on Casadei’s spicata. Spal, launching him in B in an unfortunate year, gave this Italy a modern midfielder: midfielder by characteristics, but with the intelligence to also move as an atypical playmaker. He made Nunziata, a former midfielder, fall in love with football, as he had already happened to him in Ferrara with De Rossi and Nainggolan. It’s not a casuality.

Owner until England, then held back by fatigue. Low top with a tactical maturity that goes beyond his 18 years. Roma gave up on him and Pisilli for the Primavera playoffs, in order not to clip his wings.

How much are those 15 million (plus bonuses) spent by Chelsea last summer worth now? Total mezzala, physique and sense of insertion, devastating in the opposing area to the point of becoming top scorer of the World Cup with an Italian record turnover (7 goals). Maybe not at Chelsea and with another loan, but the Premier League awaits him with open arms for his definitive consecration.

Skip the debut with Brazil having landed a few hours ago, then he takes back the captain’s armband and dominates the left chain as owner: depending on the case, even within the same match, a built full-back (as he always has seen Nunziata), but also midfielder of readings and substance (what he learned in Ascoli). Total player, at 20 years old.

He too is a valuable change, in his entrances from the bench (even with good playing time) he has always known how to settle into the match. At 18, anything but obvious.

After almost 30 games (and 4 goals) in Serie A, he has another pace and another confidence in his plays compared to his peers. Two goals and two assists, velvety left foot and strength in the legs of a modern playmaker.

The winning rainbow drawn against Korea will remain in the highlights, testimony of the purest class. He is the youngest of all with his 17 years, but the only one to have tasted the senior national team. Ups (very high) and downs, with the substitution against the Dominican Republic and then a couple of games seen from the bench.

A goal and an assist against the Dominican Republic, then the winning free-kick conquered (and transformed into a dream by Pafundi) against South Korea. When he doesn’t have the ball, he elbows and chases: if Italy could play with two strikers as well , many merits have been of his work.

The back-heel goal against Colombia is a masterpiece, which is not unprecedented for him. Underage compared to the majority of his teammates, the third of the dynasty – as he has already demonstrated in Inter’s Primavera – confirms himself as a modern centre-forward with ample room for improvement.

First change of the attacking couple, against the Dominican Republic a beautiful goal is disallowed. Pure finisher, every time he enters he is struck by the ease with which he searches for the door.