For the Italian national football team, the journey to the World Cup is rarely straightforward. After a qualification campaign that saw them navigate their group with a mix of expected victories against lesser opponents and a notable stumble against Norway, the Azzurri once again find themselves on the precipice of a playoff battle. For a nation with four World Cup titles, this predicament is less of a surprise and more of a recurring, anxiety-inducing drama. The message from the camp is clear: «The real challenge begins now.»
The Shadow of Recent History
The phrase «the good part starts now» carries a heavy, almost ironic, undertone for Italian supporters. Memories of 2017 and 2022, when World Cup dreams were cruelly extinguished in the playoffs, still haunt the collective consciousness. Twice, the Azzurri failed to reach football`s grandest stage, an unthinkable blow for a country that breathes calcio. This time, the path is no less fraught with peril. Direct qualification remains a statistical anomaly, requiring a highly improbable slip-up from Norway against Estonia, coupled with flawless victories for Italy against Moldova and Norway themselves.
Realistically, Italy is bracing for a two-stage playoff in March. First, a semi-final against a technically weaker opponent, followed by a potential final that could see them travel to formidable grounds in Scotland, Slovakia, Albania, or Hungary, not to mention the historical specters of Sweden or North Macedonia. In these do-or-die encounters, there is absolutely no margin for error. As the original analysis succinctly puts it, «The last game we played in the final phase of a World Cup is more than eleven years away. To say that`s too long is even trivial.»
Gattuso`s Pragmatic Approach: A Return to Basics
Under the stewardship of Gennaro Gattuso, the national team appears to have embraced a philosophy of pragmatism and concrete action. After some struggles in the qualification rounds, where Italy often found itself grinding out results against seemingly inferior teams—remember the 5-4 scare against Israel in the first leg?—Gattuso has injected a dose of reality. His tactical choices, like deploying a double striker formation, are born out of necessity rather than dogma.
«Gattuso has brought normality and concreteness, he is doing simple things, with logic. The idea of deploying the double striker, for example, is of admirable pragmatism: right now he doesn`t have wingers who offer guarantees nor high-level attacking midfielders, so he focuses on those who are used to being in the box and have scored a lot in recent seasons, namely Kean and Retegui.»
This «common sense» approach, almost revolutionary in its simplicity, has seen the likes of Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui, and the emerging Sebastiano Esposito (dubbed «the new Vieri» in some circles) find the back of the net. Retegui, in particular, has stepped up, converting a penalty and scoring a «marvelous» goal against Israel, cementing his role as a key attacking figure.
The Talent Pool: Strengths and Persistent Weaknesses
Despite the recent disappointments, there`s a foundation of optimism rooted in the quality of individual players. Gianluigi Donnarumma is arguably among the world`s best goalkeepers, while Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori are considered international-level defenders. In midfield, Nicolò Barella and Sandro Tonali remain European elite. The attacking department, often a point of contention, now boasts «excellent solutions» with Kean, Retegui, and Esposito leading the line, supported by players like Giacomo Raspadori. The squad is further bolstered by solid contributors such as Federico Dimarco, Matteo Politano, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and Gianluca Mancini, with emerging talents like Alessandro Buongiorno and Giorgio Scalvini waiting in the wings.
However, the recent 3-0 victory against Israel, while decisive on the scoreboard, wasn`t without its defensive scares. Donnarumma`s heroics, particularly at 0-0 and then at 1-0, were pivotal, signaling that the defensive phase still requires significant refinement. Italy might not be the powerhouse of yesteryear, but it is certainly «not as small as we sometimes like to say (and as results sometimes suggest).»
A Nation Holds Its Breath
The Italian football faithful approach the upcoming playoffs with a mixture of hope and weary cynicism. Too many recent heartbreaks, save for the triumph of Euro 2020 (played in 2021), have tempered expectations. Yet, the belief in the quality of the squad and Gattuso`s straightforward leadership persists. The question that lingers in every fan`s mind is not about talent, but about resilience: will «common sense at the service of the national team» finally be enough to avoid another agonizing World Cup absence?
The road to the Americas is laid out, but it`s up to the Azzurri to claim it. The ghost of past failures, in Russia and Qatar, still whispers, a stark reminder that simply being «there, with open arms» isn`t enough. It`s time for Italy to make its own destiny.