Italy got their stuttering 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a pair of convincing victories during October’s international break. Automatic qualification remains on the cards, yet the Azzurri must pull off a miracle in the last two Group I matches to overtake Norway at the table’s summit.
Failure is not an option for Italy after the four-time world champions missed out on the last two final tournaments. Missing out on a third consecutive World Cup would be a catastrophe of epic proportions for one of football’s most storied nations. Therefore, there’s no longer a margin for error.
Italy bounced back from a calamitous 3-0 away defeat to Norway on matchday one, winning five successive qualifying games since. Furthermore, new manager Gennaro Gattuso has won all four matches in charge since replacing Luciano Spalletti at the helm in September.
In doing so, the former Milan midfielder may have laid the foundation for the Azzurri’s long-awaited return to the grandest stage. Fans eager to witness Italy’s World Cup journey firsthand can learn how to buy World Cup 2026 tickets at Livefootballtickets, ensuring they don’t miss any of the action on the road to the tournament.
New Era
Spalletti signed off with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Moldova in June. However, there’s a feeling that Gattuso has unlocked Italy’s full attacking potential since taking over in September. For context, the Italians have netted 16 goals in their first four internationals under the 47-year-old.
Consistency is no longer an issue, with Italy scoring at least three goals in each of those four outings. Gattuso’s side most recently dismantled Israel on home turf, cruising to a 3-0 victory to follow up on a 3-1 thrashing of Estonia on foreign soil. Yet, there’s room for improvement in defense.
Despite turning Italy into a formidable attacking force, Gattuso must tighten up his backline. Clean sheets against Estonia (H) and Israel (H) don’t show the entire picture. Indeed, the Azzurri conceded four goals in a nerve-wracking 5-4 away win over Israel before capitulating away to Estonia.
Willing to Take Risks
Unlike his predecessors, Gattuso has remained open-minded since taking the reins. As such, he handed Inter prodigy Francesco Pio Esposito his maiden senior call-up in September. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old repaid that trust by finding the net in Italy’s away win over Estonia earlier this month.
In addition to Esposito, Gattuso has further highlighted his willingness to integrate fresh talent by calling up Fiorentina youngster Roberto Piccoli. It’s also worth noting that he included Bologna forward Nicolò Cambiaghi in his squad for the last set of World Cup qualifiers.
More importantly, Gattuso has put his own stamp on the Azzurri squad while maintaining the core of long-serving stalwarts.
No Room for Error
Italy will face Moldova on the road in their penultimate Group I fixture next month. Victory will be imperative if they’re to maintain their slim hope of leapfrogging Norway at the top when the two nations lock horns in the final round. However, the Italians need Estonia to do them a massive favor first and keep the Norwegians from winning their next match.
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