The world of soccer throws up no shortage of questions on a regular basis. In today’s column, Graham Ruthven endeavors to answer three of them
By the time next summer’s World Cup kicks off, it’ll have been 12 years since Italy last played at the tournament they have won more times (four) than any other nation besides Brazil (five) and Germany (also four). The way things are going, the Azzurri’s 12-year wait for World Cup qualification could become a 16-year one at the very least.
Italy are very much still in qualification contention. Gennaro Gattuso’s side are just two points behind Norway in Group I with the Azzurri still to host Erling Haaland and co. in their final group game. That could be a single-game shootout to decide which team makes it directly to the World Cup.
That Italy have missed the last two World Cups is somewhat anomalous considering the Azzurri won Euro 2020, but their qualification drought has prompted a lot of introspection. Italian soccer’s grassroots have been examined. While the country once produced superstars purely out of habit, now it is scrambling for difference-makers at the elite level.
Moise Kean has recently emerged as one such difference-maker. The Fiorentina forward has scored four in his last three outings for the national team while Mateo Retegui has also registered nine goal contributions in wins over Estonia and Israel. Gattuso, who replaced Luciano Spalletti in June, has at least sparked some life into Italy’s attack.
