An early exit from Euro 2024 means Italy can now focus on improving ahead of the World Cup in 2026. Gli Azzurri missed out on the last edition of the tournament in 2022 as they failed to qualify after losing to North Macedonia in the playoffs.
Here is a look at reasons to be optimistic about Italy’s chances at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Spalletti Has More Time to Get It Right
Former Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti took up the job as Italy manager in August 2023 when Roberto Mancini resigned from the role. He now has two full years to prepare for the 2026 World Cup where his side is +2200 in the football betting odds to win the tournament. Expect to see a much different squad to that of Euro 2024.
Switzerland defeated Italy 2-0 in the last 16 of Euro 2026 and is now +1200 in the betting on EURO 24. Spalletti can learn a lot from the way the Swiss were organized in that victory over his side. It is a game he is likely to be studying for many months after the European Championship ends to learn a lot about his players and how the opposition was able to dominate the match.
Positive Response in Past to Setbacks
Italy has an excellent record of bouncing back from disappointing. Gli Azzurri failed to make it past the group stage of Euro 2004 but just two years later, they lifted the trophy at the 2006 World Cup, defeating France in the final in Germany.
In 2018, Italy failed to make it through to the World Cup in Russia as they were defeated 1-0 by Sweden in a two-legged play-off encounter. They put that disappointment behind them at Euro 2020, winning the tournament at Wembley in London after a penalty shootout triumph against England.
Spalletti must ensure his players learn from their mistakes at Euro 2024, but they also must be positive about the future. In what is going to be a wide-open World Cup in 2026, Italy needs to believe they can be big contenders in the tournament alongside the likes of Argentina, Brazil, and France.
Bastoni and Zaccagni Positives for the Future
Defensively, Italy was quite solid during Euro 2024. They conceded only three goals during the group stages and a big part of that was down to Alessandro Bastoni’s performances. The player also showed how dangerous he is from set-pieces, scoring against Albania in their opening game of the competition.
With just eight caps for Italy, Mattia Zaccagni proved he can be a big part of Spalletti’s future. The Lazio forward came off the bench to rescue a point in their 1-1 draw with Croatia in their final group game.
Italy is next in action in the UEFA Nations League when they take on France at the Parc des Princes in Paris. This is their first opportunity to show they have a team that can have a lot of success in the future against the best teams in the world.
