The Italian national football team, often referred to as the Azzurri, has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions in their recent footballing endeavors, especially following their failure to qualify for two consecutive World Cups. Their recent victory against North Macedonia in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, however, signals a revival of their fortunes and a determination to return to the top echelons of European football.
Italy’s journey since their 2006 World Cup triumph has been a blend of highs and lows. Their World Cup campaigns post-2006 have been lackluster, not making it past the group stages, and in the case of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, not qualifying at all. Contrasting this, their European Championship performances have been commendable, including winning Euro 2020 and reaching the 2012 final.
The failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, notably marked by a playoff loss to North Macedonia, was a significant blow to Italian football. Many attributed this to bad luck, given Italy’s 32 shots in that game. However, the deeper issue was their failure to secure automatic qualification by not topping their group, thus exposing them to the unpredictability of the playoffs.
The present campaign for Euro 2024 qualification brought back haunting memories as Italy faced North Macedonia once again. Italy’s preparation was hampered by the absence of key players due to injuries and suspensions, and they entered the match needing four points from their final two games to avoid the playoffs.
Italy’s response to this challenge was emphatic. In their match against North Macedonia, they started energetically, with Matteo Darmian breaking the deadlock early on. A penalty miss by Jorginho momentarily revived fears of a repeat of past failures, but Federico Chiesa quickly eased these worries with two goals, one before and one after halftime.
Despite a brief scare when North Macedonia’s Jani Atanasov scored twice, reducing Italy’s lead, Giacomo Raspadori and El Shaarawy added late goals to ensure a victory for Italy. This result not only redeemed the team but also placed them in a strong position in their qualification group.
Coach Luciano Spalletti, taking over the reins from Roberto Mancini, has brought a renewed sense of hope and strategy to the team. His post-match comments reflected pride in Italy’s character and quality, emphasizing their resilience and determination.
Italy now stands on the cusp of qualification for Euro 2024. Their next match against Ukraine is crucial, but the recent victory has undoubtedly bolstered their confidence. In overcoming their previous setbacks, Italy has shown that they are not a team to be underestimated and are ready to reclaim their place as one of Europe’s footballing powerhouses.
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