Italy At World Cup 2026: Possible Squad, Lineup, Prediction & What Luciano Spalletti Must Do (Ep431)
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- čas přidán 1. 07. 2024
- After Italy crashed out of EURO 2024 at the hand of Switzerland, Nima and Carlo look ahead at to FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers discussing, analyzing and debating what Azzurri coach Luciano Spalletti must do and which players should stay, go and be brought in for Italy to return to greatness.
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What about Cesare Casadei, Francesco Camarda and Liberali. Can we develop these kids. Come on Italians
yea in their 30s
Exactly - the problem lies deeper than just selecting these players. The problem is Serie A. Not giving young players a chance and waiting until they're 28 to get into the first team, terrible stadiums and dinosaur medical teams - we're the only nation where all our youth are falling to ACL injures.
Let's hope so
Spot on Liberali and camarda definitely should play. Keep chiesa calafiori donnaruma bastoni barella fagoli and scrap the rest of those useless muppets like scamacca.
Then put the best of under 21 and under 17 players in the squad.
I’ll say this if the u17 played the national team my money is on the u17 to win they were great to watch and won the Euro cup
I agree 💯
Crazy how you guys could even Ditch Chiesa. Hes still one of Italy's fastest players. And creative and exciting.
Also Udogie cant defend!
No Chiesa cant. And Udogie is very young still.
You people are just shilling to fill our national team with African players. Why don’t you go make a podcast about Nigerian football instead?
Udogie is a much better defender than Dimarco
absolute state of this comment@@amoreazione3563
@@ItaFootPod brothers did you watch the euros at all? Chiesa was one of the only people even trying anything
Fabio Miretti has a lot of potential. People say young players don’t get a chance in Italy but he was playing for Juv at 19.
If he becomes more consistent we could have someone special.
Miretti, Fagioli, Rovella etc. Loads
To disregard quality players because of your system/tactics is absurd. "Well you know what, Bellingham doesn't fit my system and how I like to play so he's not being picked "
As a former coach, you pick the best players available and you switch up your system to accommodate what you have to get the best out of them. You play to their strengths.
Preach brother
What the hell is the fascination with Gnonto? I did not see him do one impressive thing with the Nazionale during the playing time he got with the Azzurri. Criticism of Chiesa is insane... he got ZERO support this time around in a totally dysfunctional system but won Italy the title last time out. But I'm tired of hearing the players analyzed when the problem is the SYSTEM/DISCIPLINE/CHEMISTRY and ORGANIZATION! Antonio Conte made Emmanuele Giaccherini look like Roberto Baggio in the 2016 Euro's on what was a bad team playerwise... that's what a great coach can do. And its too late to get Conte!
He debuted and scored too. Youngest scorer in the Italian national team. At least he takes on his man in 1 vs 1 roles. Did ok in Nations League qualifiers under Mancini too.
Chiesa has been abysmal for at least 3 years now.
Gnonto is the only wide player/winger Italy have that plays consistently at a high level at club level with Orsolini. Which says it all
@@ItaFootPodbrother chiesa was hurt for two of those 3 years, its called recovery time man
Players that need to come in are: udogie,locatelli, casedei,fagioli,kayote,parisi,gnonto, baldanzi, palfundi, tonali camarda. I agree with both your incoming players that need to come in
Thanks
No Africans
@@robertruggiero9999 They are all Italians you idiot.
Gentleman thank you for the video. I am scared of the nations league and WC qualifiers that are coming up soon though as we need immediate changes and a lot of players aren’t ready to be integrated yet . Also we don’t have 2 full season to watch players improve and develope. We need to create a group that works with spaletti plan . Ideally we want to play smooth footy like the Swiss and like Italy at euro 2020 we looked like a club team. Can only do that by settling on a formation and getting the core key guys together now. 2 years flies by. Never been so nervous before qualifiers have even begun. Can’t believe bellanova and Buon giorno didn’t see any minutes. Madness.
Glad you liked it
Just please qualify for 2026
Amen
Insane to say you wouldn't start Chiesa let alone not pick him in the squad
Im waiting to see him prove me wrong
Also Zaniolo needs to be called up to run the field. Camarda will only be 18 but he needs to be an option maybe on the bench to come in with maybe some off that U21 team that were great. Tonali for sure.
If he can stay fit and play at a good level. Which he hasnt
Spain are playing 16 year old. Italy need to call up talented young players the likes of Camadara.
😂😂😂@@KMWhity
Zaniolo is ordinary. They've tried to convert him to a striker but that hasn't worked either.
@@cianog definitely has more Hussle than most players and not ordinary. I would consider him a threat anywhere on the pitch
Montella would be better than Spalletti.
Montella just made it further with turkey than Spaletti did with Italy in Euro 2024
hahaa come on
Elections have been called for November, the FDC voting, Gravina will be out with Spalletti.
We'll see. Could happen
it's obvious that you are misinformed.... it's exactly the opposite, Gravina having the elections so soon has the possibility of being re-elected, while his mandate ends in March 2025.
1) there is little time for his potential opponents to prepare a plan, reforms and to advertise and seek votes
2) The votes for the elections are given by Serie A (divided between those in favor and those against Gravina) Serie B against Gravina, but it has the votes of Serie C, the amateur league, the referees.
We're screwed.
My source: Sportitalia
@@emanuelenicolo6131
Regardless, the reason for Gravina for calling early elections is a sign that 60% he’s out gives time for March and February for a new FDC president.
He has failed consecutive in eight years for qualifications they’re not gonna keep him in, and he knows it.
@@emanuelenicolo6131
Buffon has already resigned on Tuesday, Spalletti will have no other choice coming November if not sooner to go out, there is no reason for him to stay on.
Whatever players get picked, they need to save their enthusiasm for the game itself more than on singing the national anthem !!
Im sure they can do both
@@ItaFootPod E.g.watch the Spanish show little emotion during their national anthem , just a serious stare then watch them play .
I find this very interesting and funny at the same time. Because a really good manager looks at the talent or quality of players at his disposal and then plays a system, tactics, or strategy that brings the best out of the team. Yes, he may have his favorite system, but he shouldn’t be limited to that system alone. He should be adaptable and quality players will work as well.
Now we’re looking for a players or a team that can play in the managers system. That’s imo a weak and losing mentality for a national or tournament team. This belongs to club level.
With Spalletti as the leader, it’s sad to say but I doubt we’ll win anything. He’s not a difference maker, if opponent proves difficult he becomes clueless.
Agreed 100%
Spain played with 6 midfielders (false 9) when they had limited options at striker.
We should or could do the same. Keep the top players on the field.
Tonali, Locatelli, Barella, Chiesa Fagioli and add one true striker. The rest can play freely and we’d have more quality on the ball
@@Beekind77 interesting idea
Raspadori would be the perfect false nine for us.
Buongiorno can play a back4 and he did great games for italy with acerbi vs netherlands and ukraine.
And second he is the only one good in marking a striker, bastoni and calafiori cant do that.
Respectfully disagree, but he does have to be able to play in more than one system
I think if Tonali, Fagioli Barella Casadei, Rovella and maybe Verratti, Locatelli, Castrovilli and Miretti can be developed or recuperated for the World Cup we got something.
That's a good point
Timing is everything. Spalletti should not have taken this job in october. Now we are here with more questions than answers. When he took it he instantly had to play last qualification games to even get to the euros. When Mancini started he started in march 2018. He didnt even have to think about qualification games till august. Of course this is not how life works but imo Spalletti has already damaged his reputation. James Horncastle and Gab Marcotti question if Spalletti is even suited to NT job. Italy needs a clean start from 0 after euros. But they already have France in nation league come september.
Interesting point
Chiesa should be playing Left wing
Chiesa needs to start playing well
There isn’t a lot of English in England. There isn’t a lot of French in France. There isn’t a lot of Swiss in Switzerland. Italy never does well when there’s not a lot of Italian in Italy. Silly talk.
Not what we said. Silly talk.
Assuming we qualify bro...
We will dai!
Spalletti is still going to be the couch? Mamma mia
Yeah, he’s gonna be the sofa too possibly even the lounge chair
no a sofa
yeah...
The fact that adopting Spalletti's system requires throwing away so many of Italy's relatively few outstanding players just underlines how insane it is to try to use that system. We don't have enough top rank players to afford to do that. Spalletti said he needs to learn how to be a CT as opposed to a club coach. Okay, part of that is you don't use complicated systems that require specialty players and massive amounts of practice time to learn. And he needs to be told that very explicitly. And then he has to decide if he's up to the task. If he decides, as he has said in the past, that his system is the only system he knows how to use, then I think he needs to resign. Although I fear that whatever replacement they get for him would be just as bad, because so many of the coaches are prima donnas who think that they're more important than the players.
Preach
Gasperini wouldn’t be bad he turns players around really well and his style is very good for
Tournaments
I'm afraid we will be disappointed again.
Let's have faith
@@ItaFootPod faith no it's talent that's needed.
The fact that Juventus and Napoli were fighting over Di Lorenzo is an indictment of Serie A
Di Lorenzo did have a good season when Napoli won the scudetto right after the last euro and than just fell off a cliff it’s crazy
He is a good player, or was.
The fact you think Di Lorenzo was the problem for Italy's defense is a proof of your lack of football knowledge, too 😅
How many times have we said this, Italian teams need to invest Italian youth and play them rather send them out and bring in subpar player
Yup
Bonucci and Chiellini were only back 3 defenders until they showed they could win in a back 4. Defenders are defenders and the good ones can do both. Buongiorno should be kept in this team.
@@gatorbomb7472 yes I agree these guys get paid millions. They can learn how to adapt within their positions but things aren’t gonna happen overnight and switching tactics and formation every other game like Spalletti did
Good point. Let's see if he can
Liberali,camardi,pafundi have hope solid young players. I don’t quite think there ready yet but for the wc they should be in decent shape better then what we have now for sure. I just think we’re lacking a proper line up we have the players just not the line up
Im sure there's an element of that too
Michael Kadoye (RB) future star must figure he's a beast
Simone Pafundi best young Italian player of this generation
Diego Sia has potential, also Cama U'19's and U17's most impressive
Camarda has the potential , Mosconi Liberali ones to watch
Good shout
God help us. 95% of these players we have to choose from are mediocre at best.
hahaha
Nima, just wondering, if inzaghi’s system worked so well this year with inter being so dominant in the league, inter making champions league final last year, why not build from that? Is spalletti really incapable of using three at the back and using wingbacks ? Didn’t he write a thesis on the 3-5-2? I thought Italy didn’t look bad in the first half against Croatia in the 3-5-2 and when frattesi came on, it’s more due to him not knowing how to play as a Mezzala on the left, and he went on instead as a second striker on the right, forcing Barella more defensive to the left, which threw us out of balance.
either a 3-5-2, 3-4-1-2, or 3-4-2-1 is what I think would suit Italy best going forward (there is not massive difference in all those systems).
Not saying spalletti or the system is the only reason italy played so bad, the players themselves really didn’t show up except for a handful, but I agree with you, in that getting a clear system that the players will understand and fit in well is super important.
Like you say, we have players like Buongiorno, Calafiori, the list goes on more suitable to playing a back 3 system. Or is spalletti going to be stuck in his ways and stick to 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 for the next 2 years? Keen to hear your thoughts on this!
Agree with everything
I guarantee you the reason why Spalletti did not stick with the 3 man defense is bc of one word. Chiesa.
@@Warriors49ers good call!! I think though Chiesa works in 3-4-2-1 (one of the two behind striker) or second striker in either 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 (but apparently he hates playing second striker in that system for Juve)
@@gabr131s9 Chiesa has to play on the wing, not as a second striker. Perhaps in a 3-4-2-1 then, but we didn't have any other wingers playing the opposite side (it was always Pellegrini or Frattesi).
What Spalletti should've done when playing a 3 man defense is put Bellanova as a wing back so that he can make overlapping runs to get the pressure off of Chiesa. Instead he played his son behind Chiesa who offered him no services, thus the defense could shut down Chiesa. Similar when Darmian played the LWB role, horrible decision making by Spalletti.
@@Warriors49ers saddest things was seeing darmian used as a lb and lwb, yes he has been Mr Versatile for inter but he clearly showed for Italy he shouldn’t be on the left of the field at all. From now on looks like he may not feature for the Selezione in general.
Totally agree that Bellanova should have been put in for the attacking overlapping runs (instead of the constant preference for spalletti’s son).
With Chiesa as a winger, I personally don’t mind if the player on the other side is more an “inside forward”. Yes, that could be Pellegrini, fratessi and raspadori. (in my opinion Orsolini & Colpani should be considered from now on). You just need to make sure the wing back on the side of the inside forward side is providing more attacking overlapping runs (could be bellanova doing it).
you can't send all the players away when there aren't any to play, and above all there aren't many of them who are used to playing European cups in top teams. This team is not an old team and most of the players have 3-4-5-6 matches in the national team (only 1 team out of 24 at the European Championship has players with fewer matches in the national team). The only ones to be sent away are Darmian di Lorenzo since there are already Cambiaso Bellanova and there is Kayode who is arriving, Jorginho old slow and will play less and less at Arsenal, via Meret Cristante, via Raspadori who doesn't have a role and doesn't play in his club unless he finally succeeds to establish himself and start to find a role and produce goals and assis
Then get rid of Spalletti
@@ItaFootPod for? Sarri pioli Ranieri allegri?😂
although Italy won the last European Cup, historically the usually don't well in this tournament. The player that could have made a difference but who was suspended was Sandro Tonali. Zaniolo was also not available. This team needs to be more physical/toughness. If you're going to build a team, the route Spalletti is going a difficult one. If you're going to build a team for the Euros or World Cup-you have to blend experience with youth with talent. And they have the players to build a competent team. By the way DiMarco and Di Lorenzo where terrible- I have always likes Romagnoli and Calabria. Jorginho has been terrible for years, have no idea how El Shaarway made the team, Keane I think would have been a better choice. This team played with Zero confidence and that's Spalletti's fault 100%.
Agree
I think Orsolini and Locatelli would of done better
I remembered years ago when the papers in my country wrote that Rolando Mandaloriangora was going to be a future star of the Italian national team. What happened to him? We can't see the future. Maybe an Italian player from Antarctica would emerge outta nowhere and score 74 goals in a season...
Mandaloriangora hhahahahahahah!!!!!
Marco Brescianini will get a call up. A tall hard working midfielder with a decent left foot.
He had a great last season
You don't win U17 and U19 championships due to not having young talent. The talent is there and they need to develop through the National squad. The seria A teams are a joke with so many foreign players even to the point where they are no better than the young talented Italian players. Greed has replaced national pride. They need to replace the dinosaurs at the top with younger more open minded people.
Above all competence is needed.
Stop with this shit of many foreign players is the same in every league
Premier liga Bundesliga and they produce their own talents
I honestly think rugani should be called he can play in back 4 and can be a rotation player or starter.
God no
Scarmaca in ? You need to find a midfielder to put the ball on his foot unless he's useless
Absolutely
Mancini 100% drop he played both games with bastoni vs north Macedonia and Switzerland and they did trash
In a back 4 yes. But could be a squad player in a back 3
Wow 35 views 13 mins how
Thanks
Kayode as a CB in a 2 or 3?
No we meant more as a fullback in a back 4
liberali camarda ruggery baldenzi tonlai zaniolo fagioli cayote scalvini scamacca ricci we need
Sounds good to me
You can’t give Pellegrini a pass for the way he played at the euros and this season and keep Chiesa out
Wait and see about Chiesa. He’s been hurt. If he can get healthy and play well again he should stay
None of them is being given a pass. Chiesa and Pellegrini must both improve for Italy. difference is Pellegrini does well for Roma, Chiesa does not for Juve
Is Insigne too old?
Oh yes
Promote youth
Agreed
Well watching Italy v Swiss me and my dad saying barella che staifachendo hope he doesn’t come and di marco so than and well chiesa is gonna be not young for the team and buongorno should be oh buongorno seniors seniora
haha
Spalletti must go, and still might...
Barella,Fagioli,Lochitelli,Tonali is not a good enough midfield, they are heavily overrated.
We'll see
3-4-3:
Scalvini Bastoni Calafiori
Bellanova Barella Tonali Dimarco/Udogie
Berardi/Pafundi Scamacca/Camarda Chiesa
or
4-3-3:
Bellanova/Cambiaso Scalvini/Buongiorni/Calafiori Bastoni Udogie
Barella Calafiori/Fagioli/Locatelli Tonali
Berardi/Pafundi Scamacca/Camarda Chiesa
I prefer the 3-5-2
@@ItaFootPod Me too but if we do the 3-5-2, Chiesa should not start. That is the main issue. If Pafundi can take a step up, he would be perfect behind our striker.
Tonali is ordinary! What is this obsession for some people with him?!
Agree to disagree =)
Zaniolo?
Hopefully he returns to former glory at Atalanta
CAMARDA.
Great talent
I'd just like to say I'd rather Mancini, El Shaawary, Cristante, and Pellegrini not be in any future squads. Pellegrini may be able to change my mind during the next two seasons. But the rest - no.
AMEN
how can u ignore chiesa ?? lol
Cause he's no longer the player he once was. At least not since ACL
Donnarumma
Kayode Bastoni Calafiori Udogie
Barella Tonali Locatelli
Camarda Scamacca Chiesa
Dont know about Camarda on the wing
@ItaFootPod I meant playing with two strikers, if possible, or... hoping either he or Scamacca make it. If one do, add a right winger. I prefer Chiesa on left wing. Thank you.
@@ItaFootPod Do you think Kean or Zaniolo can make it back?
Colpani right wing
Pafundi must get playing time
Pelegrini out
Pellegrini in otherwise in agreement =)
@@ItaFootPod
Niccolo Barella cannot be Regista, and the truth is that he is disappointing in the team in every position. He is a 50/50 midfielder. Tonali is also not the type of regista that Spalletti wants but he brings a lot of character and fighting. Samuela Ricci is more suitable as Regista. Italy needs more technical players because they are not able to keep the ball under high pressure. All the formations you suggest are players who know how to play as a team and pass balls well, but too few players who know how to keep the ball under pressure in a small area in order to give time for more players to join. Also, the wingers must be those who know how to pass a player on the dribble.
Blanova, for example, must be in the lineup because, similar to Spinazzola who is no longer in the team, he is a defender who knows how to keep the ball and break through with technique and pace, and this gives the team air to breathe. Even if he is not the best defender in the world, he has a high technique and that is important. Papondi must get more minutes because he is a crazy talent. A quarter of an hour here, a quarter of an hour there and by the time of the World Cup he will already be 20 plus years old.
There's also Viniato, Cher Ndour and Beldanzi. I think Fabio Miretti is also going to be a great player who reminds me a lot of Spanish and Argentinian midfielders in his movement with the ball.
Italy dosnt have to win the World Cup. She needs to train the next generation and teach them to compete at the highest levels.
Dio c’i aiuta
hahaha
tonali is over hyped way to over rated
Respectfully and profoundly disagree
We don’t need to be like France 4 non-Italians? No thank you! What is this obsession with Gnoto? Aside from not being Italian the guy brings nothing to the pitch. Retegui is a better option than Scamacca who has 1 goal in 20 games and Retegui has 4 in 10 games in which 4 of them were on as a sub.
Chiesa is by far the best player he def isn’t the same since the injury but currently is the best and it’s laughable you right him off.
How could neither of you mentioned Casadei, Pafundi?
Because Casadei hasnt done anything and we did mention Pafundi
If you want to play football, you must find a scorer. The only actual reasonable name is Cutrone. All the other words are what we called 'fuffa'.
Cutrone?!?!
Spalletti deve andareafareibukkini😂😂 deve andare ad allenarmi al massimo il Bari
haha ma dai
Gnonto
Tonali pellergini
Udogie
Raspadori
Chiesa yes
Scalvini yes
Experience locatelli & verrati
Politano
Give Retugi a chance
Beradi
Frattesi bench
Verratti is finished
Retegui is a serie b player
verratti is over brother
@@ItaFootPod could of played euros just gone
Why are people shouting for 16 or 17 yr olds?
90% look good at youth level and do nothing else.
You do more damage than good expecting children who've never played a senior level game to solve our problems.
Agree re damage on youngsters
Look at the Spanish youngster for God's sake....LEARN...
@@graemekinslow9789 Guessing you only started watching football 2 weeks ago 😅😅
@@cianog Most nations could learn from the Spanish culture.,...Just look at England n Italy probably the 2 worst teams in the tournament for non movement n creativity
Scamacca is terrible
Really isnt
Please stop using NFL terminology!
huh?
Worthless!
What is?
My god enough with the 4-3-3 Italy are shit and have no attackers or strikers. The defenders and midfielders are scoring all our goals.
AMEN
The reason why Spalletti does not stick to a 3 man defense is one word. Chiesa.
Will we ever habe a striker like vieri was. Built like a brick shit house win 90% of any ball played to him . Defenders couldn't defend him on corners he was a beast in the air. And all we have is a bali version scacacca.
hahaha
Sorry pals. Spalletti is incapable and way to pedestrian in managing an Italian team with ambitions.i am not even convinced Italy will be at the next world cup. Spalletti is a confusing coach for players, stubborn and utterly arrogant!
That is my opinion too. But if youre gonna keep Spalletti let him impose his idea fully.