Italy are one of the most historic national teams in FIFA World Cup history, having won four editions. However, they are not living their best present, failing to overcome Norway in the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. For this reason, Gli Azzurri face Northern Ireland in the playoffs, seeking their place in the final stage and to secure their spot in the 2026 edition.
Although Northern Ireland are not one of UEFA’s strongest national teams, they have proven to be quite solid defensively. In addition, coach Michael O’Neil relies on a strong midfield, which could make things difficult for Italy. However, they haven’t qualified for a World Cup in 40 years, so a victory over Gli Azzurri would be quite a surprise.
Unlike the previous years, Italy face serious doubts on their sporting project. Not only did they fire Luciano Spalletti just a few months before the tournament, but they also brought in Gennaro Gattuso with only a few months to make a difference. However, they have players like Nicolo Barella, Federico Dimarco, Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean who can make a difference. In addition, they have the quality to turn the game around from the bench.
Both Italy and Northern Ireland employ a fairly similar tactical approach, with a solid midfield looking to shift the play. However, coach Gattuso counts on Dimarco and Matteo Politano, who can make a difference on the counterattack. With them, they can exploit gaps in the defense, looking for Kean and Retegui, who offer greater scoring ability than their opponents.
