
<p>Entering the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/international-break-soccer-20231112-WST-468453.html">November international break</a>, questions continue to surround the Italy National Team and its status in Euro 2024. The four-time World Cup champions and defending European Championship winners are at risk of missing another major tournament. </p>



<p>Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. That was the first time the Italians missed the World Cup in 60 years. Four years later, Italy crashed out in the playoff stage against North Macedonia. Italy missed back-to-back World Cups. Now, the Italians face two tests to reach Euro 2024. After six games, Italy sits third in its Euro 2024 qualifying group. Only the top two teams qualify automatically. </p>



<p>If Italy succumbs to that same fate for a 32-team European Championship, it would arguably be the biggest disaster of the bunch. Moreover, Italy is the defending champion. Only three defending champions have not qualified for the next competition four years later. Spain failed in 1968 and Italy did so as well in 1972. At the time, there were just four teams in the competition. The most recent edition was France in 1988. Just eight teams competed in that tournament. Therefore, it would be an unmatched disaster given Italy’s recent spell of failing in qualification for major tournaments.</p>



<h2>The consequences for Italy of missing another major tournament</h2>



<p>After Italy did not reach Qatar 2022, the federation did not make considerable changes. Roberto Mancini retained his job. However, he had some leeway because of his success at Euro 2020. Mancini stepped away from his post. Gabriele Gravina is the FIGC President, and he oversees the Italian soccer federation. He joined at the same time as Mancini when Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018. He has been the head executive for both the Euro 2020 win and the World Cup 2022 disaster.</p>



<p>Struggling in Euro 2024 already led to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mancini-resigns-from-italy-who-will-succeed-him-20230813-WST-449904.html">Mancini stepping away</a> from the national team. Gravina would be the next to be shown the door. Yet, executives and coaches leaving the federation are nothing new. Nations make those changes regularly and for much less than what Italy is going through.</p>



<p>The effects of Italy failing to qualify would run far deeper. At the time of missing the 2022 World Cup, <em>Gazzetta dello Sport</em> wrote the entire system of Italian soccer needed a rebuild. Of course, that did not come. Italy rode with the same squad that won Euro 2020. The punishment for that is potentially missing another major tournament.</p>



<h2>Comparing the Italians to other nations</h2>



<p>The current system in Italy does not have a wealth of youth talents rising through the ranks and playing at elite levels in Europe. France has a never-ending supply of great players. For example, France called up 11 players aged 25 or younger, which includes Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, and Eduardo Camavinga, who each dominate in different leagues across Europe. Italy also has 11 players aged 25 or younger. However, there are no players that stand out as world-beaters. The player with the most goals in the November international break squad is 26-year-old Nicolo Barella. He has eight goals in 49 caps from the midfield. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231114_WST_469819_Italy-North-Macedonia-1200x675.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-469942" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Italy-North-Macedonia-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Italy-North-Macedonia-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Italy-North-Macedonia-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Italy-North-Macedonia.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Italy was held scoreless by North Macedonia as it crashed out of the World Cup in 2022 before the tournament even started.</figcaption></figure>



<p>In a moment of a must-win situation, Italy does not have a player it can turn to when it needs a heroic performance. Moreover, it does not have a standout promising young talent that can develop in a pressure situation like this to ensure Italy can reach the World Cup in 2026. Even though that is in the future, it demonstrates the severity of the situation Italy finds itself in.</p>



<h2>Euro 2024 qualifying is now do-or-die for Italy</h2>



<p>Italy must qualify for Euro 2024. If it loses against Ukraine and the Ukrainians advance to the Euros, Italy will enter the Euro 2024 playoffs. That presents a <a href="https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0279-1635c1adf4c0-831ffc150fff-1000--euro-2024-play-offs-how-they-work-state-of-play/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">somewhat convoluted path</a>, and there is no guarantee over who Italy would play. However, based on standings entering the November international break, Italy would be in a four-team playoff with Croatia, Poland, and Estonia. </p>



<p>That is a nightmare situation for Italy with Poland and Croatia both reaching the knockout stage of the World Cup in 2022. Moreover, the playoffs did not go as planned in qualification for the World Cup in 2022. Italy was a heavy favorite against North Macedonia to qualify. Yet, it <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/italy-humiliated-by-north-macedonia-and-miss-second-successive-world-cup-20220324-CMS-377011.html">fell at home</a> on a stoppage-time goal from Aleksandar Trajkovski. </p>



<p>A trip to Ukraine on the final matchday of Euro 2024 qualifying now has the importance of a World Cup knockout round game. The remaining two games will be like playoff games for Italy. That starts with a home game against North Macedonia. </p>



<p>North Macedonia is not in the running to reach Euro 2024 as it is mathematically eliminated. However, North Macedonia forced a draw out of Italy when the two played in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. This game in Rome is effectively a must-win game. Three points would bring Italy level with Ukraine in the group, but Italy owns the tiebreaker because Italy defeated Ukraine in the reverse fixture in Milan. </p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="EURO 2024 Stadiums" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9T25G-bEyKE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>


Italy at risk of missing another major tournament in Euro 2024

Entering the November international break, questions continue to surround the Italy National Team and its status in Euro 2024.

featured


<p>Last season’s <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/napoli-fans-erupt-as-club-wins-first-serie-a-title-in-33-years-20230505-WST-431763.html">Scudetto-winning side</a> of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/napoli-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-united-states/">Napoli</a> is flailing under Rudi Garcia. The French replacement for Luciano Spalletti has struggled in his first 12 league games at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. With six wins, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/napoli-draw-against-milan-with-stunning-second-half-comeback-20231029-WST-465803.html">three draws</a> and three losses, Napoli sits fourth in the Serie A table. It is 10 points adrift of Juventus, which leads the current table. </p>



<p>As a result of the club’s struggles, Napoli President Aurelio de Laurentiis has already named potential replacements for the boss after three months in charge. Last season, Spalletti’s Napoli side only had four losses in the entire league season. Garcia’s Napoli has three losses, and it has dropped points in half of the games this season. </p>



<h2>A changing Napoli side</h2>



<p>Garcia did have to deal with some changes to the squad that won the Scudetto with Spalletti. Kim Min-jae left for Bayern Munich, and the South Korean was a mainstay in the defense that conceded just 28 goals in Serie A play last season. This season, Napoli is already up to 13 goals against. Napoli’s incoming signings have not overly succeeded yet, either. The Italian side spent over $30 million on Jesper Lindstrom from Eintracht Frankfurt. The German attacking midfielder has made just one start, and he is yet to contribute a goal or assist to Napoli. </p>



<p>Prior to this past weekend’s loss at home to Empoli, Rudi Garcia said he wanted to make supporters happy. However, his tactics have not suited last season’s elite players. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen combined for 38 goals and 18 assists. An injury to Osimhen has forced the Nigerian out of six games after another strong start to the campaign. Osimhen had six goals in eight Serie A appearances before a hamstring injury sent him to the sidelines. Kvaratskhelia still has a decent seven goal contributions, but it is not the pace he was setting last season. Osimhen’s absence certainly hurts in that regard.</p>



<h2>Naming another manager at Napoli to replace Rudi Garcia</h2>



<p>When Napoli hired Rudi Garcia, de Laurentiis admitted the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/conte-rejects-napoli-unexpected-frontrunner-to-replace-garcia-20231012-WST-461752.html">Frenchman was not his first selection</a>. The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/former-juventus-president-top-coaches-do-not-want-napoli-20231103-WST-467029.html">already-ruffled relationship</a> cannot bode well for Garcia’s confidence in a Napoli side ripe with expectations. Moreover, it may spell an early exit from the Italian club.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231113_WST_469693_Cannavaro-de-Laurentiis-1200x675.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-469733" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Cannavaro-de-Laurentiis-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Cannavaro-de-Laurentiis-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Cannavaro-de-Laurentiis-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Cannavaro-de-Laurentiis.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Fabio Cannavaro, pictured here with his brother Paolo, has been spotted in the President’s box with Aurelio de Laurentiis.</figcaption></figure>



<p>If de Laurentiis sacks Garcia, there are several candidates he could bring in. One of the names circling the rumor mill is 2006 Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro. According to the <em><a href="https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Napoli/12-11-2023/napoli-chi-al-posto-di-garcia-fabio-cannavaro-tudor-e-mazzarri-fra-i-papabili.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gazzetta dello Sport</a></em>, Cannavaro has long sought after the manager role at Napoli. Cannavaro spent his youth career and four seasons at the senior level with Napoli. After moving away in 1995, he had spells with Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid. He is the last defender to win the Ballon d’Or, doing so in 2006. </p>



<p>Importantly, Cannavaro has a close relationship with the passionate de Laurentiis. The Italian executive would, therefore, have increased support for the former defender.</p>



<p>Another potential name is Igor Tudor. Recently, Tudor was the manager of Marseille. However, he parted ways with the French club when he cited his ‘tiredness’ with Marseille. He led the French outfit to a third-place finish in Ligue 1, which got it into the qualifying stages of the UEFA Champions League. The Croatian manager previously managed Udinese on two occasions and served as an assistant at Juventus.</p>



<p>Walter Mazzarri, who managed Napoli for a handful of seasons in the late 2000s, is the third name that could take over at the club. <em>Gazzetta</em> reports de Laurentiis is not overly fond of a previous manager coming back, though.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em>.</p>


Napoli readies replacements for outgoing manager Rudi Garcia

Last season's Scudetto-winning side of Napoli is flailing under Rudi Garcia, and the club could make a change just months into his regime.


<p>Last month, the Italian Football Federation confirmed that Luciano Spalletti will be taking over as the new Italy coach.</p>



<p>Roberto Mancini, who had been manager for five years, resigned and was replaced by the former <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/napoli-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-united-states">Napoli</a> boss. The 64-year-old has a lengthy club management resume that includes stints as manager of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/roma-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers">Roma</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/inter-milan-tv-schedule/">Inter</a> and as head coach of Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg for five years.</p>



<p>Last season, he guided the Partenopei to their first Serie A championship in 33 years. After his success, he decided to leave Naples. His term will start in September.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">VERY EXCITED to see Buffon back with the Azzurri. It just feels right 🇮🇹<br><br>He will be Spalletti&apos;s Capodelegazione, the role previously held by Gianluca Vialli.<br><br>We saw the passion De Rossi brought to the Azzurri squad during the Euros. Hopefully having Buffon in the locker room… <a href="https://t.co/Hh00Bc1sch">pic.twitter.com/Hh00Bc1sch</a></p>— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/IFTVofficial/status/1697964991788277905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Wembley will host Italy on October 17 since they are a part of England’s Euro 2024 qualification group. They are presently third in Group C of qualification, behind England and Ukraine. Spalletti’s job now is to get Italy ready for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/uefa-european-championship-tv-schedule/">Euro 2024</a> in Germany, where the champions will try to retain their title after defeating England in the final in 2020.</p>



<h2>Spalletti spoke at his first press conference with Italy</h2>



<p>With Luciano Spalletti at the helm, the Italian national team will be moving in a new, more offensively-focused direction. The Italian coach, 64 years old, was introduced to the public during a news conference held in Coverciano on Saturday.</p>



<p>There, he detailed his roster additions, the legacy of Roberto Mancini’s tenure, and his strategy moving forward. Spalletti is credited with leading Napoli to their first <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/37638375/napoli-win-first-italian-serie-title-33-years-draw-udinese-maradona" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scudetto</a> title in 33 years last season because of his electrifying style of aggressive football played in a 4-3-3 formation.</p>



<p>In his news conference, Italy’s new coach addressed the team’s perennial problem of not having enough consistent strikers by suggesting that some established players may be recast in the position.</p>



<h2>What will the new Azzurri look like?</h2>



<p>“There are strikers who can wear the national team shirt. I didn’t call up Kean and Scamacca because of their playing time, I called up three others. Of course, a physical striker has some clear qualities, but perhaps Raspadori is better to link up.</p>



<p>“I feel there is good potential up front. I feel players in other roles can play as a striker too, despite having played in different positions. There is work to do. I trust myself and my staff members who I’ve known since the very first day I started coaching. Their help has helped me become the coach I am today”, he said.</p>



<p>About how he wants the new Azzurri to look like, he added: “We need to play a football that everyone will enjoy to watch. We want to play with a 4-man defense and some players were chosen because they play in this system. But also, in my opinion, there’s no difference because whoever plays in a 3-man defense adapts well to the football we want to play because we always want to go and get the ball.”</p>



<p>“We have a midfield that’s one of the strongest around and this is fundamental to build any style of play. We’re going to start with the 4-3-3, then if we need to be a little more attacking we can put in an attacking midfielder and switch to a 4-2-3-1. To start we’re going down this road.”</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / sportphoto24</p>


Luciano Spalletti: Italy's problems and how he may fix them

Key attacking strategies will be revamped with Luciano Spalletti at the helm of Italy moving towards Euro 2024


<p>Luciano Spalletti requested a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/luciano-spalletti-to-leave-napoli-manager-position-says-report-20230520-WST-433950.html">year-long sabbatical</a> for this season, but he may be taking over at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/italy-national-team-tv-schedule/">Italy</a>. Fresh off leading Napoli to the Scudetto, Spalletti looks ready to take over as head coach of the Italy national team. Former head coach <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mancini-resigns-from-italy-who-will-succeed-him-20230813-WST-449904.html">Roberto Mancini resigned on August 13</a> with the side in the middle of Euro 2024 qualifying.</p>



<p>However, despite <a href="https://twitter.com/AAlciato/status/1691060582366027776?s=19">Spalletti agreeing to take over</a>, there is a major hurdle that both he and Italy face. Spalletti only left Napoli on a sabbatical. He said that he simply needed to rest after helping Napoli to two successful seasons. <em><a href="https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Nazionale/14-08-2023/nazionale-la-figc-va-avanti-su-spalletti.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Gazzetta dello Sport</a></em> says it may not be so easy for Italy to hire him, even if he is not coaching Italy. </p>



<p>The Italian soccer federation, or FIGC, must pay Napoli if it wants to hire Luciano Spalletti. Spalletti still had a year remaining on his Napoli contract after the conclusion of the title-winning 2022/23 campaign. Even though he is not at the club, that one-year contract remains intact. Most thought that a clause in his contract required only clubs to pay Napoli to hire Spalletti. However, Napoli lawyer Mattia Grassani ensures the clause applies to both clubs and national teams. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Luciano Spalletti seems to be the first choice to manage the Italian National Team after the resignation of Roberto Mancini, but there&apos;s a clause where Napoli would have to be paid €3m for Spalletti to coach anywhere else this season. <a href="https://t.co/pWy9rPPDtD">pic.twitter.com/pWy9rPPDtD</a></p>— Matteo Bonetti (@Bonetti) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bonetti/status/1690811690311413760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Italy has no intention of paying a club to hire a coach. For reference, it has never paid any club to bring a coach on. There would be major concerns if it paid an Italian club to hire a manager, particularly the one that just won the title.</p>



<h2>Italy looking to Spalletti to reverse recent blushes</h2>



<p>That domestic success with Napoli is something the Italian federation wants to emulate. Granted, Italy did win the most recent European Championship. In qualifying for Euro 2024, Italy lost to England at home in a rematch of the 2020 Final. In the UEFA Nations League, Italy finished third, which is the second time it earned a bronze medal in that competition.</p>



<p>The goal for Italy remains to get back into and competing for the World Cup. In addition to winning Serie A, Spalletti led Napoli to the Champions League quarterfinals. That is Napoli’s best finish in the history of the UEFA Champions League.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / LaPresse</em></p>


Spalletti to succeed Mancini as Italy boss but issue emerges

Luciano Spalletti requested a year-long sabbatical for this season, but he may be taking over at Italy fresh off leading Napoli to the title.


<p>Just two weeks after leading <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/napoli-fans-erupt-as-club-wins-first-serie-a-title-in-33-years-20230505-WST-431763.html">Napoli </a>to their first Scudetto in over 30 years, manager Luciano Spalletti could leave the club at the end of the season, according to reports in Italy. </p>



<p>The 64-year-old’s contract with the southern club was set to expire at the end of the season, but the Partenopei triggered an extension to extend the deal till 2024.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 Growing tensions between Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis and coach Luciano Spalletti have become increasingly evident in recent days and reports in Italy claim that Rafa Benitez and Antonio Conte are the leading candidates to replace the Tuscan tactician. 👀🔵 <a href="https://t.co/gnmQIw84fq">pic.twitter.com/gnmQIw84fq</a></p>— Football Italia (@footballitalia) <a href="https://twitter.com/footballitalia/status/1659532794039607296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>As per reports from media outlet <a href="https://www.corriere.it/sport/calcio/serie-a/23_maggio_19/spalletti-de-laurentiis-gelo-cosa-succede-napoli-fc951174-f5c1-11ed-aaca-ae87232f956c.shtml?refresh_ce" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Il Corriere della Sera</a>, Spalletti was baffled to hear the developments as he was not told of the developments in person.</p>



<h5>Spalletti future is unclear</h5>



<p>It was initially believed that Spalleti would be offered a handsome raise to his current salary of €2.8m per season. He had met the President for dinner last week for negotiations. </p>



<p>Moreover, he was also scheduled to take the team to South Korea in June for the side’s pre-season camp in preparation for next season. </p>



<p>However, the presence of the Director of Football Cristiano Guintoli impeded conversations between the two. The report also claims that with growing tensions, the pair are now hardly on talking terms.</p>



<p>De Laurentiis didn’t call the manager to congratulate him after securing the historic league title. Spalletti was also absent during the Press Conference on Thursday as goalkeeper Alex Meret faced the media. </p>



<h5>Spaletti not mentioned in celebration announcements</h5>



<p>De Laurentiis announced further plans for the club’s celebrations however, he didn’t mention the manager’s name even once during the media commitments.</p>



<p>The national newspaper <a href="https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Napoli/18-05-2023/napoli-de-laurentiis-da-l-appuntamento-trentino-ma-non-parla-spalletti-4601641895528.shtml?refresh_ce" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Gazzetta dello Sport</a> have also weighed in on the situation. The newspaper claims that former manager Rafa Benitez has been tipped to take over from Spalletti. </p>



<p>The Spaniard enjoyed a successful spell at the club from 2013 -15 leading them to the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup titles over Fiorentina and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/juventus-23-24-kits-are-a-departure-from-norm-for-the-old-lady-20230513-WST-432679.html">Juventus</a>, respectively.</p>



<p>Benitez also led the club to the Champions League qualification in his first season and also came close to the Serie A title during his tenure.</p>



<p>Other names being reported for the position are former Juventus manager Antonio Conte and Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / Fotoagenzia</p>


Luciano Spalletti to leave Napoli manager position, says report - World Soccer Talk

Luciano Spalletti to leave Napoli manager position, says report


<p>Across Europe’s top-five leagues, Victor Osimhen is a major reason for why Napoli is the most in-form team with dominance domestically and continentally. The Nigerian striker, combining seamlessly with Georgian Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, has 18 goals. That is five better than second-place Lautaro Martínez at Inter Milan. More impressive, though, is that Osimhen has done it in four fewer games than the Argentine.</p>



<p>The reward for Napoli is a 15 point gap lead on Martínez and Inter Milan in the race for the Scudetto. In Europe, Osimhen and Napoli blitzed through their Champions League group that had Liverpool and Ajax. The only falter in that group was a loss at Anfield, 2-0. In European play, Osimhen added to his tally with a goal against Ajax. He did, however, miss half of those games with either injury or substitute status.</p>



<p>The Nigerian’s rise has pundits and coaches alike naming him among the top strikers in the world, not just Italy. Here is how he went from the Belgian Pro League to Serie A leader in just five years.</p>



<h5>Osimhen’s beginnings</h5>



<p>Victor Osimhen first made headlines with a magical 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup performance. The Ultimate Strikers Academy phenom won the Golden Boot when he scored ten goals and had two assists in seven matches. Nigeria trounced the likes of Croatia, the United States and mighty Brazil to win the tournament. Success at the U-17 World Cup earned Osimhen a deal with Wolfsburg. He began training with the first team not long after. </p>



<p>He did not see a lot of game time with Wolfsburg as they battled through relegation scares to stay afloat. In two years with the Germans, Osimhen made 15 total appearances and scored no goals. He moved on loan to Belgian side RSC Charleroi, where he earned both lots of minutes and goals. His 12 goals and 3 assists in 25 matches powered them to an eighth-place league finish. That output also attracted suitors across Europe.</p>



<p>“My confidence level [at Wolfsburg] was very low at some point, and what going out on loan to Charleroi has done for me is unexplainable,” Osimhen told <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46344657" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BBC Sport</a> while playing in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/belgian-pro-league-tv-schedule/">Jupiler Pro League</a>. “The football in Belgium has helped, I also have a wonderful group of players around me and the coaching crew have been great with me.”</p>



<p>After making the loan permanent in 2019, Osimhen packed his bags for LOSC Lille in a $24 million move, which was more than three times as profitable as Charleroi’s previous record departure.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Lille is a very good club that has a high quality project and attracts players with great class, even more so than ever before in recent years,” Osimhen said after replacing Rafael Leao from Milan. “I am very happy to be here and to join this great club called Lille. I am still very young, I am learning and I think that this project suits me perfectly to continue to progress.”</p>



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<p>Osimhen made an immediate impact after stepping foot on the Stade Pierre Mauroy. he scored four goals in his first three Ligue 1 matches. Despite the club’s mediocrity on the big stage with five losses in six Champions League games, Osimhen was a breath of fresh air. He ended the season with thirteen goals, fourth in Ligue 1. His performances, like Leao’s in the previous season, earned him a move to the Serie A.</p>



<h5>A Naples-made dream</h5>



<p>After beating Manchester United and Chelsea in the race for Osimhen, Napoli has put Osimhen to great use. Each season, the striker improves. His debut campaign brought a decent return of 10 goals in 2020/21. Then, he put out 13 in 2021/22. This season, he bested those with many games still to play. After 19 games, he has 18 goals and three assists. That is good for over a goal contribution per game in Serie A. He’s been key in his three-year tenure at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. He leads Napoli’s quests to challenge European action with one of Europe’s best front lines.</p>



<p>Despite stars like Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens status on the team, Osimhen was who Napoli went to for goals, and for good reason.</p>



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<p>“Osimhen is such a great striker. I am stunned by the potential he has and excited to see what he’ll do in future,” manager <a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/osimhens-a-great-striker-says-excited-spalletti/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luciano Spalletti told DAZN</a> after their 5-1 romp over Juventus. “There were these two or three balls down the touchline and he has the pace, the skill, the courage and physicality to deal with those situations. After all, he smashed his face a couple of times because he goes for every ball. He still has remarkable room for improvement.”</p>



<p>His highlights include a Europa League brace against Leicester, a hat-trick in Napoli’s win over Sassuolo and his two goals and assist in the 5-1 win.</p>



<h2>Explaining the dominance of Victor Osimhen</h2>



<p>Osimhen is not a dangerous dribbler like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. He is not an intrusive, space-creating winger like Matteo Politano. </p>



<p>Rather, Osimhen’s chief job is to lurk in the box and look for chances inside the box. It fits; he can score with both feet and his head. He can even be a playmaker inside the box. </p>



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<p>Wherever Osimhen has played, he has had good creators behind him, so he does not dribble nor fall deep to get the ball. But, we do know that his ability to make the right pass and create opportunities is there.</p>



<p>His frame is large at 6’1 and 165 pounds. Just visually, he towers over defenders, so it’s only natural Luciano Spalletti uses Osimhen as a traditional No. 9. Osimhen is dynamic, always moving, and although his chief priority is to make line-breaking runs past the last man, he often breaks loose to join wing-oriented attacks or drifts wide to create space.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That movement is why he has 80 total Serie A shots, 32 of which are on target. His current tally puts him on pace for a sensational, and potentially record-breaking, 36 league goals by the end of the campaign. It helps that Osimhen is clinical, athletic, confident, and intelligent with his positioning. That’s a combination that only a few top-tier strikers have.</p>



<p>Osimhen’s profile resembles that of Erling Haaland, Harry Kane or Dusan Vlahovic. All three are both big, burly, cut-throat strikers leading some of Europe’s storied teams. The similarities mean it’s no surprise that teams like United, Liverpool and Chelsea are pursuing the Nigerian attacker. Despite his skill and obvious goal-scoring ability, Osimhen likely won’t leave Napoli for a while. His contract expires in two years, but he is at the crux of something special in southern Italy. </p>



<h5>Osimhen’s future</h5>



<p>It seems like Napoli will run away with the Scudetto. <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FiveThirtyEight</a> estimates their odds of winning at 97%, by far the best among Europe’s top leagues. Napoli has one of its best chances at winning a continental trophy since Maradona’s time. With an exciting young core to build around, the Naples faithful will enjoy a dominant period already taking place.</p>



<p>As for Osimhen, he feels as elated as the Napoli fans to be a part of such a thriving fanbase. “Not even 100%, 1,001% per cent. I am at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, one of the best leagues in Europe,” <a href="https://www.pulse.ng/sports/football/super-eagles-star-victor-osimhen-speaks-on-his-future-amidst-manchester-united-links/7pyl6sm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">he said</a> to Nigerian outlet OmaSports on whether he wanted to stay or not. “This is the life I want to live.”</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Antonio Balasco</em>&nbsp;</p>


The dominance of Victor Osimhen is profound. He is lighting up Serie A at a blistering pace, and leading Napoli into the Champions League.

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