Since the beginning of time Italy has always been known as the shrine of anything regarding art, elegance and the finer things in life. With football the story doesn’t really stray away that far in this case as well. Italian football has always been known by soccer betting experts as an elegant, serious and yet valiant and passionate way of practicing the sport.Â
With a focus more along the lines of having strong and sober defensive lines, silent but deadly midfielders and ultra-effective attackers Italy has shined through different eras of modern football but has also gone through some dark times. Nowadays Italy is living a renaissance of sorts and is looking like their best version in ages. Playing with a focus on offensive, fresh football and leaving their defensive mindsets aside, the Italian national team is making waves as a formidable force to be reckoned with in modern football. As Qatar 2022 awaits as the next big football tournament, why is Italy looking better and better as time progresses?
Roberto Mancini, The Captain of this Ship
The heads in charge of Italian football understood that a change needed to be made if they wanted their national team to be a respected and successful squad once again. At the start of the list of the changes that needed to be made was the head coaching position. It’s not hard to understand that football nowadays is played with a more offensive driven mindset than before, where yes, a strong defense is always applauded and enjoyed but versatility has become key. Italy saw this and they knew who they had to call, Roberto Mancini.Â
Mancini might not be known to be the most offensive driven manager in the world, especially given the fact that he is known for being a firm believer that all his teams need to understand how to play football starting from the back and onwards. That though hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of Italy’s and Europe’s most prolific and victorious coaches. Keep in mind, this is the man who was able to make Manchester City champions of the Premier League for the first time in decades. Mancini’s work with Italy has proven to be exactly what this team needed with a tactical order that is enviable as well as making Italy, yes Italy an attractive, goal scoring machine of a team. Mancini is also credited for starting and continuing a much needed generational change in the Italian squad bringing in players like Nicolo Barella, Sandro Tonali and Federico Chiesa amongst others.
Italy Has Become Scary and Scary Good Once Again
If there’s one thing that all football fans notice whenever Italy plays it’s the passion that the players have when donning the blue Italian shirt. They show it off from the get go, from when they sing the national anthems all the way to the end of the game. It seems like that old fighting flame and passion that had sort of been lost in time for a while is back again and it’s only getting stronger and stronger as time goes by. Led by the likes of players like Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci on defense, Marco Verrati and Jorginho in the midfield and Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne in attack, this team is full of natural born leaders who have taken the younger generation of players under their wings to show them what Italian pride is all about.Â
This team is one that does not understand the nature of losing any ball disputes and that always has gas in their tanks for however long they may be needed. They have an air to them that makes them a perfect mix of mid 90’s Italy and their 2006 World Cup winning squad.
They Are Nowhere Close To Being Done
This team has poise, talent and drive for days, months and years to come. The injection of youth and energy that the team’s young and up and coming stars have brought has been the exact fresh air that was needed to move forward and succeed. While there are teams who could fear the idea of having to let go of some of their top veterans, Italy seems totally ready for any challenges that might come their way with at least two or three very good suitors for each position on the field ready to give it their all. If this doesn’t spell like a perfect solution towards thinking of Qatar 2022, it’s hard to think of another one.