Defending champions Italy have been knocked out of the tournament and will miss out on Euro 2024. They were comfortably beaten 0-2 by Switzerland at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, and it was disappointing that even in the final group game against Croatia, Luciano Spalletti's side failed to show the counter-attacking ability they deserved.
The defeat sparked widespread criticism, with former England striker Gary Lineker bluntly saying in an interview with BBC One: "I've never seen an Italian team worse than this in my life. This assessment has undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to the Italian football community.
Looking back at history, Italian football has written a glorious chapter here. In 2006, they beat France on penalties here to lift the World Cup trophy for the fourth time. Three years ago, the Azzurri won their third European Championship title by beating England on penalties at Wembley Stadium. However, the team today looks so weak that it stands in stark contrast to the glory of the past.
The Italian squad had plenty of talented players, but they lacked personality and fighting spirit against Switzerland. They failed to show Andrea Pirlo's prowess, nor did they replicate the cunning of Marco Materazzi, nor did they replicate the sharp wit of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
Of the starting line-up that beat England in 2021, only a handful of players such as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nicolò Barella and Federico Chiesa continued under Spalletti. The change is incredible, as former England captain Alan Shearer said: "It's unbelievable from three years ago until now. ”
Spalletti, the coach who coached Napoli and helped the team win their first Serie A title since 1990, is now facing huge doubts. He was supposed to enjoy his time off and spend some quiet time on a farm in Tuscany, but due to Roberto Mancini's resignation, he had to end his leave early to take charge of the national team. However, he failed to replicate Napoli's success in the national team, with the Italian team looking weak under his leadership.
In his post-match interview, Spalletti admitted that the team lacked in terms of intensity. "We didn't play very well, we didn't keep up the high intensity," he admitted. He also pointed out that the team also looked weak defensively due to the lack of pace at the back.
On his future, Spalletti said: "It's a natural question, but it doesn't change anything for me. "He admits that he picked the players and is responsible for them. However, he also complained that he spent too little time with his players because of injuries to some players, and Inter Milan won the title in April, which also affected the form of the players to some extent.
Despite Spalletti's attempts to justify his team's defeat, the facts are here: Italy are out of the squad for Euro 2024. After this loss, he faced a lot of pressure and challenges. However, the experienced coach does not seem to be swayed by these and has stated that he will continue to work hard and fight for the future of Italian football.