Three and a half years ago, no one would have imagined such a beautiful and starring Italy in the Euro. The apocalyptic failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup was the lowest point in the history of the Nazionale, but the arrival of Roberto Mancini totally changed the landscape. From the ashes of that failure to the illusion of this semi-final, the road has been long, but the coach always had clear ideas. Now he is reaping some well-deserved fruits and the FIGC extended his contract until 2026. There is Mancini for a while.
Identity. The new Italy, after the disasters with Ventura, wanted to have a quickly defined identity. Mancini worked steadily on 4-3-3 and was never lost. For this reason, as happened against Wales, his team works the same also if there are eight changes in the eleven. Ideas are worth more than proper names.
Group. La Azzurra works because its players believe in the project and support each other. Immobile and Belotti compete for the same position, but they cheer and hug each time the other scores. Insigne and Bernardeschi, rivals with Napoli and Juve, often appear singing and dancing together on social media.
What's new?. Mancini called up 77 players in three years, using 67. He looked for new faces and did not hesitate to call Zaniolo when he had not yet made his debut in Serie A, causing a stir. Talent, ahead of everything.
Delusion. Bonucci declared to As that before going with Italy was almost a burden, and now a fun. Mancini often repeats this concept: his players must have fun, on and off the pitch. He put each one in his place, looking for a way to get the best version of each footballer, and he is succeeding.
Defending. Italy has already forgotten about catenaccio, but not about defending well: it just does it differently. Press very high, accept man-to-man duels, work with enormous intensity. The results are the best of all time: this group has added 1,168 minutes without conceding goals, beating Zoff's record, which was the best record in the world at the national level. Almost nothing.
Attack. Mancini's offensive philosophy is reflected in the statistics. His team has scored 90 goals in 37 games, an average of 2.43 per game, the best in the history of the Nazionale. The scorers were 30 (only the legendary Pozzo had more, 53) and this number confirms that the Italians have many solutions to get to do damage. Italy had never scored three goals in a Euro Cup match. In this one, he did it twice.
Meritocracy. The best play with Mancini, there are no doubts or controversies. The coach had the courage to leave Chiesa, Juve's key man, on the bench, betting on Berardi, who agreed with him with great performances in the group stage. And when it was necessary, as before Belgium, the hierarchy changed. In this Euro everyone took the field, except the third goalkeeper Meret. Every player knows that his opportunity may come.