WCQ starts in another year so its not that far away. I envision a totally different group of players between now and then. Maybe the same core group of 5-6 players will remain the same but the rest will be different. Unless he retires from international duty, I have a feeling Buffon might still be there though.
Same here. I have a strong feeling Buffon might even go to the 2018 W.C. I'd say in 2018 Sirigu would likely start in the game but if we go to penalties, Buffon will be subbed on.
Italy win the 2018 world cup? hahahaha. Based on what exactly? Drawing every ********ing game scoring one goal when it doesn't finish 0-0? Get real.
Reaching final every 12 years, and every time an italian referee does the W.C. final he gives Italy the next world cup. Nicola Rizzoli did the Germany 1-0 Argentina final, isn't he italian?
Buffon is gona be the oldest world cup winner of all time I'm hoping! He'll beat dino zoff s record by a month!
why is it unrealistic to think that Italy can win the 2018 world cup? Perhaps you can give me a list of 5 other teams you would consider contenders ahead of us? One thing you should know if you are a fan of the game is that Italy step up and perform on the big stage when we're least expected to
Remember, if anything Italy do better with lower expectations. Italy had high expectations in 1966, 1978 and 1990 but did not win the World Cup, and they went into the 1982 and 2006 with lower than usual expectations and ended winning both World Cups.
low expectations for euro 2000 too....seconds away from winning it low expectations for euro 2012....made the final....and everything that went wrong did go wrong in that final it should be noted ill tell you one thing though....the "every 12 years a WC final " seems more in jeopardy than ever before of not happening.....but hey...maybe we do win
Every single tournament it's the same thing from many of you guys. '' Italy will win it. Italy does well when not expected to '' It's the same old crap. The last two years Italy has had shit results. There is nothing that we have seen to say they can win the world cup in 2018. Too many if's and can's. Not enough is.
Failing to beat Armenia and Portugal in games needed to be seeded are case in point. Going out in the first round in the last two world cups is poor. Not good enough. No way in hell based on that and what they're doing atm suggests they are a favourite for next year and in 2018. If. If Gabbiadini and Beradi step up for Italy, IF they even get played. If Verrati lives up to all the hype around him. De Sciglio and Darmian are good attacking wing backs. Candreva and Marchisio solid for Italy. They need lethal strikers which they havn't had since Vieri. In 2006 they won it from a team effort but that teams was locked full of talent from start to finish in all areas. Obviously not the case for this team. They are not proven, they only thing they have proved is they can't score goals and they struggle to get out of the group, if they even get out at all. 2008 and 2012 Euro's they needed the last game and results to go their way to qualify, 2010 and 14 gone in the first round. Even in 2006 when they won the world cup it came down to the last group game, granted a draw was all they needed. The 2000 Euro Italy had qualified after two games, something they had not done since 1990. Look at that game vs Portugal. Italy dominated the first 30 minutes and Portugal hardly got the ball, should have been two goals up. Italy has no cutting edge and goes behind 2 minutes after they hit the post. Even at Euro 2012 Italy played England off the park only to win on penalties. The game vs Germany in the semi's, could and should have finished 4 or 5 nil with Italy missing many one on one's. Italy can not score goals. Italy are going to win because of some ********en Italian ref doing the world cup final? give me a ********ing break. Besides, if you believe in streaks and trends, Italy would lose the world cup final in Russia, and win it in 2030.
Luca Toni shoulda had 4 or 5 goals in 06. Bar against Ghana and France unrightfully called offside. That's just on the top of my head
Vieri 5 goals in 98, 4 in 2002 Toni two goals in 2006, a grand total of 0 at the 2008 euros. I'm talking about a guy who can be a hitman at a major tournament and back it up the next. Balotelli nailed 3 in 2012, two in the one game. Apart from that did jack shit. What did he do two years later at the World Cup? Hence why I didn't mentioned balotelli.
Shoulda, once again, shoulda. Could, woulda, shoulda. He didn't. He scored two. Once again all you guys and your coulda , woulda, shoulda's.