Yeah well it goes in cycles. The Superga tragedy I believe hindered the Italian national team for at least 13 years. Italy won 4 World Cups , came in 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. in 72 years beating Germany along the way. They won the European Cup once, came in second twice , third once and 4th place when they hosted the tournament. I just don't subscribe to this all out German superiority. When the FIGC and the clubs in Serie A all get their act together, I guarantee Italy and the Italian players will be protagonists and on top once again. Its not a matter of if but when they will finally decide to do it.
Come on, don't pretend you didn't just learn about it, lol and why not? Our kids dominated yours, so what's your issue? We failed to Spain but that was more idiotic 4-2-4 from Di Biagio who moved away from the lineup that made your team's knees shiver. It's just more reason for you to have fear, which is palpable in here
Ugh, honestly I don't even know which players the coaches prefer with their B and C teams. I won't bother as of now, but will when we have a clearer idea. Like when I see how Mancini does.
I still keep coming back to this. From 1934 until 2013, Italy has 14 positive results or what is on average, a successful tournament every 5.6 years. So Italy hasn't done much lately but they will be back. I'm sure of it. 1934 , 1938 , WC Champions 1968 Euro Champions 1970 WC Runners-up, 1978 WC Fourth Place, 1980 Euro Fourth Place 1982 WC Champions 1988 Euro Semi Final Champions 1990 WC Third Place 1994 WC Runners-up 2000 Euro Runners-up 2006 WC Champions 2012 Euro Runners-up 2013 Confed Cup Third Place
No one in their right mind is disputing that current Germany > than current Italy though, which makes Racchione's insecurities so very weird and bizarre.
I mean...it might be just that for all intents and purposes. Italy won the WC in 34 and 38 and the Olympic gold when pros competed in 36.....Then were mediocre from 1950 ( although the Superga Air disaster didn't help by losing Grande Torino ) ....We didn't qualify against N.Ireland in 1958 for the WC and didn't win another major trophy until the Euro Cup in 68. That's 30 years between a major trophy. And although we had good performances in WC 70 placing 2nd and WC 78 placing 4th we didn't win another WC until 82 when no one was expected us to. That's 44 years in between WC wins. The longest drought record between wins at the moment , but it still showed Italy is capable of winning a WC in 2 entirely different generations and maybe even 3 if you include WC 06. Something even Uruguay, even after getting competitive again , has yet to win again since 1950. England also have yet win again ( anything ) since WC 66. Teams that have completely faded off the map include Czechoslovakia ( or now the Czech Rep... to a point ) , Hungary , Yugoslavia and it's successor Croatia ( even though they are always pegged as dark horses ever since 98??? ) and the Soviet Union and it's successor Russia. No one pegged Germany to beat Hungary in WC 54 and it was a major upset. They barely got out of the group phase after a playoff , at home , to Turkey who had the the better GD but GD wasn't used at the time. After that 54 upset Germany wasn't a true force on the international level until the early 70's when they won Euro 72 and WC 74 and runner's up Euro 76 and winners Euro 80.....and I could go on and on about their consistent good performances because they were pretty consistent up until the 90's but even " German efficiency " took a bit of a plunge for a bit after Euro 96......So they had a " cycle " for lack of a better term. No one here would question Germany has a great record when it comes to consistency , especially compared to Italy. Brazil went 24 years in between WC wins......Argentina since 86 still hasn't won again. But in the end consistency doesn't really matter fvck all. What matters most in the end is how many trophies are in the cabinet. So if you have a good team and make it to the dance ( qualifying for the slow people here ) then winning the tournament is ultimately what matters most. Italy failed to qualify for the first time in 50 years , perhaps it's the fire they need under their asses right now. Does it suck? Yes. But perhaps it was necessary. Note that I'm more than aware today is a different age of football but as I stated earlier if Italy can win in 3 different generations and do well in 3 different generations then I'm more than sure they can learn how to win again in another. It's the enigma that will always be Italy.
Falvo Italy was 4th in Euro 80 ( not the WC ) in case you wanted to change that.....Just in case haha...Not a big deal though.
Thanks! I re-edited it. I remember it well. Fulvio Collovati , in the tie breaker was the 9th kicker and he missed his pk against Czechoslovakia. It was the third place game in Napoli and Italy lost 9-8 on pk's. Italy made 4th place for the Euro tournament they hosted....
You realize our entire A-team for the u-21s were playing in the confederations cup...which they also won. You can make excuses and blame your coach for why you couldn’t beat Spain but it’s not always the coach. You guys are literally doing the same thing now that you didn’t qualify for the WC.
Newsflash, coaches actually do matter. Why do you think your team was so scared enough to move from your preferred and never changing 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 just to counter a depleted Italy in the Euro? A game that your world cup champions managed to all but almost choke away. It's because of fear. Same kind of fear you are showing in here really. Could be a DNA thing or something, who knows? Just one of those things, right? Anyway that's a simple example where your coach makes tactical adjustments to avoid another embarrassment, and it sort of made a difference, just not enough for you guys to win the game, that's all. You know, and this might come as a surprise to you, soccer is not just 11 guys running around chasing a ball. Just FYI. And anyway, it's pretty obvious you don't really believe any of what you write to be true. I wouldn't be so ashamed of your history with us if I were you. You manage to avoid us when you need to win something after all. I'm not actually worried or crying about the coach in the Spain game. He paid the price for it with a suicidal formation. We would have faced you guys again, after all and most likely the result would have been the same, and you know it. Just saying.
When it comes to national teams, population of country and GDP matter. Italy has over 60 million people. Germany, Italy, France, England, Spain will always be notches ahead of other UEFA teams. So it's just a poor cycle IMO (or well couple of cycles). We'll be back.
At the end of the day we won the tournament with our B squad and you didn’t. I don’t know anything about your U21s but a better coach would not have made you guys World Cup contenders. Your players are simply not good enough.
I think you're finally starting to understand. And don't feel too bad that your best 11 couldn't beat our worst. Somethings just are.
Yeah. I'll get it done like during the League of Nations. But remind me close to that time so I don't forget.
Yeah but was it a legit win? I mean busted doping and all that. I can't really take it seriously. While we're at it, might as well make a probe into the shenanigans at WC 90 too. The two red cards, one illegitimate to weaken the poor Argentinians. Then a dive to beat them kind of traint that one too, don't you think?
Youth tournaments are overrated. Other than a 3rd place finish in the 2017 U 20 tournament. for as long as I remember, Italy never did much in the youth World Cups. Aside from maybe Brazil , I seriously don't believe there is much of a correlation between the senior and youth national teams.
Pretty sure we advanced and you didn’t. Seems to be a pattern. World cups, euros,u-21s, qualifying... Does it hurt knowing Germany are oretty much at the top of everything right now while you guys can’t score against Sweden?
Yeah , kinda sad that Germany couldn't break through in open play against a depleted and mundane Argentinian team that crawled into that ugly final. If not for Zenga's mishap in the semis , well , I'm sure you can fill in the rest after...............Fvck this kid should be grateful instead of talking shit. And very strange officiating for such a physical final on both ends. Argentina already heavily depleted due to injury and suspension gets 2 more players red carded in the final ( one yellow before the final red was given 5 min in ) and a last minute controversial penalty against to decide a WC final. I think all Germany was handed was a single yellow , although to be fair they should have had a few more imo. As for 1954 the doc claimed it was Vitamin C...No No the players said it was glucose......Who knew Vitamin C and Glucose can also be considered Meth back then?
I doubt it. We have a roster of world class talent while you have 1 or 2 guys. There is a reason why we’re the worlds best and you guys are not even in the World Cup.
This documentary helps explain when the German inferiority complex started and how pathetic they actually are. http://www.espn.com/30for30/film?page=mysteriesoftherimettrophy When the Nazis showed up at the door of Ottorino Barassi, where the Jules Rimet trophy had been hidden away under a bed for safekeeping, it wasn't just the trophy they wanted. They were trying to reclaim their pride and a bitter defeat at the 1938 World Cup, where they felt their victory was stolen. What ensued was a riveting adventure through an increasingly war-torn Italy, one that reveals the legend, mystery and mythology surrounding the one of the greatest trophies of all sports. It's a story about nationalism and identity, pursuit and escape, good and evil. It exposes the profound and powerful impact of sports, the implications of pride, and the human emotion tied up in this one very unique trophy.
Germany is good but not that good, tied with England, France and Spain, lost to Brazil in the last 4 matches. For such a "world class" team you should be able to dominate.