Andrea Pirlo insists Italian football ‘is not sick’ despite the national team’s current issues.
Giampiero Ventura’s side have attracted heavy criticism for Friday night’s home draw with Macedonia.
It was a result that leaves the Azzurri needing to win a two-legged play-off if they are to qualify for next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
And New York City FC midfielder Pirlo, part of Marcello Lippi’s 2006 World Cup winning squad, admitted it would be ‘disastrous’ if Italy failed to make the tournament.
Andrea Pirlo insists Italian football ‘is not sick’ despite the national team’s current issues.
Giampiero Ventura’s side have attracted heavy criticism for Friday night’s home draw with Macedonia.
It was a result that leaves the Azzurri needing to win a two-legged play-off if they are to qualify for next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
And New York City FC midfielder Pirlo, part of Marcello Lippi’s 2006 World Cup winning squad, admitted it would be ‘disastrous’ if Italy failed to make the tournament.
“Unfortunately it was quite bad,” Pirlo, who also revealed his plans to retire at the end of the Major League Soccer season, said of Friday’s match.
“It was important to get a result and you could feel the tension.
“In the end, it was a match full of confusion and with not many ideas.
“It [failure to qualify] would definitely be a disaster for the development of the national team.
“But there are still the play-offs, hopefully things can sort themselves out.”
Despite the current negativity surrounding the Azzurri, Pirlo insists things are not all bad in Italian football.
“Italian football is not sick. It’s true that we have had two bad exits from the World Cup, but in the middle we had two great Euro campaigns with a final and a good showing in France.
“With a little more luck, we could have gone right to the end in France.
“There is currently a changing of the guard that happened with Germany, Franceand Spain as well.
“Once it’s over, you will have a more prolific period and start winning again.”
Pirlo pointed to Italy’s current crop of promising young players as evidence that the national team will come good once more.
“Other than Insigne and Verratti who are already mature now, among the top prospects I would put Belotti, Bernardeschi, Rugani, Caldera, Conti and Gagliardini.
“Having the new Totti or Del Piero will not be easy. It will need time and we have to hope that these boys, little by little, will become champions.”
The former Juventus and Milan midfielder added that Mario Balotelli could earn an Azzurri recall if he keeps impressing for Nice.
“It depends on him. If he scores, as he is doing now, he definitely has a chance of coming back.
“But those are decisions for the Coach to make.”