The Italy squad and coach Luciano Spalletti arrived back in the Peninsula after their EURO 2024 failure and they were greeted with indifference rather than tomatoes.
There were fears that the Azzurri would be given the same greeting that the team famously received when returning from the 1966 World Cup after a shock defeat to North Korea, when they were pelted with tomatoes.
Instead, the fans this time chose to completely ignore the side and their tournament, which ended in the Round of 16 with a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland.
Following a press conference with Spalletti and FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, the group left the Iserlohn camp and flew back to Italy from Dortmund this evening.
They stopped off at Malpensa Airport in Milan to release the Inter players and others who live in the North of the country, before taking another flight to Rome.
In both airports, they were practically ignored by the public, with hardly anyone bothering to turn up and greet them, other than a few children who wanted selfies with the stars.
Buffon breaks silence for Italy
Only delegation chief Gigi Buffon spoke to the reporters.
“We were unable to take off the way we wanted and hoped. Now we look to qualifying for the World Cup, the absolute minimum requirement for Italy.
“We need to make convincing steps compared to recent years.”
Buffon was asked if this Italy squad lacks talent.
“I don’t think so.”
What? Buffon doesn’t think this team lacks talent! Wake up Nd stop drinking the kool-aid. Italian soccer needs significant change, especially developing real talent.
Precisely correct!
Italy developes talent for everyone else but not themselves? Is that why in the last 8 years they’ve consistently gone deep in youth tournaments. Developing talent is not the issue, using it when they come to club is. There’s an agenda afoot in Italy. 91 players given to 19 nations in the Euro.
The agenda is to stop training everyone else in the world. Spain has 60$ Spanish content. Italy 45% Italian. Germany 45% German
and is it no wonder other countries are catching up when being trained in the best leagues historically for developing top talent? No. It’s not.
Take Globalism out of sport.
Spalletti QUIT NOW
Buffon should have retired after 2012, instead he kept playing destroyed young goalkeepers we had & didn’t do anything in big tournaments
Nothing wrong with the players. This was 100% Spalletti coaching, you could see they looked lost and refused to attack
The mindset has to be changed.Italy should attack from the start and not after conceding a goal. Also, it is not possible for the defence to hold out for 90 minutes if the midfielders are not good defenders also.
There should be more aerial attacks. You cannot break strong defences by keeping the ball only on the ground.
Send first division team to the world cup Qualifed we have better resolts not those spoiled players 😜😂😜😂🇮🇹🇮🇹
@Fahad
That is your typical Italian mentality. They rather play a guy close to his 40s, than give a younger guy a chance.
Italy is not a country for the young.
Definitely a coach and supporting staff fail big time,
Lots of young talent
In under 17 and up.
Soccer ⚽ has changed need legs and brain.
Such talent in the squad, we failed purely because of the coach and his tactics, playing the fast ball big mistake!