Paolo Maldini’s appointment as Italy’s technical director has generated positive reactions nationwide, with fans and Azzurri legends alike expressing confidence and excitement.

Italy’s football federation (FIGC) confirmed Maldini’s appointment on Saturday night, announcing that the ex-defender will be joined by Leonardo, who has been hired as an advisor.

Italy turned the World Cup into a TV event for the third consecutive time; meanwhile, MelBet Tanzania kept football fans entertained with a thrilling tournament, which has seen France, Spain, Argentina and England qualify for the semi-finals.

Italy were desperate to rebuild, and Maldini’s appointment marks the start of a new project that will see the Azzurri legend take on a commanding role.

Along with Leonardo, Maldini will identify the ideal candidate to coach the Italian national team. Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini are seen as the frontrunners, but other names are starting to emerge in the Italian media, even some intriguing ones like Pep Guardiola and Didier Deschamps.

While waiting for a new coach, the first big decision by the new FIGC President, Giovanni Malagò, has undoubtedly garnered significant approval.

Dino Zoff, who coached Maldini during Euro 2000, which the Azzurri lost in the Final to France, said: “Paolo has given so much for our football, to Milan in particular but also for the national team. He was also one of my players when I was in charge and I can’t forget his father Cesare either, who was Bearzot’s assistant when I won the World Cup in 1982.

“Maldini is a perfect appointment in terms of character, charisma and competence. I also understand the choice of Leonardo as an advisor. It’s right that a leader surrounds himself with people he trusts.”

A 1982 Italy World Cup winner, Zoff is confident Maldini will make a wise decision regarding the new Italy head coach: “Maldini has to be free to follow his beliefs, without external interference,” he said.

Zoff was echoed by ex-Milan star Alessandro Costacurta, who spent many years with Maldini and won numerous trophies at San Siro.

“This is great news for Italian football, because we have brought in one of the most illuminated and sincere people in the sport,” said the former defender.

“Malagò made the best possible choice. In fact, picking Maldini is perhaps more important than choosing the new coach.

Leonardo is more of a dreamer, a visionary, whereas Paolo is more practical, looks to his knowledge and instinct,” Costacurta concluded.

“The best thing about them is that they listen to each other, despite starting from different ideas, and always manage to find a common solution.”

Only one other nation has won more World Cups than Italy, and only two have appeared in more finals. But as the rest of the world has been captivated by football’s most prestigious international tournament going on in North America this summer, Azzurri fans have been excluded again, possibly taking a quick glance at the results to see which team has taken Italy’s place at the top table.

It is a painful reminder that Italy has not kicked a ball at a World Cup finals since losing to Uruguay in the last game of the group stage of the 2014 finals in Brazil. Three tournaments have now gone by without Azzurri representation. Ironically, in the meantime, Italy set the record for the longest unbeaten run in competitive men’s football. But even with continental success, an absence on the global stage still hurts.

Some of the best Italian players have been enjoying – or enduring – an extra-long holiday this summer, as their club teammates have strived to lift the most important trophy in the game. There are no easy passes in world football, and a successful past does not guarantee qualification for a World Cup. But a team like Italy should be playing at this summer’s finals. How can the Azzurri ensure that they can challenge again?

Not Good Enough

Before we go any further, it should be said that Italy has simply not been good enough to qualify for a World Cup in the last 12 years. Even with an expanded format that allowed 48 nations to go to North America, the Azzurri failed to do enough to either win their group or navigate what seemed a relatively straightforward playoff route.

It could be argued that Italy was unlucky to be grouped with a resurgent Norway that has proved just how powerful it is at this year’s finals. It is also unfortunate that the new qualification system allowed only the group winner to advance. But failing to get past both Northern Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs showed that the current Italy team is just not good enough.

Greater Intensity

One of the most dispiriting parts of watching Italy’s failures over the last few years has been the team’s inability to deal with opponents who seem to have adapted their style of play in ways the Azzurri haven’t. Tactical trends come and go, but Italy seem to be stuck relying on what has worked in the past.

Successful teams have shown over the last few seasons that an overreliance on ultra-possession-based football, typified by Pep Guardiola’s sides, can be a problem in itself. But failing to adapt at all has failed the Azzurri. Italy needs greater intensity – with and without the ball – and an overall increase in the speed of its play to improve against all opponents.

Trusting Young Talent

Unfortunately for Italy, turning the national team into one that can qualify and challenge at World Cups is not as simple as switching tactics on the pitch. There has to be a bigger change to how the national side plays, and trusting the young talent Italy produces would be a good start.

Although Serie A has a higher percentage of homegrown players than some other big leagues in Europe, this percentage is declining, and there remains reluctance to integrate Italian players into first-team squads. The knock-on effect is that they are then not playing for the Azzurri when they are young. Trusting these young players to perform is vital for a new-look Italy.

Infrastructure Reform

If we are talking about changing things away from the international field of play, it is also crucial that there is reform throughout Italy’s football infrastructure. It would help at the club level, strengthening the league and reclaiming its place as one of the very best in the world. But the FIGC is also in dire need of reform.

The good news is that there has been some change since Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for a third time in a row. But switching out establishment names for more establishment names will not work. More merit-based leadership is needed, with professional insight into the game needed from those who can contribute more from experience.

Getting Behind a New Man

At the time of writing, the identity of the new head coach of the Italy national team is still unknown. There are strong rumours that it will be Antonio Conte, although Roberto Mancini has been mentioned as a potential return to the role he vacated in 2023. There have even been calls for Pep Guardiola to be given the job.

There has never been a non-Italian head coach, although Helenio Herrera did help oversee the squad in the 1960s, and there probably isn’t any need to look elsewhere now. We need a coach with a more modern mindset. Then the nation as a whole needs to get behind whoever is appointed to provide a collective front.

Next Steps

We have seen in Serie A recently that new ideas can be successful. Cesc Fabregas may have been fortunate to have wealthy owners to provide him with the tools to turn Como into a top team, but it is his tactical changes that have transformed the club. The new Azzurri head coach must look at what has failed in the past and implement his own new ideas if Italy is to thrive.

The next step will then be the Nations League campaign at the end of this year. Türkiye, Belgium, and particularly France, will offer strict tests for the new head coach and his squad. But Italy mustn’t fall further behind the elite of world football now. Momentum can do wonders for a team, and some good results here can then inspire the Azzurri to do better in the future. Hopefully, that will ultimately result in qualification for the 2030 World Cup.

Juventus has been very active in the final days of June, especially in the Italian market.

The Bianconeri have secured two agreements in the last few hours, sending 21-year-old goalkeeper Giovanni Daffara to Parma on a permanent €6m deal and signing Jeff Ekhator in a €18m transfer from Genoa. The agreement for Ekhator also includes David Puczka’s transfer to Genoa.

Juventus are rebuilding their team after failing to qualify for the Champions League in 2025-26, and even in a transition period, the odds already indicate that the Bianconeri among the favourites to win the Europa League in 2026-27 and the offers on BestBettingSites.co.uk make placing a bet a no brainer.

Both Ekhator and Daffara recently received their first senior Italy call-up under caretaker coach Silvio Baldini.

Daffara did not make his debut against either Luxembourg or Greece, while Ekhator, 19, played his first international game at the senior level, starting against Greece.

Scorer of five goals in 57 games with Genoa, Ekhator already has considerable Serie A experience despite being still very young, and he can cover several roles in attack, from right and left winger to centre-forward.

It will be up to Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti to find the best position on the field for the promising Italian attacker.

Surely, Daniele De Rossi, the current Genoa coach and a former Roma player under Spalletti, is a big admirer of Ekhator as, this past April, he claimed: “Ekhator is growing before our eyes and is finally training like a true champion. Everyone has their own limits and timeline for reaching professional maturity, and he’s a young man who is well-liked by everyone. Physically, he possesses raw strength, outstanding agility and explosive power. It would be a serious mistake for a coach or a club to waste all that potential.

“He knows how to move, attack space, and make the most of his pace. What he needs now is consistency and stronger defensive tactical discipline. He’s working incredibly hard. In a few years, he’ll be worth tens and tens of millions of euros.”

Juventus remain on the lookout for another reinforcement in attack, especially after Dusan Vlahovic’s departure as a free agent at the end of his contract on June 30.

Multiple sources claim that PSG outcast Randal Kolo Muani remains the Bianconeri’s main target up front.

The Frenchman has now returned to Paris after a disappointing one-season loan spell at Tottenham, but has already scored 10 goals in 22 appearances at Juventus in 2024-25.

“Kolo is a possibility because the talk has gone on for a long time. You know there were previous difficulties, so we are rebuilding our rapport with PSG, but we also need the right and acceptable conditions,” Juventus director Giovanni Carnevali recently said.

“Concluding these talks is never easy. We have clear ideas, we know what we want to do and where we want to go.”

The 2026 World Cup is now entering its decisive phase. The quarter-finals are just around the corner, and several Serie A professionals remain in the hunt for the world title. But which Serie A players have the best chances with their respective national teams?

The tournament has already seen its fair share of surprises. Turkey, featuring Juve star Kenan Yıldız, was eliminated in the group stage, as were the Brazilians, who included Serie A players Éderson (Atalanta) and Bremer (Juve). Other major nations, such as Germany and the Netherlands, also had to head home early.

Now, the quarter-finals await. In the first half of the draw, France faces Morocco and Spain takes on Belgium, while in the second half, surprise package Norway meets England, and Argentina plays Switzerland. In total, 22 Serie A players remain in the competition—but which of them have the best shot at the title with their countries? Here is a look at the probabilities and betting odds.

The title underdogs featuring Serie A players

Belgium, Morocco, and Switzerland have already defied the odds in this tournament, managing to beat strong teams on their way to the quarter-finals. However, their chances of pulling off a sensational World Cup victory remain slim.

Belgium, boasting five players based in Serie A, faces reigning European champions Spain in the quarter-finals and could meet France in the semi-finals. These are two formidable opponents that will likely push the Belgian national team—currently in a period of transition—to its limits.

Belgium’s chance to win the World Cup

Odds: 34.00 at bet365 (reference date: 9th of July 2026)

Probability: 2,9%

Morocco is considered one of the tournament’s surprise packages, though the team undoubtedly possesses immense individual quality. Reaching the quarter-finals was a thoroughly deserved achievement, yet France might prove to be a step too far for this strong Moroccan side.

Morocco’s chance to win the World Cup

Odds: 34.00 at bet365 (reference date: 9th of July 2026)

Probability: 2,9%

Switzerland is certainly a team to watch, particularly given their collective unity and the presence of game-changing players like Johan Manzambi. However, he has recently been sidelined by injury, and the match against Colombia likely took a heavy physical toll. Ultimately, Argentina will likely prove an insurmountable hurdle, not least due to the excellent form of Lionel Messi.

Switzerland’s chance to win the World Cup

Odds: 34.00 at bet365 (reference date: 9th of July 2026)

Probability: 2,9%

Norway on the Rise

Norway and its fans are currently writing a minor footballing fairy tale and serving up the tournament’s biggest surprise. Off the pitch, Norwegian supporters have created an outstanding atmosphere in the streets and stadiums since the tournament began. An energy that seems to have translated onto the field as well.

Led by superstar Erling Haaland, the team has impressed so far with exciting attacking football and beautifully crafted goals. Consequently, their quarter-final opponents, England, should prepare to face a Scandinavian side playing with freedom and confidence, a squad that boasts no fewer than five Serie A players.

Norway’s chance to win the World Cup

Odds: 17.00 at bet365 (reference date: 9th of July 2026)

Probability: 5,9%

A Repeat of the 2022 World Cup Final?

The two major favourites for the title are, of course, France and Argentina. Even before the tournament began, these two nations were considered the top contenders for World Cup glory, and the French, in particular, have not put a foot wrong so far.

While Argentina struggled somewhat against Cape Verde and Egypt, France impressed against both Sweden and Paraguay, showcasing a variety of strengths. The French will now face Morocco in top form, likely followed by European champions Spain, before a potential rematch of the 2022 final.

Argentina’s chance to win the World Cup

Odds: 5.00 at bet365 (reference date: 9th of July 2026)

Probability: 20%

In the final, should the two teams meet head-to-head, it would be very difficult to pick a favourite. Both squads are packed with quality, and as seen in 2022, the outcome often hinges on form on the day. Nevertheless, both then and now, the French are considered the favourites to win the title, at least according to the bookmakers.

France’s chance to win the World Cup

Odds: 2.87 at bet365 (reference date: 9th of July 2026)

Probability: 34,8%

Note: This article was written in collaboration with the experts at MySportwetten.de/ch. All information regarding sports betting in Switzerland, as well as the current betting providers in the country, is listed there.

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