Italy

We Joked, But The U.S. May Actually Host A Tournament Of World Cup Rejects

We joked about it a month ago, the idea of the U.S. hosting a summer tournament full of all the nations who were too cool to actually qualify for the World Cup. Turns out, U.S. Soccer is actually looking into doing just that. 

Is This The Death Of Italian Football As We Know It?

People have started to write the obituaries for Italian football.

Italy is a young nation. It has old cities, even older cultures. But, as a country, it was only unified in 1861. That’s only slightly older than the form of codified football we know today. It should be no surprise that Italy has traditionally been so close to football: it’s simply a question of historical proximity.

Dominoes Already Falling For Italy After World Cup Failure

This is the official end of an era for the Italy national team. After a 0-0 draw with Sweden on Monday, combined with a 1-0 defeat on Friday, Italy will not be at the 2018 World Cup, ending a run of 14 straight World Cup appearances. The dominoes are already falling in the aftermath of the Azzurri failing to qualify.

Watch Gianluigi Buffon Show True Sportsmanship Before Facing Sweden

We get it. When things are not going our way, soccer and any other sport can bring out some nasty stuff. This was made disgracefully evident by the 80,000 Italian fans that attended San Siro and whistled during the entirety of Sweden’s national anthem.

However, and this is what we value most in soccer, the beautiful game can also bring out the very best in us as human beings. 

Italy Fails To Score, Will Miss The World Cup For The First Time Since 1958

If misery does indeed love company, Americans are going to love this: Italy has failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958. After a 1-0 home win on Friday, Sweden held Italy to a 0-0 draw in Milan to defeat the Italians in their UEFA World Cup qualifying playoff on Monday.

The Bizarre Story Behind The Last Time Italy Missed The World Cup, 60 Years Ago

Following a 1-0 defeat to Sweden on Friday, Italy is on the brink of failing to qualify for the World Cup for just the second time in the national team’s history. Italy must rebound in the return leg on Monday in Milan if the Azzurri want to reach a 19th World Cup. 

Italian Apocalypse Looms Following Shock First Leg Defeat To Sweden

Sweden registered a famous 1-0 victory over Italy in their World Cup qualifying playoff first leg in Stockholm thanks to a deflected effort from substitute Jakob Johansson. The return leg is on Monday in Milan with Italy’s hopes of a 19th World Cup appearance in serious jeopardy. 

Johansson’s 61st minute strike was vital, but Sweden’s ability to successfully keep Italy off the scoresheet was just as big. An away goal in Milan would almost certainly be enough to send Sweden through, and this Swedish side has enough talent to go toe-to-toe with the four-time world champions.

Serie A Club With Witch On Crest Blames Witches For Poor Form

Benevento, promoted to Serie A following last season, is experiencing an historic run of bad form. Following a 2-1 defeat to Juventus, the club has lost all 12 of its Serie A matches, a feat not equaled in top-flight European football since Manchester United lost 12 straight to start the 1929-30 campaign. That was 88 years ago, the year Benevento Calcio was originally founded.

Without A Doubt, Serie A Is The Most Exciting League In Europe

This season, Serie A has been about the top teams beating the bottom teams every week. The five best teams have racked up a huge number of points. So far, Napoli and Inter are unbeaten, while Juventus have only lost one game. Two points separate the top three teams, five points separate the top five. 

Previews And Predictions For The Gut-Wrenching UEFA World Cup Playoffs

Between November 9 and November 14, the complete European field for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia will be decided over the course of eight gut-wrenching playoff ties. The two-legged affairs will mark the final cuts in a qualifying marathon that began with 54 hopefuls back on September 4, 2016, and will end with 14 European nations vying for glory next summer.

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