Summer mercato thread 2025-26 (435 Viewers)

Aug 30, 2002
61,777
No offense but meritocracy is bs as well. A lot of groups have no competition and easy qualifiers so let’s not be fooled
And those are exactly kinda groups Italy got. Our pls tell me these are tough groups?

2026 qualifier group:
Norway
Israel
Italy
Estonia
Moldova


2022:
Swiss
Italy
Northern Ireland
Bulgaria
Lithuania


2018
Spain
Italy
Israel
Albanian
Macedonia
Lichtenstein



2014
Italy
Denmark
Czech
Bulgaria
Armenia
Malta



Spain only challenging matchup on paper. So failing at all these (so far, right now they risk losing spot to Israel? Ffs) except the last group 11 years ago, is massive failure. Mid level opponents at best.
 

Buy on AliExpress.com
Feb 12, 2006
69,515
It’s not the same thing bro. Once again. Europeans go through tough groups and rough competition. A lot of the rest of the world USA included compete against shit

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Strong how ? Let me know which one of those teams is anywhere near the top 50
Europeans only go through a group that's tough on their level just as South Korea have to do the same with the Asian countries and so forth... otherwise whats the point calling it the world cup?

Can't just say you know what, Italy were too shit to qualify from their own qualifying group, but lets just remove some weak team from Asia to accomodate. Makes a mockery of the whole idea of even qualifying.
 

X Æ A-12

Senior Member
Contributor
Sep 4, 2006
88,237
WC without Italy means nothing, I'd drop one of Asia teams and give that spot to Azzurri.
If it were the Italy of 2002 then yea I would say its a shame to not have a team like that in the tournament but what is there to mourn about not having the current italy team at a World Cup? They're dogshit with barely an interesting player
 

Siamak

╭∩╮( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)╭∩╮
Aug 13, 2013
19,150
It’s not the same thing bro. Once again. Europeans go through tough groups and rough competition. A lot of the rest of the world USA included compete against shit

- - - Updated - - -


Strong how ? Let me know which one of those teams is anywhere near the top 50
I refer you to previous World Cups and Japan, Korea and Australia advanced from their group stage. Also Iran had chance but was not lucky or something.
 
Feb 12, 2006
69,515
Put it this way, if Italy or whoever don't qualify for any major tournament i have fuck all sympathy for them, I'd sooner see someone like Uzbekistan at a world cup providing they qualified through their normal route, than to have to watch another nation that didn't qualify, regardless of their history in the competition.
 

AndreaCristiano

Nato, Vive, e muore Italiano
Jun 9, 2011
19,454
And those are exactly kinda groups Italy got. Our pls tell me these are tough groups?

2026 qualifier group:
Norway
Israel
Italy
Estonia
Moldova


2022:
Swiss
Italy
Northern Ireland
Bulgaria
Lithuania


2018
Spain
Italy
Israel
Albanian
Macedonia
Lichtenstein



2014
Italy
Denmark
Czech
Bulgaria
Armenia
Malta



Spain only challenging matchup on paper. So failing at all these (so far, right now they risk losing spot to Israel? Ffs) except the last group 11 years ago, is massive failure. Mid level opponents at best.
Now compare those to the US or Japan or Iraq
 
Aug 30, 2002
61,777
If it were the Italy of 2002 then yea I would say its a shame to not have a team like that in the tournament but what is there to mourn about not having the current italy team at a World Cup? They're dogshit with barely an interesting player
Visual aid to help with his point, who's gonna miss this in WC if they miss it? (The team that lost 3-0 to Norway last game)

Screenshot_20250717_131619_FotMob.jpg
 

AndreaCristiano

Nato, Vive, e muore Italiano
Jun 9, 2011
19,454
I refer you to previous World Cups and Japan, Korea and Australia advanced from their group stage. Also Iran had chance but was not lucky or something.
Once again it’s the group competition so if they are let’s say ranked 55 and the rest of the competition in said group is in the 100s of course they will qualify
 
Aug 30, 2002
61,777
Now compare those to the US or Japan or Iraq

Why should I? Europe gets like 50% of the spots in the World Cup. If you can't make it from these meagre groups in expanded format that gave you more spots. Then you have no bussiness being there.


You seem to think it's the best of Europe kicking Italy out every time lol, last time for 2022 qfs it was choking vs: Bulgaria and North Ireland.


2018 it was Swiss, Macedonia (LOL)


And right now it's Norway (not even Sweden has issues with them) and the frigging Israelis. Not suprised if they lose pts to a minor nation again in this group too.


So again, Italy need to be quiet, zip it, and focus on actually doing their talking on the pitch. Against SMALL NATIONS.
 

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