Source: Men in Blazers — Italy on the Brink and Ireland's Glorious Run: World Cup Playoff Preview presented by Christopher Ward 03/25/26
Duration: 43 min
Italy's World Cup qualification pressure
The biggest opponent the national team faces isn't Northern Ireland, it isn't Wales or Bosnia, it's themselves. It's the fear of not making it.
Italy manager change
Luciano Spalletti essentially sacked himself days after the defeat to Norway. I've never seen this before. In a press conference said, 'Yes, this is my last game.'
Italy vs Northern Ireland venue selection
The Italian Football Federation is kind of indirectly paying the Northern Irish. They are going to play this game in Bergamo, not at San Siro, not at the Stadio Olimpico. They're going to play it in a smaller stadium because the Italian national team can't handle the idea that if they misplace a couple of passes, the crowd starts to boo.
Wales vs Bosnia-Herzegovina tensions
One of the Bosnian midfielders has alleged that Steve Cooper, who's manager at Brøndby, has left him out of the team because Steve Cooper wants Wales to beat Bosnia.
Italian football youth development
In Italian youth football, the people who want to win the most are the coaches, because they know that that's what Italy produces. They produce coaches... the youth system is set up for coaches and not for players.
Italy's impact on World Cup 2026
I think the world cup needs Italy. I really think it would be improved by having the Italians there. The group that they go into, I think it would lend that group alone quite a lot of glamour.
Republic of Ireland World Cup qualification
There is something about Ireland, a gathering momentum, that I think will carry them through.
Intercontinental playoff analysis
Suriname, similar to DRC, have lent into the fact that they can call on players of Suriname's ancestry in the Netherlands... I would say that Suriname have a stronger squad than Bolivia.
Kosovo player analysis
Zegrova is just like this maverick socks-down talent who no coach can really trust because he just gives the ball away because he's just so damn daring with it all the time.
Sweden national team
The golden rule of all World Cups is that Sweden are never very interesting.
