ROME, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 25: Italy’s Alessandro Romano competes for the ball with Brandon Mechele during the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League group stage match between Italy and Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico on September 25, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rossi/Getty Images)
The Italian national team has begun a new era after losing to Belgium at home, and the Italian media has not been kind to Roberto Mancini or the Italian national team. federation of nations Friday night.
The Italian national team were met with a round of boos at a half-empty Stadio Olimpico after goals from Mika Goetz and Dodi Luxbacchio, before losing 2-0 to Mark van Bommel’s side.
The result leaves the Azzurri at the bottom of the Nations League group after the first round of games, with games against Türkiye, France and Türkiye again in the next two weeks.
How did the Italian media react after Italy 0-2 Belgium?
The post-match coverage on Saturday morning did not go well for Mancini or the national team.
Many believe the Azzurri are “stuck in Zenica”, referring to the World Cup play-off final defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of March this year under Gattuso.
Gazzetta dello Sport wrote that Mancini’s Italy team was “dirtier and uglier” than before. They acknowledged Belgium’s performance that night, but that they were made even better by Italy’s shortcomings.
The Pink Book accused the Azzurri of lacking character, being tactically unprepared and making too many mistakes that directly led to goals, noting: “Italy were confused, frightened, lacking ideas, confused by Belgium without really reacting.”
Corriere dello Sport Agreeing that Italy “came back from Zenica but stayed there for the entire first half” they were “worried, scared and paralyzed in the face of another defeat”.
Although this was supposed to be the beginning of a new era, Corriere dello Sport wrote: “We can pretend it’s just water under the bridge, but in reality, [the ghosts] Still there. “
All sports reportsMeanwhile, he feels only two Italian players deserved any honors in the defeat to Belgium, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who prevented the scoreline from getting worse, and winger Nicolo Cambiaghi, who created some of the smallest chances for Italy on the night.
press wrote that this was “not shocking” and agreed that Italy “seems to still be in Zenica” and that the new cycle “started in the worst possible way”.
La Stampa was heavily critical of some of Italy’s senior players including Sandro Tonali, Nicolo Barella, Gianluca Mancini and Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
La Repubblica agreed that Belgium had the advantage that night, but Mancini’s team still expected more. They noted that the first half was “an absolute disaster” with repeated errors making the Azzurri look like “newbies”.