""They are a really funny one. Obviously, on paper, they're still a very good team and definitely towards the top end of teams at the World Cup. They've got a fairly good manager in [Gennaro] Gattuso and they've got a good spine of the team," Caesars Sportsbook soccer lead Mark Bickerdike told ESPN."
""Their recent World Cup history has been very checkered. They didn't qualify for the last two, and then in 2010 and 2014, they didn't make it through the group stages. So definitely their recent history has been quite troubled, I guess, after winning it in 2006.""
""They're a top-15 team in the world, in my opinion, it's fair given who's on the roster," said BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee."
Italy, a historically successful soccer nation with four World Cup titles, currently faces challenges as they have not qualified for the World Cup for three consecutive cycles. To secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup, they must defeat Northern Ireland and either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA playoffs. Despite their strong roster and favorable odds, Italy's recent World Cup history has been troubled, raising questions about their current ranking among other teams.
Read at ESPN.com
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