The size of the task Roberto Mancini had to deal with was unprecedented in Italian football. The national team had just failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and were labelled the worst ever team. Change was required.
He overhauled the squad and, most importantly, the playing style. The stereotypical approach of Italy is to expect defensive football with clean sheets - catenaccio. The FIGC realised Italy had to go in a new direction.
At their national headquarters at Coverciano, the federation detailed the new era and the values Italian football must play with. The abbreviation is CARP: Costruzione (build-up play), Ampiezza (width), Rifinitura (approach play between the lines and in the final third) and Profondita (space in behind). This is an attacking mindset not typically associated with the national team.
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| Roberto Mancini has spearheaded a footballing revolution in Italy. Photo by Biser Todorov. |
Italy have stood out from the crowd at Euro 2020. Their fluid 4-3-3 is unlike how any other team has played. The full-backs overlap and look to attack at every opportunity. Roma's Leonardo Spinazzola has been the player of the tournament. He offers width of the left-side but as a right footer, will pick up positions inside the pitch near the opposition's penalty area.
The system clearly works with Italy unbeaten in 33 matches. The quality of opposition varies greatly in international football but Mancini can only play what is in front of him. Before Austria scored in the last 16 tie, Italy had not conceded for 11 matches. Centre-backs Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci love the art of defending.
Mancini's favoured midfield trio of Jorginho, Marco Veratti and Nicolo Barrella are all technically-gifted players. They are comfortable on the ball which allows Italy to control matches. All players are at ease in possession, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
All three wins in the group stage showcased Italy's impressive style. They still have that battling quality all great sides do. Against Austria, Italy had to win the game in extra time. Spain had over 70% possession and double the number of shots but Mancini's men still progressed on penalties.
Playing attacking football at major tournament over the past decade has not resulted in trophies. England symbolise that trend. In qualification, England scored 37 goals but from March onwards, Gareth Southgate has looked to play a different way.
Spain's treble winning side used possession to bore and tire the opposition. Jogi Low tweaked Germany from being a pressing side to hitting teams on the counter-attack to cope with the temperature in Brazil. Portugal and France have won European and World titles playing cautious, reactive football. Southgate has looked to this model to win.
He has picked his team with defensive solidity in mind. Luke Shaw over Ben Chilwell, a more attacking left-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold may not have played due to doubts over his defensive qualities. Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice, two natural defensive midfielders, have played in midfield. Bukayo Saka has been preferred to Jadon Sancho as he provides more protection to the full-back.
Despite the clamour for more attacking football, to take the handbrake off, Southgate has ignored all the calls and stuck to his game-plan. He could have changed after the Scotland draw but did not. He has been vindicated.
England are the first team at a Euros to not concede a goal in the first five matches. With two goals, they became the lowest-scoring side ever to come first in a group.
Flexibility has been key to England's route to the final. Southgate played a back four but switched to a back five to stop Germany's wing-backs. England won 2-0 with Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw dominating Robin Gosens and Joshua Kimmich.
This match is of great importance to England to end the 55 years of hurt but it also pits two teams with different ideas together. Italy are bucking the trend of what sides can't do at major tournament. England have copied the successful formula. A win for England would be historic but a win for Italy could change the landscape of international football.
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