Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – The start of the post-World Cup season has brought Italy points but no rankings: in the updated FIFA Rankings, the Azzurri, led by Roberto Mancini, are in 15th place overall, in a ranking led by Spain, with Argentina and France on the podium. England, meanwhile, is fourth and Portugal is in fifth place (+2 spots), overtaking both Brazil (6th place, -1) and Morocco (7th place, -1).
Belgium, the Netherlands and Mexico complete the top ten.
However, the four Nations League matches, which saw Italy lose to Belgium, draw with France, and win the two matches against Turkey, still gave the Azzurri a +5.55 point lead, allowing Donnarumma and his teammates to close in on Croatia and Germany, who slipped to fourteenth and thirteenth place respectively and both overtaken by Switzerland, now twelfth.
But it was Bologna's victory against Montella's team that was perhaps the most important, because Italy is now certain of finishing among the top three teams in its Nations League group and ensures our national team is one of the 12 top seeds in the qualifying group draw for the next European Championship in 2028, which will take place on December 6 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The other certain top seeds in the draw are Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, France, Spain and England and therefore Italy will avoid them.
The Azzurri, however, should aim to win their Nations League group in any case, given that the four League A group winners will automatically be seeded and, most importantly, will be placed in a group of four teams instead of five.
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