World Cup draw, Italy (still) isn't in it but still makes the odds

Today is the big day. At 6 p.m., in the city of Washington, USA, will be staged the long-awaited group draw for the next World Cup, scheduled, for the first time in history, in three countries, namely the United States, Canada and Mexico. As many as 48 national teams are in play (another first ever), although, at the moment, six national teams are still missing from the roll call. These will be represented by the X sign, waiting to know who will be, indeed, to win the last passes for the rainbow review.

Fabrizio Ponciroli

Italy is one of those national teams aiming to take home qualification at the end of the play-offs scheduled for March but, in the meantime, will be interested spectators of today’s draw. The Azzurri already know that, if they go to the World Cup, they will face level-headed opponents as early as the first round. All six Xs are in fact placed in the fourth bracket, the’last in order of quality (at least on paper).

There are, however, stakes. For example, it is not possible for two European national teams to be, both, in the same group. Thus, in Italy’s group (given the qualification of CT Gattuso’s team for granted) there will be only one European. However, the possibility of an iron round is real. In the first bracket are national teams such as Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain and England. In the second, watch out for Uruguay, Colombia and Croatia. The number one danger, in the third tier, is Norway, the national team&#8217s juggernaut in the qualifying round. In short, while waiting to play the play-offs, Italy will have an’idea of what it would find at the World Cup. Obviously, CT Gattuso’s thoughts are all turned to the first challenge, valid for the semifinal of the play-offs, with Northern Ireland but an eye on the World Cup draw will do it anyway.