Italy could not have imagined a worse way to commence their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign as Norway thrashed them 3-0 in Oslo. A one-sided first half at the Ullevaal Stadium saw the rising Scandinavian superpower set the tone for their first win over the Italians since 2000.
Due to their UEFA Nations League duties, Italy didn’t feature in World Cup qualifiers in March. After failing to secure a berth at the most prestigious international tournament in the last two editions, the pressure was on Gli Azzurri to start on the front foot.
However, it was quite the opposite. Buoyed by a brace of multi-goal margin wins over Moldova and Israel, Norway came flying out of the traps. Indeed, Alexander Sorloth put Stale Solbakken’s side in front after only 14 minutes.
Norway doubled their lead 20 minutes later through Antonio Nusa, while Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland sealed Italy’s fate on the brink of halftime. A 3-0 deficit proved unattainable for Italy, whose underwhelming winless streak in all competitions now stands at four matches.
Without further ado, let’s look at our Italy player ratings.
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 3/10
Merely a shadow of the best Champions League goalkeeper for 2024/25, the Italy captain conceded from three out of Norway’s four shots on target. It’s fair to say that his defenders also let him down.
Alessandro Bastoni – 3/10
The Inter Milan star’s significant dip in form came to the fore in Oslo as he struggled to cope with Haaland’s runs behind the lines and Sorloth’s aerial strength.
Diego Coppola – 6/10
Spalletti’s gamble didn’t pay off, yet Coppola was arguably Italy’s best-performing defender tonight. However, a lack of understanding with his defensive colleagues was evident.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 3/10
Still hungover after Napoli’s Scudetto win, the Partenopei right-back had an awful evening. Deployed as a right center-half, Di Lorenzo was among the worst on the pitch.
Destiny Udogie – 4/10
Though Haaland gave him a slip for the third goal, the Tottenham Hotspur left-back had some bright moments, especially in the opposition’s half. Not nearly enough, though!
Sandro Tonali – 5/10
He was supposed to be Italy’s driving force in the midfielder, but the Newcastle United talisman saw very few things go his way. His set-piece delivers often led to nothing.
Nicolo Rovella – 4/10
Despite leaving his heart and soul on the pitch, his defensive contribution wasn’t significant enough to disguise his disheartening performance in the build-up play.
Nicolo Barella – 5/10
Seemingly out of steam after Inter’s long season, the diminutive midfielder showed flashes of class but lacked his usual sharpness and drive.
Davide Zappacosta – 4/10
Atalanta’s wingback was largely ineffective on both ends of the pitch. He offered little going forward, rarely troubling the opposition with his crosses and was too often caught out of position defensively
Giacomo Raspadori – 2/10
A near-anonymous showing from the Scudetto winner! His passing was occasionally sloppy, and he struggled to impose himself in key moments.
Mateo Retegui – 3/10
Cut off from the rest of the pack, Serie A’s top goalscorer was an idle threat. He was never in a position to put Orjan Nyland to the test and would want to forget this fixture in a hurry.
