claudio Rainieri, Carboni, Moretti either say Vaio preceded Prandelli, Zaza, Piccini either Gattuso. Italy arrived in Valencia and, consequently, the Ché club has been part of the history of the Italian team this century. The great absentee from Qatar 2022 He lost a World Cup for the first time in 2018 and will add twelve years -at least- without playing World Cups. In the four previous tournaments there was always someone with a marked Valencian tinge.
Gennaro Gattuso, as a player, played in three consecutive editions of the World Cup. He was champion in Germany 2006 and also played in Korea and South Africa. Meanwhile, Cesare Prandelli suffered the generational change of the ‘Azzurri’ and fell in the group stage of the World Cup 2014 with the revelation Costa Rica and Uruguay of Cavani. In both cases, the two were linked to the Valencia CF Later, they left a very different taste in the mouth in the Italian fans but they were clear protagonists of the recent history of the four-time world champion.
Gattuso and Italy’s most recent golden age at the World Cups
Italy 1934, France 1938, Spain 1982 and Germany 2006. Gattuso was born the year Italy won the World Cup held in Spain and six World Cups later he repeated his feat as a player. Throughout his career, Gennaro Gattuso adds 73 internationalities and nine of them are counted in World Cup matches. The profile that Gattuso gave to the midfielder did not praise him, although the truth is that the best Italy came with its football maturity as Pirlo’s guardian.
At just 20 years old, the World Cup in Korea and Japan came to him very young. He was not a starter but he did play a few minutes against Ecuador and South Korea. The host, before defeating Spain, eliminated the Italians in extra time in the round of 16. The start of Germany 2006 was similar for Gattuso: the substitution against Ghana was the only one of the tournament. From there, he was key to lead Italy to the title that was decided by penalties and in which he did not have to assume such responsibility.
In South Africa, Gattuso said goodbye as Villa. consummated the loud crash after elimination in a group made up of Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia, Gattuso played the residual second half against the Central Europeans to close a journey in which he achieved glory.
Prandelli, from the downturn to the famous ‘Fuori’
After Gattuso, the next edition organized by Brazil in 2014 He arrived with an Italy in full generational change. Gattuso or Cannavaro, among others, were history and Cesare Prandelli called up players like Verratti, Insigne or Balotelli. Until the start of the World Cup there were no doubts with a well regarded technician through the Italian fields. Italy went from being the second European team classified to repeat failure. Costa Rica and Uruguay surprised in a group of death from which England also fell.
Two years later, Prandelli signed for Valencia CF and left behind one of the most notorious moments of the last decade. The famous ‘Fuori’ resounded in that press room with some words that marked a before and after in his relationship with the dressing room. “Before talking about the market, I want to understand who wants to stay here with the will to suffer, who doesn’t want to…Outside!Whoever is not here with desire, out! Outside! Whoever does not have character, temperament and personality,who does not have love for the shirt, get out!”, Cesare said.
Why isn’t Italy in this World Cup in Qatar?
Italy, with Roberto Mancini at the controls and without any valencianista being selectable, fell in the play-off semifinals with North Macedonia. In any case, Portugal was waiting for him in the final. The Italian team was second in a qualifying group led by Cömert’s Switzerland. In the end, the same block and coaching staff that won Euro 2020 a year and a half ago failure and left Gattuso and Prandelli as the last images of the journey of the transalpine country through the world championships.
The history of absent Italy in a Valencian key: from Gattuso to Prandelli