Italy’s road to the 2026 World Cup couldn’t have started any worse. In a crushing 3-0 defeat in Oslo, Norway outclassed Luciano Spalletti’s side from start to finish, leaving the Azzurri staring at another uphill battle for qualification. With just one match played, Italy already find themselves in a precarious position—both in the standings and in goal difference—making a March playoff scenario look almost inevitable. The specter of 2018 and 2022 looms large.
In front of a sold-out crowd of 26,000 at Ullevaal Stadion—including King Harald and ski legend Aksel Svindal—Norway set the tone early. Antonio Nusa, the 20-year-old Leipzig winger, wreaked havoc down the left flank with pace, flair, and confidence. Italy’s midfield four (Zappacosta-Barella-Rovella-Udogie) struggled to contain him and lacked cohesion throughout.
Up front, the Raspadori-Tonali duo failed to link up with lone striker Retegui, who was often isolated and smothered by the Norwegian backline. Meanwhile, Norway’s front three—masterfully orchestrated by Martin Ødegaard and finished by towering strikers Erling Haaland and Alexander Sørloth—exploited every weakness in Italy’s shaky defense. Despite a tough night, debutant Coppola wasn’t the worst on the pitch—he was simply overwhelmed by a porous and unstructured system.
Spalletti: “We were chosen for this match – we must hold our heads high”
06 Jun - 11:06 •
1' min
All three goals came in a first-half blitz that exposed Italy’s fragility. Sørloth opened the scoring in the 13th minute after a Bastoni turnover, slotting home a clinical finish. Minutes later, Nusa danced through defenders in a stunning solo effort to double the lead. Haaland added the third, rounding Donnarumma after a pinpoint assist from Ødegaard.
Italy’s response was tepid at best. The only shot on target came in stoppage time: a Lucca header easily dealt with. Possession was sterile, the build-up play toothless, and the attacking threat nonexistent. Even Spalletti’s substitutions—bringing on Frattesi, Orsolini and Lucca—failed to shift the tide.
Ranked 38th in the FIFA standings, Norway handed a humbling defeat to the world’s ninth-ranked team, flipping all pre-match expectations on their head. Italy looked slow, uninspired, and mentally fragile—a performance that reopened deep wounds from past failures.
The return leg in November at the Stadio Olimpico may prove too little, too late. Only a heroic turnaround can save Italy now, but the path to Germany increasingly looks like one that leads back through the playoffs.
