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Italy's Young Guns Face Luxembourg Post-WC Shock
3 Jun
Summary
- Italy's squad is heavily youth-focused, featuring mostly U21 players.
- The Azzurri failed to qualify for their third consecutive World Cup.
- Luxembourg is ranked 98th globally with a population of 700,000.

Following the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Italy is set to play a friendly against Luxembourg. The Azzurri squad is significantly altered, featuring a majority of players from their Under-21 team. This radical selection by interim coach Silvio Baldini aims to provide young talent with senior international experience.
Luxembourg, currently ranked 98th globally, recently achieved a comfortable 5-0 aggregate win over Malta in UEFA Nations League qualifying. They will also face Albania in another friendly after their match against the Italians. Italy's absence from three consecutive World Cups has been a major blow to the four-time champions.