Three-time World Champions. Perennial underachievers who cannot click as a team to save their life.
When you’re asked to predict the outcome of the England vs Italy game tonight, you could be forgiven for nonchalantly gifting the match to the Azzurri. There is no way Roy Hodgson’s men can come anywhere close to even giving them a fight, or can they?
Football works in funny ways, and for once, England have entered a World Cup with zero hope. Even the otherwise myopic English media seem to have given up on their nation before a ball has been kicked. What’s usually looked at as disdain, could very well turn out to be a boon for the the Three Lions. The likes of Gerrard and Rooney aren’t used to playing without pressure at major international tournaments and you could rest assured, they’re going to enjoy this one.
The Italians are coming on the back of an impressive last 4 years and are expected to go far this time after fluffing their lines majorly in the last edition. Cesare Prandelli has done an incredible job with the national team, guiding them to the Euro 2012 finals, Confederations Cup semi finals last year and an unbeaten qualifying campaign. They met England in the quarters at the Euros, and Andrea Pirlo unleashed a masterclass from central-midfield.