With an assured 3-0 win over Switzerland, Italy has now become the first team in Euro 2020 to qualify for the knockout stages. A massive turnaround for a team that hit rock bottom after they failed to qualify for the World Cup in November 2017 after a loss to Sweden. But, how far can they take it? Under coach Roberto Mancini, the sky looks the limit. In the game against Switzerland, midfielder Manuel Locatelli scored the first two goals, with Ciro Immobile netting late in the game. The two victories for Italy in the tournament had come inspite of the absence of their biggest name in Marco Verratti (Locatelli was playing in his place).
Italy had a promising start to the Euros, beating Turkey 3-0 in a second-half masterclass. That victory extended Italy's unbeaten run to 28 matches and boosted the Azzurri's status as a title contender. Italy, which won its only European title in 1968, had never before scored more than two goals at the European Championship.
However, Mancini said that Italy were not frontrunners and that France, Portugal and Belgium should be considered as favourites. "France, Portugal and Belgium are all at the Euros," Mancini told a news conference. "One is the world champion, one is the European champion and the other is ranked number one in the world. These are teams that have been built over years and are further along than us in development. But anything can happen in football."
