The start of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025™ is drawing ever closer, with Italy set to go into the tournament as one of the title favourites.
They will head to expanded 48-team competition on the back of reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA European U-17 Championship earlier this year. The Azzurrini, who have never progressed beyond the last eight at the U-17 World Cup, will be now be out to showcase their class on the global stage.
They have been drawn in a fascinating group with battle it out with the host nation, Bolivia and South Africa. Speaking exclusively to FIFA, coach Massimiliano Favo said: “We must wear the shirt with pride, go toe-to-toe with footballing nations as steeped in tradition as ours, and give it our all to go as far as we possibly can without putting any limits on ourselves.”
Read our full interview with Favo below.
Massimiliano Favo: When it comes to national sides, I don’t think preparation is the right word. It’s more about picking up from where we left off since we don’t get to train together every day. We don’t play together every week, so opportunities to correct mistakes or build on the things we do well are few and far between.
First and foremost, we’ll need to quickly adapt to the climate and the humidity, and rotate our squad wisely to keep players fresh. The aim is to play for the shirt and do ourselves proud. As always, we want to compete against nations as steeped in footballing history as ours, and go as far as we can in the tournament without putting any limits on ourselves. We narrowly missed out on the final of the European U-17 Championship in Albania after losing out on penalties [to Portugal]. We know we’ve got a strong squad and we’re confident we can compete with every team.
It’s definitely an important age, as it essentially marks the transition from youth football to senior football. Luckily, some of the lads from this age group are already plying their trade at senior level, which is something for us to be incredibly proud of, and playing international football can only be good for their development.
The benefits are endless, as it helps develop their skills and awareness when coming up against players from some of the best footballing nations around the world.
If a team has made it this far to compete at a World Cup alongside us, you can bet your bottom dollar they’re organised and up to the task. Qatar, for example, have the edge of being able to train together every day, playing on home soil, and being fully acclimatised to the conditions. We will play them in our tournament opener, which will be a tough first test for us. We also know what to expect from Bolivia and South Africa. We’re going to show every team respect, but we’re not scared of anyone. I’m expecting teams to be physically strong, technically sound, and extremely well drilled, as football has become a global game.
As always, we’ll look to play attacking, well-organised football, giving our players the freedom to express themselves on the pitch and put on a show for the fans. The results will take care of themselves.
Every player dreams of wearing the blue shirt and representing Italy at a World Cup. It’s important for them to be aware of this responsibility, respect it, and show commitment, determination, and quality out there on the pitch.
