Italy’s turbulent football landscape saw further decline on Friday as the four-time world champions suffered a 2-0 defeat to Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico. The result marks a difficult start to the Nations League, following the team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup and a crushing playoff loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina last March.
The atmosphere in Rome was tepid, with only 47,155 fans attending the 70,000-seat stadium. Home supporters began whistling as early as the 20th minute after Mika Godts opened the scoring. The 19-year-old netted his first international goal by cutting inside from the left, weaving through three Italian defenders, and firing past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The sequence was orchestrated by Kevin De Bruyne, who was marking his 125th appearance for Belgium. Only 47,155 spectators showed up in the 70,000-seat Stadio Olimpico and the home fans were already whistling 20 minutes in after Mika Godts put the visitors ahead with his first international goal.
Roberto Mancini, who returned to the Italian bench after previously leaving to coach Saudi Arabia, appeared visibly frustrated as his side struggled to maintain control. The defensive issues were compounded by the absence of Alessandro Bastoni, who was suspended, forcing Diego Coppola into a starting role where he struggled alongside Gianluca Mancini. The opening goal originated from a misplaced pass by debutant Alessandro Romano, who recently switched his international eligibility from Switzerland. Godts, who recently joined Paris Saint-Germain, turned defender Gianluca Mancini the wrong way, and his fellow centre-back Diego Coppola came sliding in too late.
Belgium secured their lead midway through the second half when Dodi Lukebakio added a second goal. The strike arrived during a swift counterattack, leaving midfielder Sandro Tonali unable to prevent the visitors from extending their advantage. This match served as the debut for new Belgium head coach Mark van Bommel, who took the helm following the departure of Rudi Garcia.
Despite fielding a lineup featuring eight players who had been staples during the World Cup qualifying campaign, Italy looked disjointed throughout the fixture. The squad now faces a challenging stretch of matches, with an away game against Turkiye on Monday, followed by a trip to France next Friday. The team will return to Bologna afterward to conclude this phase of the tournament against Turkiye, hoping to salvage their campaign after this latest setback.
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