Italy vs England on Thursday with both sides bidding to make a winning start to their 2024 European Championship qualifying campaign.
Match Details:
Location:Â Naples, Italy
Stadium:Â Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
Date:Â Thursday 23 March
Kick-off Time:Â 19:45 GMT / 15:45 ET / 11:45 PT
Referee:Â Srdjan JovanoviÄ (SRB)
VAR:Â Tomasz Kwiatkowski (POL)
Italy vs England: Euro Match Preview:
The Azzurri are looking to get back among the elites of international football, having shockingly failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
Italy vs England for Euro qualifiers (Image- Wales Online)
Their recent history in European Championships is far more encouraging as the current holders of the trophy.
As for England, they remain without any silverware since 1966. They have come closer to glory in recent times but have been unable to get over that final hurdle.
Team News:
Italy:
The hosts are without several big names, most notably Federico Chiesa and Ciro Immobile. The pair both suffered minor injuries earlier this month that have kept them out of the international break. Federico Dimarco and Ivan Provedel also withdrew from the squad.
â Italy âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸ (@Azzurri_En) March 22, 2023
On the other hand, four players could be given their Azzurri debuts. Goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi and Wladimiro Falcone have been included in the senior squad for the first time, while centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno and Mateo Retegui could also earn their first caps.
England:
England are also without a few of their biggest stars. Raheem Sterling was omitted from the squad through injury, and Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope all pulled out.
The only potential debutant in Southgate's roster is Brentford striker Ivan Toney. The 27-year-old was included in the squad in October but didn't feature.
Italy vs England: Head to Head:
Italy have a good historical record against England and have won 13 out of the 30 matches that have been played by the two teams, as opposed to England's eight victories.
England are winless in their last six matches against Italy in all competitions, with their previous victory against the Azzurri coming by a 2-1 scoreline in 2012.
The last five matches between the two teams have produced a total of four draws, with the previous game taking place last year and ending in a narrow 1-0 victory for Italy.
Predicted Line-ups:
Italy potential starting line-up:(4-3-3):Â Gianluigi Donnarumma; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Leonardo Bonucci, Franco Acerbi, Leonardo Spinazzola; Jorginho, Marco Verratti, Nicolo Barella; Domenico Berardi, Gianluca Scamacca, Wilfried Gnonto.
England potential starting line-up:(4-2-3-1):Â Jordan Pickford; Reece James, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Luke Shaw; Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden; Harry Kane.
Bellingham started in Thomas Tuchel's first starting XI as England's boss. It was the 41st appearance of the 21-year-old. The English midfielder overtook Wayne Rooney for the most senior appearance for the England national football team at 21 or younger. The former Manchester United legend made 40 appearances.
41 - Jude Bellingham is making his 41st appearance for England, overtaking Wayne Rooney's record (40) for most games for the senior side while aged 21 or younger. Baton. pic.twitter.com/wBVzvIiFlL
Jude Bellingham made his senior debut for the National side being a 17-year-old in November 2020 on his debut England triumphed with a 3-0 victory over Ireland in a friendly match. He has since made 41 appearances and scored 6 goals and provided 10 assists.
Jude Bellingham continued his good form against Albania on Friday as well. He got the ball in midfield and went past a couple of players before putting a cross for the debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly and the debutant scored the goal and put his side a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute.
Harry Kane scored the second goal in the 77th minute and helped the Three Lions clinch a 2-0 victory over Albania. England is now at the top of the group k of 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The group also has Latvia, Serbia, and Andorra along with England and Albania.
While England beat Albania 2-0, Jude Bellingham spoke about things the Tuchel's managed side need to improve. Assessing his side's performance Jude said: (Via England Football)
I think we had clear ideas on what we wanted to do and how we wanted to play. We tried that as much as possible. I know it is difficult when you play against a team that sits so low and is so compact.
At times the game takes you a different direction. You want to go on the ball and move around but generally, we stuck to the plan really well. We had a really good week of training, and it was a good way to start the new era.
Italy vs Germany UEFA Nations League 2025 Quarter-Finals 1st leg Highlights | Germany stamps a comeback victory over Italy in Milan, secures lead in the tie | FT ITA 1-2 GER
Catch the highlights of the Italy vs Germany UEFA Nations League 2025 Quarter-Finals 1st leg match at the San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy.
Hello and welcome to another big night of international football. Tonight, we will be covering three out of four UEFA Nations League 2025 quarterfinals.
This is Soumit Bhattacharya, with the buildup, news, LIVE updates, scores, and free commentary of the Italy vs Germany UEFA Nations League 2025 Quarter-final 1st Leg match.
Italy qualified for the quarter-finals after securing 13 points in 6 matches, finishing second in the League A Group 2. On the other, Germany topped the League A Group 3, having earned 14 points in 6 games.
This sets up an engaging match-up between two of the biggest powerhouses of European football in the UEFA Nations League 2025 Quarter-finals. So, sit back and relax as we bring you everything on the Italy vs Germany match from the web desk.
Enjoy the coverage and don't forget to refresh the page timely to get the latest updates.
LIVE Updates
Mar 20, 2025, 9:59 PM
Thank you and stay tuned!
We will be back with more LIVE coverages during this international break.
Hope you enjoyed the coverage!
That was all from this side tonight.
Good night and stay tuned with us!
Leon Goretzka and Kleindienst's goals helped Germany rebound from a 0- 1 loss to Italy and win 2-1.
Germany stamps a brilliant comeback win to beat Italy 2-1 in their own backyard at San Siro.
Sandro Tonali opened the scoring with a powerful strike, only nine minutes into the game. The Azzuris kept the lead until the break, as Tim Kleindienst slotted home a header in the 49th minute, only after coming off the bench at half-time. Leon Goretzka netted the winner in the 76th minute, handing Germany a one-goal cushion ahead of the second leg next week.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann's pin-point substitutions worked well for Germany, whereas skipper Joshua Kimmich put up a masterful performance, providing assists for both goals.
Despite a decent performance in the first half, Luciano Spaletti's men failed to keep up with the tempo in the second half.
Germany will welcome Italy at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund for the second-leg encounter on March 24th.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:42 PM
90'+6' | The full-time whistle is blown! | FT ITA 1-2 GER
One last effort from the Azzuris as Tonali sailed a long-ranger across the field into the box, as Frattesi's header went way wide off the left post.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:40 PM
90'+3' | Play resumes
The game has resummed after Ricardo Calafiori received medical attention following his clash with Karim Adeyemi.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:36 PM
90' | 4 minutes of stoppage time added on
Mar 20, 2025, 9:36 PM
90' | Substitution for Germany
In: Robert Andrich
Out: Pascal Gross
Mar 20, 2025, 9:35 PM
85' | Save from Baumann
The veteran keeper has been solid since conceding the first goal, as he stretched his hands out to deny a flashy strike from Maldini from a distance.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:30 PM
83' | Substitutions for Italy
In: Lorenzo Lucca, Davide Frattesi
Out: Moise Kean, Nicolo Barella
Mar 20, 2025, 9:28 PM
82' | Substituion for Germany
In: Karim Adeyemi
Out: Leroy Sane
Mar 20, 2025, 9:24 PM
76' | GOALLLLL! Goretzka heads it in! ITA 1-2 GER
Joshua Kimmich. THAT'S IT!
Kimmich floated another vicious cross from the corner on the left, which was perfectly met by Goretzka inside the box, and flicked into the net.
Nagelsmann's men are now ahead!
Mar 20, 2025, 9:21 PM
74' | Maldini gets booked
Daniele Maldini receives a booking for a tough challenge.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:18 PM
71' | Substitution for Italy
In: Daniele Maldini
Out: Giacomo Raspadori
Mar 20, 2025, 9:15 PM
68' | Huge save from Baumann!
Raspadori found himself on the left in a one-on-one against Baumann inside the box, but his strike targeting the far post was intervened by Baumann, who stretched his left leg to block the shot!
Mar 20, 2025, 9:13 PM
67' | That was close!
Tonali did a sublime backheel to play it back to Kean inside the box, whose powerful strike soared past the target.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:12 PM
66' | Substituion for Germany
In: Jamie Leweling
Out: Nadiem Amiri
Mar 20, 2025, 9:10 PM
64' | Substitutions for Italy
In: Raoul Bellnova, Samuele Ricci
Out : Matteo Politano, Nicolo Rovella
Mar 20, 2025, 9:04 PM
56' | Amiri gets a yellow
Nadiem Amiri, the German midfielder is now booked for an offence.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:03 PM
56' | Off target for Udogie
Udogie attempted to find the net with a header right from the middle of the box but skied it over the bar.
Mar 20, 2025, 9:00 PM
53' | Great block by Donnarumma!
Udogie followed the ball as Kimmich tried to get a hold of it close to the six-yard box, but Donnarumma came off the line to make a crucial block!
Mar 20, 2025, 8:59 PM
52' | Rovella gets booked
Italian midfielder Nicolo Rovella gets the first booking of the evening for a foul on Goretzka.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:57 PM
49' | GOALLL! Kleindienst finds the net! | ITA 1-1 GER
An absolutely brilliant cross by Kimmich sailed into the box from the right, as Kleindienst had risen above all to send the ball past Donnarumma, bringing Germany back in the business.
The first touch from the new entrant, and he equalizes for Germany!
Mar 20, 2025, 8:53 PM
46' | Second half begins
Mar 20, 2025, 8:53 PM
Half-time substitutions | Germany
In: Tim Kleindienst, Nico Schlotterbeck
Out: Jonathan Burkardt, David Raum
Mar 20, 2025, 8:35 PM
45'+3' | The half-time whistle is blown. | HT ITA 1-0 GER
Gross almost fell over Donnrumma while trying to anticipate the corner, but fouled him instead. Rudiger disagreed, but the decision stands.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:31 PM
42' | Amiri sends it over
Amiri, the new German starter, sailed the free-kick just inches over the crosspiece, following a set-piece right off the edge of the penalty area.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:28 PM
39' | Save by Donnrumma!
Donnarumma dived forward to send the ball past the line following a cut-in pass from Amiri.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:27 PM
38' | Chance for Germany
Raum's cross from the set-piece free-kick from the right went past everyone inside the box.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:20 PM
32' | Another huge save from Baumann!
Moise Kean found himself getting chased by two opposition defenders inside the box, but before they could catch up, Kean utilized the power and took a strike. However, Baumann made another great stop, putting the ball over the top.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:18 PM
30' | Briliant stop from Baumann
Tonali sliced another full-paced long-range strike on target from a second ball, but this time, Baumann made a brilliant stop on his goalmouth, putting his body completely behind the ball.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:16 PM
28' | Donnarumma clears
Donnarumma has always been one of the best goalkeepers in case of outings. He again showed his prowess, coming off his line to drift away a cross by Kimmich from the left corner.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:12 PM
23' | Germany is pushing
Italy somehow managed to keep the ball off the net, as Donnarumma put his fingertips on a long ball to drift it away. Italy's defence line stayed alert to block two other shots as well.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:10 PM
22' | Good clearence from Rudiger
Barella and Politano again combined up in the right upfront, as Barella looked for Kean inside the box, but Rudiger headed the ball away, showcasing a brave piece of defending.
Goretzka had another attempt at goal with a first-touch strike from a distance, but Donnarumma dived forward to claim it well and good.
Mar 20, 2025, 8:04 PM
15' | Off target from Goretzka
That was a sublime cross from Kimmich from the right flank, which Goretzka met in the middle of the box, but powered his header just over the crosspiece.
Mar 20, 2025, 7:59 PM
9' | GOALLLL! Tonali slots it home! | ITA 1-0 GER
A fierce start from the Azzuris!
Barella curled in a beautiful grounded pass into the box which Politano received, breezed the ball past Baumann but Tah cleared away. However, Sandro Tonali anticipated it just outside of the 18-yard box and just rocketed it home with a right-footed half-volleyed strike!
One shot. One goal. Italy ahead!
Mar 20, 2025, 7:52 PM
4' | Easy collection for Baumann
Barella unleashed a beautiful Trivela pass for Raspadori, running upwards in a counter, but Baumann had the ball in his gloves.
Mar 20, 2025, 7:51 PM
3' | End-to-end display
Inside the first 15 seconds, Germany earned a corner. On the contrary, Italy initiated a quick counter-attack.
Mar 20, 2025, 7:47 PM
1' | Kick Off!
The match is underway at the iconic San Siro!
Mar 20, 2025, 7:45 PM
Things are definitely heating up!
Italy defeated Germany 2-0 in extra time in Dortmund in the 2006 FIFA World Cup semifinal 🇩🇪
Starting XI: Oliver Baumann (GK); Joshua Kimmich (C), Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rüdiger, David Raum; Pascal Groß, Leon Goretzka; Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Nadiem Amiri; Jonathan Burkardt
Football fans from India can watch the Italy vs Germany UEFA Nations League 2025 Quarter-finals 1st leg match LIVE on Sony Ten 3 TV Channel on Television and Sony LIV app and website with a paid subscription.
Mar 20, 2025, 4:28 PM
Match Details
Match: Italy vs Germany
Tournament: UEFA Nations League 2025 Quarter-Finals 1st leg
Five best footballers of 2024 (men's): Vini, Yamal and who?
2024 was a fantastic year for football worldwide, with international tournaments like Copa America and Euro 2024, along with the best leagues. Here are the best five footballers of 2024.
2024 has been a sensational year for football as the world witnessed many memorable performances that will go down in history. Many footballers have emerged as breakout stars while renowned players have continued to grace the pitch with exceptional performances.
However, some footballers have consistently performed well in 2024 with their club or country and continued to stand out among others. In this article, Sportz Point explores the five best footballers of 2024.
Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
(Image Credit | Forbes)
Vinicius Jr. has been one of the most instrumental assets for Real Madrid's success in recent years. The 24-year-old Brazilian racked up loads of goals and assists for Los Blancos to enlist himself as one of the best players in 2024.
Vinicius Jr. led Madrid's attack along with Jude Bellingham to clinch the 2023-24 La Liga title, having scored 15 goals while providing 6 assists in 26 appearances. He became a walking nightmare for every defensive line-up in Europe with his sublime ball control, acceleration, and footballing skills.
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 3, 2024
However, Vinicius unleashed his ultimate best in Real Madrid's UCL-winning campaign in the 2023-24 season. He earned the UCL Player of the Season award with 11 goal contributions by his name. Vini performed well in the group games as well as in crucial knockout games; the semi-final and final, against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
Lamine Yamal is certainly the most promising young talent in football discussions worldwide. Making his debut for FC Barcelona's senior team in 2023, the 17-year-old winger completed his 50th appearance for Barcelona in April 2024, becoming the youngest footballer to achieve the feat.
However, Lamine's breakout performance for Spain in the UEFA Euro 2024 is the definite highlight of his year. The Spanish teenager, who only turned 17 in July 2024, lifted the 2024 Euro as the youngest winner of the tournament. Lamine won the Young Player of the Tournament award as well, having bagged 1 goal and 4 assists in the competition.
Lamine Yamal has played in the 2023 U17 European Championship and Euro 2024 over the last 14 months.
U17 Euros: ⚽️ 4 goals 🤝 2 assists 🏆 Team of the Tournament
Euros: ⚽️ 1 goal 🤝 4 assists 🏆 Young Player of the Tournament
Lamine has added some more glory to his list of personal accolades in 2024 by winning the 2024 Golden Boy Award and the Kopa Trophy.
The youngster continued his record-breaking stint also for his club, as he became the youngest footballer to score in a Clasico game during Barcelona's 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in October 2024. He has been instrumental for Barcelona since the start of the 2024-25 season as well.It seems that the talented winger will continue to showcase his jaw-dropping capabilities with a football at his feet.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
(Image Credit | BBC)
Mohamed Salah has been one of the most consistent footballers for Liverpool in recent years, and now he is paving the way to enter the globe of all-time Premier League greats.
Since Arne Slot arrived in Anfield as Jurgen Klopp's successor, Salah has been a cheat code for the Reds across all competitions.Although he had a distressing start to 2024, now he has transitioned into an even more complete version of a traditional winger.
The 'Egyptian King' has been responsible for almost 64% of the goals Liverpool scored this season in the league and UCL. It clearly shows his impeccable ability to orchestrate the attack while leading from the front. He has 20 goals and 17 assists by his name in 26 appearances in all competitions so far this season.
The 32-year-old forward has also hit the headlines for breaking Premier League legend Wayne Rooney's record for 36 games with a goal and an assist in a single game.
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
(Image Credit | Eurosport)
In a world where the forwards steal all the limelight, it is simply exceptional for others to ensure themselves in consideration of the top performers without a doubt. Jude Bellingham is the kind of footballer who not only plays well but also ensures his dominance everywhere on the pitch.
Bellingham left Dortmund in 2023 and signed for Real Madrid, where he continued to elevate his footballing prowess. The Englishman finished 4th on Laliga's list of most goal contributions with 19 goals and 6 assists. Nevertheless, he was named the 2023-24 La Liga Player of the Season for his dynamic performances.
However, Bellingham could not play in his natural position in the 2024 Euros. This positional shift restricted his goalscoring proficiency but he continued to offer his physical ability, defensive quality, and accurate passing skills to help England reach the Euro final. He also came out on top to assist Cole Palmer who scored the only goal for England in the final.
The 21-year-old youngster also received the prestigious Lareaus World Breakthrough of the Year Award for 2024 to brighten his list of individual honours. Despite finishing third in the 2024 Ballon d'Or ranking, he was certainly one of the best footballers in 2024.
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
(Image Credit | The Irish Fan)
Harry Kane left Tottenham Hotspur in 2023 to join Bayern Munich, but he did not forget to bring his goalscoring boots to Germany. The 31-year-old striker has comfortably enlisted himself as one of the best footballers of 2024.
The England captain not only possesses lethal finishing skills but also has brilliant positioning sense which helps him to be a very natural number nine. However, Kane found his best version in Bayern and concluded the 2023-24 Bundesliga season with his personal best tally of 36 goalswhich led him to win his maiden European Golden Boot trophy in 2024.
Kane has already scored 20 goals and provided 9 assists in 20 matches in all competitions this season and continued to be one of the best footballers in 2024.
All eyes will be on Wembley as England take on Ireland in a highly anticipated UEFA Nations League clash. As the two footballing nations collide, fans can expect a great contest today.
The Boys in Green arrive at Wembley as underdogs but with no shortage of fighting spirit. Ireland will rely on their team’s work ethic and tactical discipline to frustrate England and create opportunities on the break. Players like Evan Ferguson and Matt Doherty will be crucial in providing defensive solidity and a cutting-edge in attack.
England delivered a dominant display on Thursday, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory over former group leaders Greece in Athens.
Ollie Watkins, preferred over Harry Kane, struck early to open the scoring within seven minutes, followed by an own goal from Odysseas Vlachodimos that doubled England's advantage. Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones capped off the performance with a stunning backheeled goal on his debut.
This marks England’s fourth win in five games under interim manager Lee Carsley, who will step down after Sunday’s match.
Historically, England remain unbeaten against the Republic of Ireland since their 1988 European Championship loss, though six of their last eight encounters have ended in draws
England still has some key players out as a result of injury but Lee Carsely still boasts of a formidable side that can compete against Ireland to secure all 3 points while Ireland is not without any significant absentees a tough test still awaits them at Wembley.
Greece vs England UEFA Nations League: Preview, Head to Head Stats, Permutations and State of Play
Dive into all the details ahead of tonight's football match between England and Greece in the UEFA Nations League where the three lions are expected to exert dominance over their opponents.
England is set to face Greece in their UEFA Nations League group game scheduled to kick off at 1.15 AM IST on 15 November 2024. This match will take place at Spiros Louis Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.
Greece has won all four of their games, continuing their outstanding run of play. The team leads the group with 12 points and an 8-goal edge.
Despite losing one game, the Englishmen have not played poorly either, sitting second in the standings with nine points out of a possible twelve.
Fans should anticipate a very difficult match as a result of the coaching change for the English men's national team, which will bring a mix of new ideas and playing styles.
The three lions of England have always had the better of the Greek national team the UEFA Nations League matches between these sides comes after an 18 year stint of not playing against each other.
Greece got their first ever win against England last month with a narrow 2-1 result. It remains to be seen if they can repeat the same feat in this reverse fixture. With 7 wins from 10 England are the sure favourities in this game.
The absence of several important players, such as Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka of Arsenal, has delivered Lee Carsely a severe blow. Additionally, Grealish, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander Arnold, and John Stones will not be playing.
His team's setup will undoubtedly be impacted by these injuries since he will need to adjust formations and employ new tactics to guarantee his team's victory.
Luckily enough for the home team there would not be much to worry about as they are only dealing with the absence of Kourbelis and this is due to suspension and not any other reason. It is expected that they will field their strongest side.
Follow Us
/sportzpoint/media/post_attachments/sportzpoint/import/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0_GettyImages-1328217529.jpg)
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2024/05/04/3961694-80428588-2560-1440.jpg)
