Italy have been something of a surprise at EURO 2016 by topping the group and deservedly dispatching two-time reigning champions Spain in the round of 16.
Chelsea fans already seem enraptured with Antonio Conte as the 43-year-old has shown tactical flexibility, faith in his players but also passion which boiled over into kicking the ball away and threatening to kill the Azzurri who misplaced places.
The coach is probably the best is in the entire competition even after he was criticised for picking his personal favourites with more fashionable names missing out.
Yet, his loyalty to those who do exactly as asked of them has paid off in the context of international football where it’s difficult to implement complex ideas in limited time.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects to Italy’s success is that it has completely contradicted the established narrative of what was supposed to happen.
Players such as Eder and Emanuele Giaccherini were widely hounded but they have been crucial to the side, with the man who spent the 2015-16 on loan at Bologna arguably the top performer so far. Giaccherini had already shown glimpses of his value in an earlier pre-tournament friendly against Spain when he still received criticism for not being a glamour player.
Few people are tuning in to watch Marco Parolo, but his contribution as the player who has run the most in the competition is invaluable.
The squad almost sound as though they have been indoctrinated into a cult by how often the themes of the group, unity and working for each other are discussed at press conferences.
This is no doubt aided by the Juventus contingent of Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli or the ‘BBBC’ who are the few world class players in the side although even they appear under-appreciated in a world where a defender hasn’t won a Ballon D’Or since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.
The very existence of so many Juventus players also why it was foolish of people to right off Italy as a side with so many players from a club who did the double for a consecutive season and was minutes away from eliminating Bayern Munich can hardly be full of mediocre cloggers.
Juve’s contribution the national side is obviously huge, but Italy’s togetherness has also been fostered in more mundane surroundings such as Cesena in Serie A who put out sides featuring Antonio Candreva, Giaccherini, Parolo and Eder in 2011 while the Brazilian-born forward also teamed up with Graziano Pelle at Sampdoria in Serie B before former Blucerchiati coach Giuseppe Iachini discussed the strike pair to his friend Conte.
The unlikely presence of these players who have dragged themselves up through careers not devoid of adversity encapsulates the spirit of the side. The top class back line provides a base for the more mediocre players ahead of them. They’re not lethal forwards who only need half a sight of goal and the win against Spain should have been wrapped up earlier with better finishing. Yet, it’s running and movement which creates the chances and efficient on the counterattack. It’s Pelle filling in the boots of Luca Toni with physicality while Eder runs off him and Simone Zaza waits on the bench with the ability to make a difference late on. Determination and intelligence are making up perfectly for any lack in ability and football is played with the brain.
In short, this Italy remains nothing special but you don’t have to be a remarkable team to win a competition where you play seven matches at the most. The Azzurri appear to have been motivated by the lazy parroting of the view that they are the worst side from the peninsula ever and it has taken the pressure off.
Before the tournament, Chiellini repeated some of the famous characteristics of Italy through the years; that they are strong defensively and a tournament team who improves other time when it really matters.
Italy have an uphill task against Germany but there’s no reason why they can’t overcome it. Even if they fail, they can go home knowing that they exceeded expectations and beat two teams in Belgium and Spain who were far more fancied.
