“They picked their rivals”: Di Marco and Vicario spark Azzurra row | OneFootball

Italy’s qualification for the final of the European playoff for the 2026 World Cup produced an image that quickly caused a stir. After beating Northern Ireland 2-0, the players watched live the decider between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Wales, which ended in a Bosnian victory on penalties. What came next was what sparked the controversy.

While still in camp, cameras captured the moment when Federico Dimarco and Guglielmo Vicario reacted with clear joy upon learning that their opponent would be Bosnia and not Wales, a team that beforehand appeared to be the tougher challenge.

Far from being an easy opponent, Bosnia arrived by the skin of their teeth but with character. The team led by Edin Džeko equalized at the end against Wales in Cardiff and then won 4-2 in the penalty shootout, keeping their World Cup dream alive.

Meanwhile, in Italy, the scene prompted phrases that summed up the mood: “they celebrated before playing”, “they chose their opponent” and “careful, Bosnia are no easy team”, comments that began circulating after the video spread.

Now, with the matchup confirmed, the Azzurra will have to back up on the pitch that reaction, which did not go unnoticed. The clash against Bosnia will be played on Tuesday, March 31 in Zenica and will decide one of the last spots at the World Cup.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.