Materazzi refuses to complain about World Cup qualification format and warns Italy | OneFootball

Ex-Italy international Marco Materazzi predicts a ‘tough’ game for the Azzurri against Northern Ireland but refuses to complain about the qualification format: ‘It’s also our fault.’

Italy learned their World Cup play-off opponents on Thursday as they were drawn with Northern Ireland for the semifinal and the winner between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the potential Final.

The Azzurri will play the semifinal at home, but if they go through, they’ll be the visiting team in the final.

“Nowadays, there are no easy games in football; we know it’s the last chance,” Materazzi told Sky Sport Italia after the draw.

Materazzi: ‘Italy must be prepared for a tough game’

First Italy training under Gennaro Gattuso on September 1, 2025.

“Don’t forget we have not played in the last two editions of the World Cup. Perhaps it’s not just because of the others, but it’s also our fault. We must be prepared for a tough game, then we’ll see.”

Materazzi was one of the draw assistants during today’s event at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

There have been complaints over the qualification format, which gives European teams just 16 places in the World Cup.

“We did not qualify for the two editions, and the rules were different back then,” noted Materazzi.

“We have to run because the players’ quality is there. I’ve travelled around the world to see many training centres and they all have 12, 13, 14 pitches and continue to produce [talents]. This is what, unfortunately, we lack in Italy.”

Italian media suggest that the federation is hoping to host a get-together at Coverciano before the play-off semifinal, but Materazzi feels the Azzurri would need more than just two days of work.

Materazzi: ‘No more easy games’

Enzo Simonelli, Marco Materazzi and Andrea Pirlo at the Calcio Aperitivo in New York on March 3, 2025.

“Two days aren’t much. When you go to the national team after games, injuries, and recovery, you can just talk,” he said.

“You don’t do much on the pitch. We’d need to spend more time on the pitch and follow the coach’s instructions.

“Work always pays off,” Materazzi concluded.

“We know we are struggling, and everyone misses seeing Italy in the World Cup, but it’s up to us to chase those ahead of us. There are no more easy games. With all the respect due, it’s tough to get a result and win even just 1-0, even in Malta or Iceland. So this must make us think and make us build something important with the senior team, but also at a youth level.”