Should the Azzurri reach the final stage of World Cup qualifying, they would face the winner of Craig Bellamy’s national team and Sergej Barbarez’s team away from home.

The bogey teams of Sweden and North Macedonia have been avoided, but Northern Ireland does not evoke positive memories for Italy. In January 1958, the Azzurri lost 2-1 in Belfast and were knocked out of the World Cup in Sweden. On March 26, however, Gattuso’s national team has the opportunity to take revenge in the semifinal (single match) of the playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada next summer. Italy will play this match at home (Bergamo is favored), as it was seeded. The final on March 31, against either Wales or Bosnia, will be away for the Azzurri. This was decided today in the draw in Zurich. Sixteen European national teams will participate in the playoffs: the 12 that finished second in their respective qualifying groups (including Italy) plus the four repêchés from the 2024-25 Nations League. Let’s take a look at the strengths, weaknesses, star players, and key points of the Azzurri’s two possible opponents in the final.
Wales held their own against Belgium until the very end in Group J, finishing second with 16 points: their record is five wins, one draw, and two losses, which came only in the two head-to-head matches against the Red Devils. Worth noting are the 21 goals scored in eight games, a sign of a team devoted to attack.

The star—  The golden nugget is Brennan Johnson, Tottenham’s center forward. He is the spearhead of the Welsh attack: he is fast, technical, and accustomed to always attacking deep. The Azzurri defenders, should they face him, have been warned. In the qualifying round, he scored two goals and provided one assist: he is not a goalscorer, but he is always present throughout the ninety minutes. In 2023, Spurs invested €55 million to sign him from Nottingham Forest.
How they play— Wales played in many different ways during the qualifying campaign. The standard formation is 4-2-3-1, although two strikers have been used on several occasions. The wide players are one of the British national team’s strengths, especially on the right where Daniel James, formerly of Manchester United, plays. Captain Harry Wilson, a midfielder, has sometimes been deployed as a lone striker to avoid giving away any clues. Wales is not a very physical team, but they run hard and play well at home. For Italy, they will not be an easy obstacle to overcome. Typical formation (4-2-3-1). Darlow; Williams, Lawlor, Rodon, Dasilva; Wilson, Sheehan, Wilson; James, Cullen, Brooks; Johnson. Coach—Craig Bellamy has been Wales’ coach since 2024. As a player, he was a prolific striker who played for Manchester City and Liverpool, among others. At 46, he is in the prime of his coaching career, which began ten years ago with Cardiff’s youth team and continued with Anderlecht and Burnley. Off the field, he has had more than a few problems: in 2002, he was involved in a fight with a student; in 2006, he was acquitted of a charge of assault by two women; in a Manchester derby in 2009, he punched a United fan who had invaded the pitch; and in 2011, he was arrested for fighting.
In short, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Bosnia came within a whisker of direct qualification for the World Cup, finishing second in Group H with 17 points, behind Austria, with whom they drew 1-1 on the last day. The record shows five wins, two draws, and one defeat: not a bad run, but it wasn’t enough.

The star—  He may be 39 years old, but Edin Dzeko continues to be the star of his national team. He scored five goals in the qualifying round, which were not enough to achieve direct qualification. Despite a complicated season with Fiorentina, the former Inter player remains the record holder for appearances (146) and goals (72) with Bosnia. Dzeko hopes to be in the best possible condition for the semifinal against Wales. Also worth mentioning are Muharemovic, defender for Sassuolo, and Kolasinac of Atalanta: a mix of youth and experience.
How they play—  In their last qualifying matches, Bosnia took to the field with a 4-3-3 formation, switching to 4-2-3-1 when necessary. Dzeko is the attacking spearhead, often flanked by Memic and Alajbegovic on the wings. Demirovic, the Stuttgart striker, is also missing, having been out for some time with a foot injury. In midfield is former Roma player Tahirovic, born in 2003, a dynamic and energetic central midfielder. Overall, the team is solid. They haven’t played in a World Cup since 2014, but they have experience and quality. Overall, it is an attack-minded team: 17 goals scored in eight qualifying matches and only seven conceded. Typical formation (4-3-3): Vasilij; Malic, Radeljic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Tahirovic, Sunjic, Gigovic; Demirovic, Dzeko, Dedic. The Bosnia coach is Sergej Barbarez, who has been in charge since last year. He has a history as a player in Germany, having played for Hamburg, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Union Berlin, and Hannover, and with 330 appearances, he is the foreign player with the most appearances in the Bundesliga. He has played 47 games for the Bosnian national team.