Luciano Spalletti has confirmed he will leave his position as Italy’s national team manager following Monday’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova, marking the end of a turbulent tenure.

The announcement comes in the wake of Italy’s shocking 3-0 defeat to Norway, which has intensified fears of missing a third consecutive World Cup. The Azzurri currently sit fourth in their qualifying group and are on a four-game winless run, including a disappointing Nations League exit.

Speaking at a press conference, Spalletti revealed that Italian FA President Gabriele Gravina had informed him of his impending dismissal:

“I had no intention of giving up, especially when things aren’t going well. But I must take note of the dismissal… Against Moldova I will sit on the bench, then I will terminate the contract.”

Despite the circumstances, Spalletti expressed pride in serving his country and emphasized his willingness to ease the transition for the national team.

With Spalletti’s exit confirmed, fans are calling for Claudio Ranieri to take the helm. The veteran coach and former Premier League winner with Leicester City is seen as the ideal candidate by many, though his interest in the role remains unclear.

Spalletti’s final match in charge will be on Monday, when Italy faces Moldova in what is now a must-win clash to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

🚨 BREAKING: Luciano Spalletti has been sacked. His chapter as Italy national team head coach is over. pic.twitter.com/H8svVQAA2Y

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 8, 2025

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• Mattia Zaccagni strikes at death to crush Croatia and send Italy through to last 16

• Spain complete perfect Euro 2024 group stage as Albania go out

Spain continued their flawless start to Euro 2024 with a 1-0 victory over Albania on Monday, securing their third consecutive win in the tournament. Ferran Torres’ superb strike in the 13th minute, assisted by Dani Olmo, was enough to seal the win.

Spain, already qualified for the last 16, dominated the match with Torres, Mikel Merino, and Joselu coming close to scoring. Despite Albania’s spirited efforts, with Kristjan Asllani and Armando Broja testing Spanish keeper David Raya, they were unable to find the net. This result sees Spain top Group B, while Albania exits the tournament.

In the other Group B match, Italy secured a dramatic 1-1 draw against Croatia, earning them a place in the last 16 as group runners-up. The match was tightly contested, with Croatia’s Luka Modric having a penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 54th minute. However, Modric quickly redeemed himself by scoring the rebound, becoming the oldest scorer in European Championship history at 38 years and 289 days.

Italy fought back and, in added time, Mattia Zaccagni scored a stunning equalizer from distance, breaking Croatian hearts and ensuring Italy’s progression. Croatia, with two points, now awaits the results from other groups to see if they can advance as one of the best third-placed teams.

Spain topped Group B with nine points, Italy followed with four points, and Croatia finished third with two points. Albania, finishing last with one point, has been eliminated. This result guarantees that England, France, and the Netherlands will finish at least among the best four third-placed teams, securing their spots in the knockout stages.

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The UEFA European Championships 2024 group stage draw has been conducted, setting the stage for the tournament. The draw took place in Hamburg, and here are the groups:

Group A:
– Germany
– Hungary
– Scotland
– Switzerland

Group B:
– Spain
– Albania
– Croatia
– Italy

Group C:
– England
– Denmark
– Slovenia
– Serbia

Group D:
– France
– Austria
– Netherlands
– Play-off winner A (Poland, Estonia, Wales, or Finland)

Group E:
– Belgium
– Romania
– Slovakia
– Play-off winner B (Israel, Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, or Ukraine)

Group F:
– Portugal
– Turkey
– Czech Republic
– Play-off winner C (Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece, or Kazakhstan)

The tournament is set to begin on June 14, 2024, with Germany hosting Scotland at the Allianz Arena at 8 p.m. BST. The top two teams from each group will advance to the last 16, joined by the four best third-place teams. The remaining three finalists will be confirmed in March after the conclusion of the play-offs.

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England captain Harry Kane has stated his intention to score 100 goals for the Three Lions before retiring.

Kane became England’s all-time leading scorer after scoring from the penalty spot in their 2-1 triumph against Italy last Thursday. He subsequently added to his tally with the first goal in Sunday’s 2-0 triumph over Ukraine.

At the top of England’s scoring statistics alone, Kane still has plenty of gas left in the tank at age 29 to extend his record.

He has acknowledged that, although it will be challenging, he is still hopeful of being the first player to score 100 goals for England.

“Getting 100 will be tough for sure, but I never count out anything. I am still young. I am 29, I am still fit and strong. I want to play for England for as long as I can,” Kane said.

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“Every game there is I will be putting myself forward to try and play. We will take it step-by-step. The next step will be trying to get into the sixties.

“A hundred is not out of the question. It will be extremely tough but we will have to see how the next few years go.

“I am extremely passionate about my country – I love playing for England,” he added.

“To think of all the English legends and strikers that have played the game and to be number one now is just beyond my dreams.

“Playing for England is special and to have this record is special. I don’t think I dreamed this far. I dreamed of playing for England and scoring for England – to be record goalscorer was not even in my dreams.

“I have had so many great moments and hopefully there are more to come.”

Kane has now surpassed Jimmy Greaves‘ record of 266 goals for the Spurs to become the club’s all-time greatest scorer.

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Harry Kane has acknowledged that breaking the record for most goals scored by a man in England’means everything’ to him.

The 2-1 victory over Italy on Thursday saw the Tottenham striker surpass Wayne Rooney in the Three Lions’ scoring statistics by netting his 54th goal for the team from the penalty spot.

It was always a matter of time for Kane to break the record, and after the game, he revealed just how much it meant to him.

 “It means everything,” he told Channel 4. “I was so excited to put the England shirt on and get back out here and get the campaign started for next year’s Euros.

“It had to be a penalty and once it hit the back of the net… huge emotion. A magical moment.”

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In response to Kane’s strike, Rooney wrote on Twitter: “Congratulations to Harry Kane on becoming England’s all-time leading goalscorer. I knew it wouldn’t take long but that was quick. Great man, unbelievable goalscorer and an England legend. Congrats Harry.”

That tribute was not lost on Kane, who began his England career alongside Rooney and watched the former Manchester United and Everton striker claim the record in 2015.

“Big thanks,” Kane said. “I was on the pitch when Wayne broke the record. I know what it meant to him and I was so proud of him.

“I remember when I gave him the boot for breaking the record, he said he would be giving it back to me one day. A special man.”

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Harry Kane has risen to the top of England’s all-time men’s goalscoring charts after scoring his 54th goal for the Three Lions against Italy on Thursday.

Kane was equal with former Manchester United and Everton striker Wayne Rooney on 53 goals, but he broke the record soon before halftime in the Europa League qualifier.

Tottenham’s talisman required just 81 appearances for his nation to surpass the record, outpacing other scorers Wayne Rooney, Gary Lineker, and Sir Bobby Charlton.

At the age of 21, Kane made his England debut against Lithuania in a 4-0 victory in March 2015. He came off the bench and scored just 80 seconds later.

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He would establish himself as England’s starter by the end of that year and has been leading the Three Lions ever since, even being handed the captain’s armband in 2017.

Many records have been broken as Kane’s career has developed. After winning the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup, he broke England’s record for most goals in a year, finishing 2021 with 16 goals.

England’s all-time top men’s goalscorers

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Bronze medalists in the 2022 World Cup, Croatia will face the Netherlands in the Nations League semifinals in June, while Italy and Spain will renew their rivalry in the other game.

Last year, the four countries won their respective League A groups and will compete in the mini-tournament this summer to determine the 2022-23 title.

Wednesday’s draw, conducted at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland, has the Dutch hosting the Croats, fresh from reaching the World Cup semifinals in Qatar, in Rotterdam on June 14 with Italy and Spain clashing in Enschede the next day.

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The winners will compete in the final in Rotterdam on June 18, with the third-place playoff taking place earlier that day in Enschede.

Spain finished second to France in the last edition in 2021, defeating hosts Italy in the semifinals with a Ferran Torres double in a 2-1 victory in Milan.

Italy and the Netherlands also return for a second appearance at the finals while this is Croatia’s first time.

Italians finished third in 2021, while the Dutch finished second in Portugal’s maiden competition in 2019.

Every European nation competes in the Nations League every two years. The nations are split into four-tier leagues. It has basically taken the place of friendly matches that were formerly held on days designated for international competition.

The 2023 #NationsLeague Finals!

🇳🇱🇭🇷🇪🇸🇮🇹 Who will go all the way? pic.twitter.com/K53XCIVHx4

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) January 25, 2023

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In Qatar, the FIFA World Cup 2022 is already well underway, and like in previous tournaments, surprises are to be expected. It is normal for an underdog to pull off an incredible victory over one of the teams thought to be superior in every FIFA World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 has only been going on for three days, but already the competition has been lit up by some amazing performances. We have seen significant one-sided outcomes, boring draws, and most importantly, upsets.

Is there anything that makes a football fan happier than an upset? What makes football the best sport in the world is when underdogs or little football nations defeat giants. In FIFA World Cup 2022, nothing has changed.

Japan shocked Germany, following Saudi Arabia’s surprising victory against tournament favourites Argentina on Tuesday.

In both cases, the victorious team overcame early deficits to surprise the more well-known side and rewrite history.

In this article, Mp3bullet have examined the six biggest surprises from previous FIFA World Cups.

• 2002 World Cup – {South Korea 2-1 Italy}.

Co-hosts Guus Hiddink’s South Korea team performed admirably during the FIFA World Cup in 2002. In a game marred by referee mistakes, the Asians upset one of the tournament favourites to get to the quarterfinals.

Italy was one of the favourites to win the title because they had many of the top players in the world in their prime. In the first half, Christian Vieri gave Azzurri the lead as South Korea faced a reduced but still talented Italy team.

Seol Ki-Hyeon scored an equalizer in the 88th minute, and Ahn Jung-Hwan scored the game-winning goal with a header in the 117th.

South Korea lost to Germany in the semifinals and Turkey in the third-place playoff in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which was played on home soil, however, that was their best-ever performance at a FIFA World Cup.

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• 2002 World Cup – {Senegal 1-0 France}.

When France faced debutants Senegal in their group stage opening, they were aiming to defend their FIFA World Cup title. Despite having other elite players and playing without influential midfielder Zinedine Zidane due to injury, Les Bleus shockingly fell short against Senegal.

Senegal sought to demonstrate that it was no pushover and that it was a power to be feared. After only 30 minutes of play, the Lions of Teranga scored a goal through Papa Bouba Diop and then proceeded to defend desperately. They managed to hang on to the victory, a significant one for them.

With just one point from three games, France was eliminated from the competition in the group stage. On the other side, Senegal advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to Turkey by a solitary goal.

• 2014 World Cup – {Costa Rica 1 – 0 Italy}.

The Central American underdog, Costa Rica, had to be the subject of an underdog tale created by the footballing gods. They not only defeated four-time champion Italy 1-0, but they also won their group, which included England and Uruguay. They eventually advanced to the quarterfinal round, when they were eliminated by the Netherlands on penalties.

Their victory over the 2012 Euro finalists in Italy, though, was definitely their defining moment. The game’s deciding goal came from a header by Bryan Ruiz in the 44th minute. For the first time in 24 years, they were guaranteed entry into the knockout rounds thanks to the victory. However, the highly anticipated European duo of England and Italy were eliminated.

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• 2018 World Cup – {South Korea 2-0 Germany}.

The defending champions from 2014 Like every World Cup, Germany entered the competition with great hopes. They were, however, in for a harsh awakening as they crashed out of the group stages after losing to a new “Loew” under manager Joachim Loew. In a group that also included South Korea, Mexico, and Sweden, Germany came in last.

Germany lost 0-2 against South Korea in their final group-stage match with qualification on the line. The Asian team, despite simply competing for pride, put up a defensive performance of the highest calibre under the direction of veteran Dutchman Guus Hiddink.

South Korea managed to pull off a surprising victory by scoring twice in stoppage time after fending off the German blitzkrieg the entire game without conceding. As a result, Germany failed to advance past the group stage for the first time since 1938.

• 2022 World Cup – {Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia}.

Saudi Arabia’s defeat of Argentina in Qatar, probably the biggest surprise in FIFA World Cup history, shocked the favourites. La Albiceleste won the Copa America after going 36 games without a loss since 2019.

After going in front through a Lionel Messi penalty ten minutes into the game, Argentina lost to a quickfire double from Saudi Arabia in five second-half minutes. Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari scored in the 48th and 53rd minutes, respectively, to hand Saudi Arabia a hard-earned win over Argentina.

The most notable performance or outcome by an Arab nation in the World Cup thus far was Saudi Arabia’s victory over Argentina. La Albiceleste must regroup for the remainder of the group stage after being stunned in Lusail.

• 2022 World Cup – {Germany 1-2 Japan}.

The rebels are winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The best day in Saudi Arabian football history will always be November 22. After their illustrious victory over Argentina, the Saudi King proclaimed a day of celebration in their memory. A similar response appears to be in store for today in the streets of Tokyo after Japan surprised Germany at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.

Ilkay Gundogan’s first-half penalty gave the Germans the advantage early on, and they appeared to be in complete control. Japan, like the Saudis, however, displayed tenacity and spirit to pull off an incredible comeback. Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano each scored late goals for the Samurai Blue to pull off the shocker.

Until 2018, Germany hadn’t gone out from the group stages at FIFA World Cups since 1938. Germany might lose to Spain on Sunday and leave the group stage once more.

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Few countries have successfully completed this feast. Every country has the once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete in the FIFA World Cup and represent its nation in one of the most prestigious athletic events in the world.

Some nations, though, have grown accustomed to participating in international football competitions to the point where they regularly shatter records.

It’s amazing how quickly some countries have dominated the FIFA World Cup, like Brazil, Germany, and Italy. The only non-European nation to have won five times in Brazil. This is fantastic for such a football-loving nation.

Mp3bullet have listed out the top six nations with 100 or more World Cup goals highlighted in this article.

• Germany – 230

Germany has been a successful nation in the competition, despite once being split between West and East Germany. With a stellar record of 25.4% shot efficiency in the four competitions, he participated in. They have four World Cup titles, the most recent one coming in 2014. With 16 goals, Germany’s Miroslav Klose is the tournament’s top scorer.

Due to their participation in 19 World Cups and their success in football, they are the only country with the most goals scored in World Cups.

• Brazil – 226

Brazil is the only nation to have won the World Cup five times, as well as the only country to have competed in every edition of the competition. From 1930 through 2022, 21 times. They are the only South American team to have done so since their most recent World Cup title in 2002.

Brazil is the only nation to have won the World Cup on four distinct continents: Europe (1958 Sweden), South America (1962 Chile), North America (1970 Mexico and 1994 United States), and Asia (2002 Korea/Japan). Brazil is also the only nation to have never participated in a World Cup play-off.

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• Argentina – 138

The second-most successful country in South America, having twice won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986. The dominant force from South America has participated in 17 of the 22 FIFA World Cups. three final defeats in 1930, 1990, and 2014. They are the third-most prolific World Cup goal scorer ever.

From Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi, the nation has produced players of the highest calibre. They recently won the Copa America, and many predict they will win the 2022 World Cup.

• Italy – 127

Italy, which has participated in the competition 18 times out of 22 and reached six finals, is tied with Germany for the most World Cup titles (4). They score goals the fourth most frequently in FIFA World Cups. Since winning their last title in 2006, Italy has failed to go past the group stage.

After failing to qualify for both the 2018 World Cup and, more recently, the 2022 World Cup, the nation has fallen in the rankings.

• France – 124

With a strong squad and a long history of World Cup victories, France is one of the most dominant nations. Despite winning the World Cup twice, France is one of the few nations to have scored the most goals at FIFA World Cups.

They are now ranked sixth in the world and have participated in the FIFA World Cup 15 times. Deschamps joined Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo as World Cup winners as manager and player with their most recent triumph at the 2018 World Cup.

• Spain – 100

Spain is the newest team on this list. La Roja scored 100 goals in the FIFA World Cup after a 7-0 thrashing of Costa Rica. The country from Europe has participated in 16 FIFA World Cups. In addition to winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he has now reached a new milestone by scoring 100 goals overall.

They are the first nation from Europe to triumph in a FIFA World Cup that was not held there. Additionally, they received three FIFA team of the year awards between 2008 and 2012, second only to Brazil among all countries.

Hitting the century mark 💯

That's goal #100 for Spain at the #FIFAWorldCup 🇪🇸#Qatar2022 | @SEFutbol pic.twitter.com/vrtDp88smk

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 23, 2022

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In the most recent FIFA rankings, which were released ahead of the World Cup, the Super Eagles dropped two places. Senegal maintains the top spot, while Ghana’s Black Stars have fallen in the rankings.

Going into the competition, which will be held in Qatar later this year, West Africa has the lowest ranking. The ranking has Ghana at number 62, which is its lowest position before the competition.

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In the ranking, Senegal is the highest-ranked African country, followed by Morocco in second place. Algeria, Nigeria, and Tunisia round out the top five nations in Africa, respectively.

Brazil continues to be ranked first in the world, followed by Belgium in second, France in third, and England in fourth. The top ten teams in the world rankings are completed by Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, and Denmark.

Brazil stay on top heading to Qatar 🌍​🏆 pic.twitter.com/qDoJvkX9MG

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 6, 2022

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Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes feels there is no need to turn the captain Cristiano Ronaldo’s annoyance into a soap opera.

This was said by Fernandes in support of Ronaldo after their 1-0 loss to Spain in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday.

Throughout the game, Ronaldo was wasteful in front of goal, missing numerous chances to put Portugal ahead while Spain ultimately prevailed.

Alvaro Morata’s 88th-minute goal at the Estádio Municipal de Braga gave Spain the victory over Portugal.

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Spain advanced to the Nations League finals, which will take place the following year, thanks to the victory.

Croatia, The Netherlands, and Italy are the other three teams to have made it to the finals.

After the match, Fernandes was quizzed about Ronaldo’s frustration.

“Cristiano is here to help and will continue to help. It is ok. Frustration is normal, he wants to win and score goals. There is no need to make a soap opera around him. The goals will appear, they are phases. Have more peace of mind,” the Manchester United midfielder told the media after the match (via OJogo)

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Gareth Southgate has named his 23-man squad for England’s match against Germany at Wembley Stadium on Monday night, which excludes Liverpool and Manchester City stars.

In the biggest and perhaps most controversial omission, Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has not been included for what is the Three Lions’ last game before November’s World Cup.

Jack Grealish of Manchester City has also been excluded, though this is due to a suspension after receiving his second yellow card of the Nations League season during the loss to Italy last Friday.

AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse and West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen are the other names to have failed to make the cut.

It was anticipated that Southgate would use the Germany match to try out more inexperienced players given that England had already been demoted from the top division of the Nations League after collecting just one point in five games and failing to score from open play in any of them.

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However, this does not appear to be the case, with Alexander-Arnold now in serious danger of missing out on a place on the plane to Qatar.

The 23-year-old right-back hasn’t played for England frequently under Southgate because Kyle Walker of Manchester City, Kieran Trippier of Newcastle, and Reece James of Chelsea are ahead of him in the lineup.

Tomori’s omission has also drawn criticism, given how well the 24-year-old has performed since moving from Chelsea to Milan last year, and the struggles of more established England centre-backs like Manchester United’s Harry Maguire.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who was previously left out of the squad to face Italy, is one player who has been added to the squad to face Germany and could earn his first international cap.

After an incredible start to the season in which he has scored five goals and provided three assists in just eight games for the Bees, the 26-year-old was called up to England for the first time ever for the September international break.

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