After 10 years with FM, my first career update

[trman73]

Hey Dodgee, let's hope not. Prior to the Spain WC qualifier, I'd say that we didn't win one match against a team that was at our level. Hopefully that match will propel us to easy qualification to World Cup 2026.

Over the summer I have a chance to watch both our Under 21s and Under 19s compete for the European Championships, as both advanced to the final group stages of their respective tournaments. The Under 21s won a group that included Greece, Croatia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina, and advanced to the semis to play Croatia. They won that match on penalties after a scoreless draw, and faced Germany in the final. They lost, 1-0, but it was a good run for the U21s and their best finish since 2019.

For the Under 19s, they steamrolled through qualifying and then beat England 4-0 in their first match of the Championship group stage. Despite losing their other two matches, they advanced to the semifinal based on goal differential. In a really exciting semifinal, they play Germany and it's 1-1 late. We take the lead in the 88th, but the Germans tie it in the 90th and it goes to extra time, where they score in the 106th to win it. Both of our young teams are knocked out by Germany, but overall they each played well and that bodes well for the future.

[trman73]

September 4, 2025 - World Cup Qualifying, Group 8, Game 3: Italy (2-0-0, 6 pts., 2nd) vs. Poland (2-1-0, 7 pts., 1st)

Here's where our World Cup qualifying group stands as we prepare for our September matches...

The Poles have beaten the teams they should beat thus far and lead the group, although they've played one more match than we have. But they play us and then host Spain in their next two, so that could tell the story for them - will they be contenders heading into their final three matches, or also-rans? We hope to put a dent in their chances in this match. If we lose this match at home, Poland is in control of the group, and with a win at home against Spain is really in the driver's seat. We can't let that happen.

We waste little time in establishing control of this one, as a harmless-looking cross from Bernardeschi finds the head of D'Onofrio, who places a soft shot past the keeper for his sixth goal for us in 2025, and it's 1-0. Then in the 12th, Poland is called for a foul in the box. Capezzi puts it in, and it's 2-0 and the team looks incredibly focused on the task at hand. The first half is played almost entirely in Poland's end, although we don't score again and hold a 2-0 lead at the break. Poland plays better in the second half, but we park the bus in the 60th minute, and win, 2-0. It's nine points from our first three matches, and we've yet to concede a goal. Spain beats Macedonia to overtake Poland for second.

 

 

[trman73]

September 7, 2025 - World Cup Qualifying, Group 8, Game 4: Estonia (0-0-4, 0 pts., 5th) vs. Italy (3-0-0, 9 pts., 1st)

Estonia is clearly the worst team in this group, although they haven't played all that poorly. Their last two matches have been against Spain, and they lost 0-2 on the road and 1-2 at home. I don't care who the competition is, we need to bring our best game here. We also need to think about goal differential, and right now we're +7 while Spain is +3 ad Poland +1. So we need to win and create some distance goals-wise as Spain visits Poland today (Spain has nine points, Poland seven and they've each played four games to our three).

We rest some starters for this one, but not everyone. We don't play well at all in the first half, and Estonia is the better team for the first 45. It's scoreless at the break, and then remains scoreless through the first portion of the second half, and I'm getting nervous. I sub out forward Moise Kean in favor of Belotti, and in the 53rd, we finally break through with a goal from D'Onofrio. That opens the floodgates as Belotti gets one four minutes later, then he finds D'Onofrio for a beauty to make it 3-0. In the 66th Estonia becomes the first team to score on us in the qualifiers, but by then it's a formality, and we win, 4-1 (Belotti scores late on a breakaway). Spain destroys Poland, 4-0, and it's basically Spain and us battling for the group now.

[trman73]

October 11, 2025 - World Cup Qualifying, Group 8, Game 4: Spain (4-0-1, 12 pts., 2nd) vs. Italy (4-0-0, 12 pts., 1st)

Up until now the biggest game of my coaching career was our destruction of Inter in the 2022 Euro Cup final. This one is probably even more important. With a win here, we all but clinch the group and qualify for the World Cup, as we'll have a six-point lead over Spain with three to go, including home matches with Macedonia and Estonia. With a draw we're probably still fine, and with a loss we'll certainly need to win out the rest of our matches to qualify. We thoroughly dominated Spain at home in our qualifying opener; but this one's in hostile territory against a desperate team. We need to get a result here.

Each team is tentative in the early going, and then we catch a huge break, as a corner from Bernardeschi bounces off a Spain defender for an own goal that puts us up 1-0. That's the score at the break. I tell the team they are playing well and to keep it up, and two minutes into the second half Spain ties it. As the game drags on, I start to think about what we need to do from here on out if we draw this match. Then in the 80th, we get an absolutely tremendous goal from Capezzi after a great number of good passes in the box by the attackers, and we're up 2-1! Spain turns on the offense, but in stoppage time Capezzi gets a breakaway opportunity, and nails home the game-winner! We're victorious, 3-1, and have total control over this group.

We are most definitely going to qualify for the World Cup.

[trman73]

October 14, 2025 - World Cup Qualifying, Group 8, Game 6: Italy (5-0-0, 15 pts., 1st) vs. FYR Macedonia (1-2-3, 5 pts. 4th)

Macedonia's out of it, and all that's left for them is to potentially play spoiler, as they host Spain in their finale after this match with us. If we win this match, we're going to clinch at least a tie for the group lead, and we hold a healthy goal differential lead over Spain right now. And with a home match against Estonia to close out qualifiers, it's really going to take a disaster for us not to advance to the biggest tournament in the world.

Belgium and Holland have already punched their tickets to Mexico by winning their groups. Everything else is still up for grabs.

I give Newcastle's Christian Capone, an attacking left midfielder, his first cap in this one, and start a few other reserves.

For the second straight game we take an early lead on an own goal, as we have a four-on-one break and Bernardeschi passes a ball deep into the box that bounces off a defender and past the out-of-position keeper for the goal. D'Onofrio scores his eighth of the qualifiers in the 22nd, and Gabbiadini hits the net with a wicked shot from way out in the 30th, and this one's over.

In the 54th, Capone scores on a shot from at least 30 yards out, and it's a goal in his first match for the national team. Tiziano Marangon, a backup center defender, also gets his first for Italy on a corner three minutes later, and it's a complete rout at 5-0. Technically we're not in, but we're in. See you in Mexico next summer!

Edited June 19, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

November 14, 2025 - World Cup Qualifying, Group 8, Game 7: Poland (3-1-2, 10 pts., 3rd) vs. Italy (6-0-0, 18 pts., 1st)

I could do Spain a favor here by knocking off Poland, as it would basically clinch second for them. My goal here is to go undefeated and untied throughout qualifiers. I'm going to start the regular team for this match and then all reserves for the Estonia finale. Unless we lose by about 10 goals in this one, this is the match that will officially clinch a trip to World Cup 2026 for us.

Poland scores in the 27th and for the first time in our qualifying matches, we're down. We play a lackluster match, but in the 70th Bernardeschi ties it, and no one scores over the final 20 minutes. I'm disappointed in the draw, but we have officially advanced to the World Cup as the winners of Group 8.

[trman73]

November 17, 2025 - World Cup Qualifying, Group 8, Game 8: Italy (6-1-0, 19 pts., 1st) vs. Estonia (0-1-6, 1 pt., 5th)

Our final match of 2025 is utterly meaningless, and we're starting all of our subs and younger guys.

There are still a number of World Cup spots up for grabs, so I'll recap at the end, but here's a quick rundown of what's at stake in Europe:

• Portugal, Romania, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Holland have all won their groups.
• Norway, Croatia, and Greece are all still alive in Group 1, although Norway has a one-point lead and a home game with hapless Gibraltar in the finale.
• England has a one-point lead over Turkey in Group 2, but with wins both are likely to get in.
• Defending champs France are in a battle with Austria as each have 22 points. France has a tough road match at Switzerland in their finale.
• Sweden and Ukraine are the teams left alive in Group 7.
• The second-place spots are completely up for grabs and too complicated to list.

Once again Estonia holds us to a scoreless first half. And once again we take control in the second. Moise Kean scores a goal in the 65th that should build his confidence, and then Manolo Gabbiadini finishes the scoring, and we win, 2-0. With a dominant win over Poland, Spain looks like it will join us in Mexico. But this group belongs to us.

Edited June 19, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

The final World Cup qualifiers are...

• Africa: Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Gabon, and Guinnea-Bissau (first time ever for them)
• Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, and Syria (first time)
• Oceania: New Zealand (defeated UAE in playoff)
• South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, and Chile (defeated Costa Rica in playoff)
• North America: Mexico (host), United States, Jamaica, and Honduras
• Europe: Norway, England, Portugal, Romania, France, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, and Holland (group winners); Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Spain (second-place finishers)

13th-ranked Turkey and 14th-ranked Austria are the highest-ranked teams not to make it.

The World Cup draw is in three weeks!!!

[Tajerio]

Hope that qualifying form keeps up!

[Justin_Case]

Good campaign, let's hope for a favourable draw

[trman73]

December 5, 2025 - World Cup Draw

I cannot believe I am managing a team in the World Cup, and not only that, am managing a team that has to be considered one of the favorites. With our run in the qualifiers we've moved back up to the third-ranked team in the world, behind only Brazil and Portugal. I'm super-excited for the draw, so let's get to it!

We're in the first pool along with the host nation, Mexico, as well as Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Brazil, France, and Portugal.

And after the first pool is drawn...

The next group, which you can see on the screen shot, is the North American and Asian teams, along with New Zealand. And the results are...

Australia is always feisty, but honestly, we'll be favored against them. Next up - Africa and the remaining South American teams, plus our qualifying opponent, Spain.

Cameroon is a quality side, but as of right now I am happy with this draw. And finally, the remaining European sides. The draw is over, and here we are...

I will absolutely take this. Australia is 16th in the world (really?), the Czech Republic is 17th, and Cameroon is 29th. That's the order we'll play them, and I honestly think we go 3-0-0 in these matches. As for the overall draw, Group C looks like the "group of death" as France has won the last two major cups, Belgium is 8th in the world and won the 2018 World Cup, Guinea-Bissau is actually 9th in the world, and the US is always feisty. Three of the top nine teams in the world are in that group. The US will really struggle to advance.

I schedule my four friendlies that we'll play prior to the start of the World Cup:

• March 27 at Scotland (47th)
• March 31 vs. England (12th)
• June 3 vs. Switzerland (36th)
• June 8 vs. Austria (14th)

I am ready to celebrate an outstanding 2025 season and prepare for the World Cup next summer.

[trman73]

Italy 2025 Season Recap

Prior to the start of this year I had the feeling that, if we got off to a slow start in World Cup qualifiers, I might actually be relieved of my duties as head coach. Twelve months later, I know that I will see out a full, four-year term as manager of the Italian National Team. We had a really good year, and, better than that, accomplished my goal of establishing a new generation of footballers for Italy.

Here's our 2025 match list...

Our only blemishes were a meaningless loss to the Dutch in a summer friendly, and then the draw with Poland that officially clinched our spot in the World Cup. Obviously the big wins were the one against Spain to kick off the qualifiers, and then the huge win on the road against the Spanish to essentially lock up the group. In the qualifiers we outscored our opponents 22-3. We dominated the group, and since that was the only competition that mattered this year, I am giving us a grade of A for the year.

2025 Most Valuable Player: F Pietro D'Onofrio

If you look at the match results above, you can see that D'Onofrio scored in five of our eight qualifiers. He didn't play against Estonia in the finale, so it was eight goals in seven meaningful matches for him, and nine goals overall. The 24-year-old Juventus man also notched an assist and a team-high 7.84 rating. He is our striker of the future. Runners-Up: DC Daniele Rugani was an absolute anchor for our defense, with a 7.60 rating in eight matches. And 24-year-old MC Alessandro Granelli was our best midfielder, collecting a goal, three assists, and a 7.64 rating in eight matches.

Overall, the team was solid all around...

I want to highlight a few of the youngsters who made big contributions and look to be the future of Italian football.

The future looks bright.

As for next year, there's no other goal than to win the big one.

Edited June 19, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

Oh man, on January 25 we get some really distressing news, as Pietro D'Onofrio is injured with a damaged Achilles tendon for Juventus, and is out for 3-4 months. He'll definitely miss the March friendlies, and if he doesn't heal well, could be in doubt for the World Cup. This is just terrible, terrible news. Four months puts us at late May, so we'll see if he's ready then, and also if he's in game shape, which is going to be unlikely.

A day later, more horrific news. Alessandro Granelli, who really made a name for himself during the World Cup qualifiers, is out for eight months with damaged knee ligaments. This is becoming a nightmare. There is no chance he'll be available for the World Cup. Devastating.

[trman73]

March 27, 2026 - International Friendly: Scotland vs. Italy

Frankly I'm still too bummed over our injuries to D'Onofrio and Granelli to care about this match, although the match with England in a few days is certainly a good test. I'm starting some reserves for this one. The Scots will be the weakest of our four warmup matches before the World Cup.

We win easily, 3-1, with two goals from Moise Kean, who will be counted on in three months. Albert Chianese, a new face, scores the other goal, and it's a good warmup performance for us.

March 31, 2026 - International Friendly: Italy vs. England

This will be a good test. The English are ninth in the world and are playing well. They rolled Poland in their match four days ago, so we'll need to play well at home.

We lose this one, 2-0, and play poorly. But we emerge injury-free, and next up are our final two tuneups before the Cup.

Edited June 20, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

I have to make my 30-player preliminary squad selection on May 13, and thankfully D'Onofrio looks like he's going to be ready for the Cup. I select three goalkeepers, 10 defenders, five central midfielders, seven wingers, and five forwards. It's mostly guys that have seen action for me over the last 18 months or so.

June 3, 2026 - International Friendly: Italy vs. Switzerland

I scheduled this game because we know these guys: I've played them four times during my tenure, so I can tell how we're playing based on how we do against these guys.

D'Onofrio is in the lineup for this one and it takes him six minutes to score on a nice pass from Parigini. He's back. He scores again midway through the second half, and comes out. We win, 2-0, in a very solid performance. Now let's get through our final match with a clean bill of health.

June 6, 2026: International Friendly: Italy vs. Austria

Our last tuneup before Mexico is at home against probably the best team not to qualify for the Cup competition.

We whip these guys, 4-0, and the game was about as close as the score indicated. Goals from Kean, D'Onofrio, Capone, and Capezzi. It's a great two-match warmup, and we are ready for the World Cup. Following this match, we hop on a plane, and head for Mexico.

[BadManager]

Those injuries aren't ideal, but if you keep up the qualifying form in the Cup itself things are looking bright. The group looks kind. Sure, a game or two might not be easy, but World Cup matches aren't supposed to be easy. They really are almost friendlies with meaning, before the knockout stuff and things get real. Qualifying from the group should be a given, 9 points not a given but probable.

[trman73]

Thanks Bad. Yeah with our forward back I feel way better. We have a lot of good midfielders but not a lot of good goal-scorers, so having him or the cup was really important.

The group is kind, yes. But you never know.

[metallimuse]

What's your plans after the finals buddy?

[trman73]

June 17, 2025 - World Cup, Group H, Game 1: Australia vs. Italy

Well, it' here. All over the world, kids grow up dreaming of one day lifting the World Cup. We are one of 32 teams that have a chance to do that, and the journey starts today.

My final 23-man roster offers little surprise: I'm going with the squad that dominated qualifiers for me. Pietro D'Onofrio is back and in form. It's a shame we're missing Alessandro Granelli, but everyone else I wanted on this team is here, healthy, and ready to roll.

We play five days after the start of the tournament, and the first set of games includes a few mild surprises. On Day 1, Holland beats the host nation in the opening match, and Iran gets three points from Gabon in Group A. Day 2 sees the English punish Syria, 8-0, along with the defending champs, France, falling to the 2018 champion, Belgium. The US draws its first match with Guinea-Bissau, which doesn't bode well, and Jamaica, which advanced to the knockout stages four years ago, starts strong again by destroying Senegal, 4-0. In Group F, Spain defeats Brazil, 1-0.

Finally, it's match day. A quick look at Australia reveals a team that is way behind us talent-wise, but these guys get the most out of their talent. They were terrible in their warmup matches though, drawing with Lebanon and falling to Thailand, 2-0, on the road.

Let's kick this thing off!!!

We don't play well in the opening 20 minutes and the majority of the action takes place in our end. Things get much, much worse for us in the 22nd, when some nifty passing leads to a clear shot for Australia's Damien Nicholas, who puts it past Donnarumma for the opening goal. We look really sluggish out there, and it looks like we'll be down at the break. But in the 42nd, Parigini finds a streaking Moise Kean with a cross, and he scores from close range to tie it. We're back even, and it's 1-1 at the break.

We play much better at the start of the second half, but we aren't converting. Then in the 77th, we have a big problem, as Ramagnoli gets a second yellow card and is sent off. This match is too big not to get a point, so we go into defensive mode, and the game ends in a 1-1 draw. A disappointing start to the World Cup. Cameroon defeats the Czech Republic, 1-0, and after the first set of matches we're in second place in our group.

[Justin_Case]

This is really making me want to start an international save!

[trman73]

Hey metal, I'll announce my future intentions after the World Cup is over.

June 22, 2025 - World Cup, Group H, Game 2: Italy (0-1-0, 1 pt., 2nd) vs. Czech Republic (0-0-1, 0 pts., 4th)

We need a much better performance against the Czechs than we had against the Aussies, or our tournament could come to a very abrupt end. In 2010, 2014, and 2018 Italy failed to get out of the group stage, and that is simply not going to be my legacy as manager of this team. We'll be without Romagnoli thanks to his red card, but our backup central defender, Marangon, is a more than adequate replacement.

In matches that take place during our break, England and Portugal draw and are tied atop their group. Syria gets drilled again by Uruguay and have been outscored 13-0 in their two matches. The US draws with Belgium and will need to beat the French to advance. Germany and Chile, both from Group E, become the first two nations to advance to the knockout rounds. The next day Spain also clinches.

And the next day, it's our turn. The Czechs fell to Cameroon in their opener, ending an 11-match win streak for them. They've got quality players, but again, we're the better team on paper. We just need to translate that onto the pitch.

The first quarter of this match is an exact copy of the Australia game. We play poorly, and concede in the 22nd after a foul by Marangon right outside the box leads to a free kick that deflects off the wall and into the net. This time we don't equalize in the first half, and trail, 1-0. The second half is much of the same, and nothing is working for us. If we lose this match, we're in serious trouble. But in the 59th Barreca's long cross finds Kean in the box, and he puts it home to tie it. We keep the pressure on in the final 30 minutes, but can't generate any additional quality chances. It's another 1-1 tie for us, and this is not what I had in mind. Cameroon defeats Australia, 2-0, to clinch Group H. We're in second place with our two draws, and Australia and the Czechs each have a point.

 

[trman73]

Obviously since we're group H we're the last matches of the group stage. Here's what happens elsewhere:

• Group A: Holland wins the group with nine points, and Mexico is second.
• Group B: England and Portugal tie with seven points, and England takes the group on differential (thanks to its 8-0 rout of Syria).
• Group C: The US loses to France and is out at 0-2-1. Belgium takes the group with France second.
• Group D: Argentina wins it with nine, Sweden second with six. Jamaica out.
• Group E: Germany beats Chile to take the group, with the Chileans second.
• Group F: Spain takes it, Brazil second.
• Group G: In this group everyone is still alive with a game to go.

June 26, 2025 - World Cup, Group H, Game 3: Cameroon (2-0-0, 6 pts., 1st) vs. Italy (0-2-0, 2 pts., 2nd)

Cameroon has already won the group, and has not conceded in its two matches. We've got two paths to the knockout rounds here...

1. Win.
2. Draw or lose and have Australia and Czech Republic draw.

Obviously I don't want to have to scoreboard watch. We need to take care of business. If we don't make the knockout phase I will have a lot to say about what happened here. But for now, we've got 90 minutes to make this happen. I switch out our starting center midfield for this one, and it will be Simone Diliberto and Mattia Franchini in the middle for us.

Let's kick this thing off and learn our fate.

Finally, finally, we come out with some passion, and control the opening minutes. In the 10th minute, our two most disappointing players from the first two matches connect, as Bernardeschi finds D'Onofrio for a run that ends with a goal, and we're up for the first time in this competition. Just two minutes later, a ball bounces around in the box and finds Parigini, who strikes it home and it's 2-0! This is the team I expected to bring to Mexico. We are relentless on the attack, and in the 33rd D'Onofrio finds Kean and it's a 3-0 lead that we hold until the half. It certainly looks like we're advancing. The Czech Republic leads Australia, 1-0, but right now that doesn't look like it matters. Bernardeschi basically slams the door on this one with a wicked free kick to put us up 4-0 in the 53rd. There's no reason to pile it on these guys, so we go into defensive mode. The only bad thing that happens in this match is that late in the game, right back Davide Calabria goes down, then D'Onofrio gets knocked in the face, but shakes it off. It's a total rout for us, and we are on to the knockout rounds. Whew!

In Group G, Ivory Coast, Colombia, and Romania all go 2-0-1. Based on goal differential, the Ivory Coast wins the group, and are our next opponent.

[trman73]

Here's what the first knockout round looks like for the 2026 World Cup:

Some interesting matchups as always. England will play in front of a hostile crowd as they face the host nation. Germany-Brazil and Argentina-France are great cross-continental matches. And either Colombia or the Cameroon team we just destroyed will be in the quarterfinals.

As for us, I'll certainly take Ivory Coast over some of the other options. Looking ahead, if we beat them, we could get a Spain team that we drubbed twice in qualifiers. Despite finishing second in our group, I can see a path to the semis here.

[trman73]

June 30, 2026 - World Cup Second Round: Ivory Coast vs. Italy

To win Group G, the Ivory Coast beat Romania 2-0 in its opener, lost 0-1 to Colombia, and beat New Zealand 1-0. In a group that saw only 11 total goals scored in six matches, their +2 goal differential was enough to separate them from Colombia (+1) and Romania (0). They are the 23rd-ranked team in the world. They won the African Championship of Nations earlier this year.

We're without Davide Calabria for the rest of this tournament with a hip injury. But Ivory Coast will be without its most highly-valued player, center midfielder Pierre Zebil of Man City, who is suspended for this match. They still have a lot of talented players though, and while once again we look like the stronger side, as we saw in group play, that doesn't matter if we don't play well.

We are the last match of this round. On the first day of the second round, Portugal beats Holland, 1-0, and after going down early, Mexico comes back to defeat England, 3-1. The next day, the defending champs, France, beat Argentina 2-1, and Belgium advances with a 3-2 win over Sweden. The day before our match, Spain needs extra time to beat Chile, 1-0, and the Germans go to penalties with Brazil and prevail. Finally, Cameroon beats Colombia, 3-2, in extra time, after the Colombians tied it in stoppage time.

OK enough warmup. We need to advance to the quarters for the second straight World Cup. Here we go.

It's an even first 15 minutes, but in the 18th a free kick from Parigini finds Romagnoli, and the defender puts it into the net for a 1-0 lead. Donnarumma makes two absolutely epic saves to keep the score 1-0 at the break. But Ivory Coast equalizes in the 56th, and it's 1-1.

Four minutes after they tie it, we get the lead right back on a goal from Franchini. It's time to play defensive, but just a minute after Franchini's goal, a bad pass from Ivory Coast finds Bernardeschi, and has passes it along the right sideline to Gabbiadini (who was brought in for an ineffective and banged up D'Onofrio), who scores and it's 3-1! When a Paragini cross finds Moise Kean's head for the 4-1 lead, this one is over. We've got eight goals in our last two matches, and are moving on to face Spain in the quarterfinal! Franchini caps off an epic day for us with a goal in the 79th. Ivory Coast actually scores two late goals to make the final 5-3.

[trman73]

July 4, 2026 - World Cup Quarterfinal: Spain vs. Italy

Well, if we lose this match we won't be able to say it's because our opponent surprised us. We know these guys, having played them twice in qualifiers. And we played well, outscoring them 5-1 in those two games. But this is a different animal, and Spain has a history that shows it will come to play in this one.

Fatigue is setting in all over our squad, but there's nothing we can do about that right now. We need everyone to suck it up, and bring it. With a win here, we secure our best World Cup finish since taking the title in 2006.

The two most recent World Cup champs are in action the day before us, and they each lose. Mexico's great run continues with a 1-0 win over Belgium, and Portugal absolutely blitzes the French, 4-1. Whoever wins our match gets the Portuguese in the semifinal.

The Spanish put us down early with a goal in the 11th. We look sluggish and tired, and I wish I had given more reserves an opportunity to play in our group stage matches. But in the 41st minute, we get a lucky bounce when a pass in the box bounces off a defender and right to D'Onofrio, who scores to tie it. We're back in business, and it's 1-1 at the half.

In the 57th, a cross from Spain finds a man right in front of the goal, and he puts it in. We're going to have to come from behind again, and our guys are really tired. But their fortitude shows through, and Daniele Rugani finds Moise Kean in the 74th minute right in the middle of the box with no one around him, and he drills it to tie us up again, 2-2! Can we make this happen?

If we do, it will take extra time to do it. The final 15 minutes are all Spain, and Donnarumma makes the save of his life on a point-blank shot in the 88th to keep us alive. We head to extra time with all of our subs used, and we need to dig deep here.

In the first five minutes of extra time Kean has two absolute easy chances, but can't convert. In the 99th, substitute left wing Christian Capone leads Gabbiadini with a pass, and he doesn't miss - he puts us up, 3-2! We hold that lead through the first half of extra time, and we're 15 minutes away. Two minutes into the second frame, Gabbiadini is a hero again, as he hits Bernardeschi with a great pass to put us up 4-2!!!! Now it's Spain that looks tired, and as time winds down it's clear they are not going to come back. The final seconds tick off the clock, and we are in the World Cup Semifinal!

 

[trman73]

July 7, 2026 - World Cup Semifinal: Portugal vs. Italy

I gotta say, my heart was really pounding during that last match. Definitely the most exciting match I've played in this save, and one of my most nerve-wracking and exciting FM matches ever.

But three days later we're back on the pitch. Portugal is an absolute juggernaut these days. Over their last 25 matches in the last two years in all competitions, they are 22-2-1. The steamrolled through qualifiers unbeaten and untied, and have outscored their five opponents 12-1 here in Mexico. They beat France senseless in the quarters, 4-1. Their attacking right midfielder, Demba Tendeng of PSG, may be the best player in the world right now, and striker Ze Gomez along with center midfielder Rui Lopez might be right behind him. This will be an incredible challenge for us. I have to be honest - we are clearly the underdogs here.

But I'm backing my guys - my tired, spent guys. This team has given me everything it's got thus far. I need them to give me the best 90 minutes of their lives here.

Oh my God - in the 6th minute of this match, we score. Kean finds Bernardeschi sneaking in from the right side, and he nails a perfect shot past the keeper. In the 26th a hot from Kean defelcts to D'Onofrio, and he hits Bernardeschi for his second goal of the game! We're up, 2-0! Portugal has been relentless in its attack, and finally in the 32nd they break through to cut our lead to 2-1. That's our halftime score. I have absolutely no idea how we're winning this match. Portugal has been firing at us for 45 minutes, but the defense and Donnarumma have held. We've had two decent scoring chances, and converted on both.

I take out D'Onofrio and Diliberto for Gabbiadini and Capezzi at the half, because it worked against Spain and those two starters are just spent. We're 45 minutes from the final, and these two veterans can help get us there.

We are the aggressor to start the second half, and in the 54th minute Federico Bernardeschi passes a ball to Kean in the box for a goal. Bernardeschi is having the game of his life out there at age 32, with two goals and an assist. The goal also gives Kean six for the tournament, and he's in the lead for the Golden Boot. But we still have 35 minutes to go. In the 66th, Portugal pulls to within 3-2, and if I wasn't on the verge of a heart attack before that goal, I am now. By the 80th minute my guys have energy ratings that make me surprised they haven't passed out on the field, but we are holding on. In the 84th minute, Bernardeschi caps off what may very well be the single greatest game in the history of Italian football with his third goal. We go up 4-2, and Portugal runs out of gas. I cannot believe we won this epic match.

Folks, we are in the WORLD CUP FINAL!!!!!

The day after our match, Mexico and Germany go to penalty kicks in their semifinal, and it's won by... Mexico. We will play the host nation for the 2026 World Cup.

Un-freaking-believable.

 

[trman73]

Honestly folks I cannot believe this run. I know I should be pausing more between matches to enjoy this and to build up some drama for you, but I just can't stop. I. JUST. CAN'T. STOP.

I will say that I did not think this team had what it took to win the World Cup. We had too many old guys, too many inexperienced guys, and none of those in-between guys. But guys like Bernardeschi and Gabbiadini have found the Fountain of Youth for me... particularly Bernardeschi. It is going to take a lot for him to be overtaken as my favorite player of this save, and he is challenging a guy I had for Sampdoria, Marco Esposito, in my all-time favorite save as my favorite player of all time.

 

[trman73]

July 12, 2026 - World Cup Final: Italy vs. Mexico

I've said in other matches that "it all comes down to this," but folks... IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS.

Italy Road to the Final:

• 1-1 vs. Australia (Group H)
• 1-1 vs. Czech Republic (Group H)
• 4-0 vs. Cameroon (Group H)
• 5-3 vs. Ivory Coast (2nd round)
• 4-2 vs. Spain (e) (Quarterfinal)
• 4-2 vs. Portugal (Semifinal)

Mexico Road to the Final:

• 1-2 vs. Holland (Group A)
• 1-0 vs. Iran (Group A)
• 4-0 vs. Gabon (Group A)
• 3-1 vs. England (2nd round)
• 1-0 vs. Belgium (Quarterfinal)
• 2-2 vs. Germany (p) (Semifinal)

We've outscored our opponents 19-9; Mexico has outscored theirs 12-5. We've hit an incredible offensive stride with 17 goals in our last four matches. Mexico has just been consistently good after its opening loss to Holland. We have a more talented team. They have an incredible home field advantage. We are without a key starter with central defender Romagnoli hurt in our last match. They are totally healthy.

We... are going to win.

In the first handful of matches Moise Kean played for the Italian National Team, he looked completely lost. In the 14th minute of the World Cup Final, he scores his seventh goal of the competition and secures the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot. After we take the lead, the rest of the first half is played almost entirely in our end, but Donnarumma is securing absolutely everything that comes near him, and we head to halftime up 1-0. We do lose Bernardeschi to an ankle injury, but in the room I tell the guys that they are 45 minutes from immortality, and to make this happen.

I keep waiting for the Mexico run to come in the second half, but it doesn't. We get to the 80th minute and I'm starting to feel it. But in the 82nd, Mexico pulls even on a goal that finds the left corner of the net, and it's a new game at 1-1. Ninety minutes will not resolve this, and the World Cup Final is going to extra time.

In the 94th minute, Mexico has a man sent off, and they are down to 10 men. I think about trying to get the winning goal by going into attack mode, but decide not to. It doesn't matter. Just a minute after the card, Christian Capone lobs a pass to D'Onofrio, who is all alone and nails it for the goal to put us up 2-1! We hold the lead through the end of the first half of extra time, and we are 15 minutes from glory.

Mexico mounts a few challenges and is bringing the house in the closing minutes, but they can't break through. They get a corner kick in the 119th minute that's probably their last chance, but it's grabbed by Donnarumma, he fires it up the field, we play keep away for the final minute... and ladies and gentlemen, ITALY HAS WON THE WORLD CUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my God... I have won the World Cup. WOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HELL YEAH THEY DO!!!!

[kidthekid]

Amazing job. Good to see you winning with your very attacking formation

[Justin_Case]

This is amazing! First thing I looked at when I was having my morning coffee! Especially as this save was labelled 'last chance FM'

What next though? Champions league attempt? Take the USA though a world cup?

[metallimuse]

Wow. Just wow.

Well done mate, proper buzzing for you. I'm having FM withdrawals after not getting on last night due to real life commitments  and I'm the middle of a sweet run myself. Although nowhere near as successful as you yet lol.

[Malaussie]

Congratulations from down under mate!  My favourite career update of the forums and reading your progress has become a daily habit no joke. 

[Justin_Case]

43 minutes ago, Malaussie said:

Congratulations from down under mate!  My favourite career update of the forums and reading your progress has become a daily habit no joke. 

Exactly This! Wake up, make a coffee and check the progress! 

[trman73]

Wow, thanks everyone. In all my time playing this game, that was the best thing that's ever happened to me as a manager.

I have to take a bunch of time off work because our fiscal year ends June 30 and I haven't taken all my vacation days. Only a fool leaves vacation days out there, so I was off yesterday, my wife was traveling for work, and my kids were at day camp. So I had nothing to do but play out the entire World Cup. It was so fun.

I really thought it would end with that Portugal game. They are just a beast, and our team was so fatigued, I just assumed they'd end our run and rout us. Once we won that, I knew we were better than Mexico, and we had an extra day off to rest up.

As for the future, I don't know where to go from here. I'm going to resign the Italy post as there is nowhere to go but down. But there are no good jobs out there right now. So I may take a year off, do a victory lap, and see where things are.

My most obvious next move would be the USA job. They hired Bob Bradley's replacement right before the World Cup, but it's 58-year-old Dominic Kinnear, and he's not going to last long. But honestly the US is incredibly weak right now. They just don't have a lot of talent and are no threat at all to challenge in any international competition. The have two players valued at over $10 million. That would be an eight-year job to build them up, and we'd need a lot of luck.

So the other ideas are to take a struggling team from one of the major leagues and build it up, or take a major club and try to win as many trophies as possible. During my time in Italy I've been approached by Liverpool, Atletico, Barcelona, and Juventus. And I always will drop everything to manage West Ham, so if that job comes up I'm going for it.

I'll probably just have enough time to take on my new challenge before I head out for a quick mini-vacation here Friday and then a work trip next week. So I won't be posting too much.

Seriously all, I really appreciate your comments and encouragement. This has been incredibly fun so far.

World Cup Champ, baby!!!!!!

Edited June 21, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

The World Cup awards are out, and it's no surprise that we're all over the place.

This is the big one...

I am so happy about this guy winning Best Player. He was absolutely terrible in our first two group stage matches, then he did this...

He got hurt in the first half of the Mexico match but was just immense in the knockout stages before that.

Here are our final teams stats for the World Cup...

One guy missing from this list is Manolo Gabbiadini, because right after the Cup he announced his retirement from football. He was a great player for Italy and a super sub for us in the knockout stages, scoring two goals with three assists as a sub against Ivory Coast, Spain, and Portugal. He retires as a World Cup champion.

[trman73]

Well, my first opportunity comes almost immediately. Spain makes me an offer to take over as their National Team manager on July 19, just a week after our World Cup win. The national jobs in France, Brazil, and Argentina are also available. Spain sacked Ernesto Valverde after their Cup run which ended with us knocking them out in the quarters. He went 18-4-4 for them in just under two years.

This is an interesting team. They've got a ton of talent, but, like Italy a couple years ago, they need to transition out some of their old guard and build up a new generation. They are currently ranked 9th in the world. They won the International League in 2023, but have not made it past the quarters of the World Cup since winning it in 2010, or the quarters of the European Championship since winning it in 2012.

I am very, very intrigued by this job. I thoroughly enjoyed international managing in Italy for the past four years. I am very seriously considering taking this post.

Pros:

• Like Italy, Spain is one of the best football nations in the world.
• Success here establishes me as probably the best international manager alive.
• They are offering me $7.6 million per year, a very, very hefty raise that would make me one of the most well-compensated managers in the world.
• I would live in Spain.

Cons:

• I would lose four more precious years of potential club management.
• I've already achieved the greatest international accomplishment - winning World Cup.
• I really want to complete the double of a Champions League title and a major international championship.
• I feel like I have established myself as a national sports figure in Italy and am slightly hesitant to leave that country.

Seriously mulling this over.

[Justin_Case]

Personally? After 4 years, if want to go back into club management in a different league and try and achieve something different. As you said, another 4 years out is a long time - maybe you could come back to internationals at a later stage after you have achieved your club goals?

 

[trman73]

Hey Justin, I get it. But... imagine two best-case scenarios:

1. I continue to bask in the glory of our World Cup win, and wait until a job opening comes up with a team in Premier League, La Liga, or another major league. I take it, but it will likely be in November or December, and will also likely mean that it's a team that's underachieving or past its prime with its current crop of players. It takes a couple years to build the team back up, and in in 2028, perhaps, like with Roma, we take the Euro Cup. Then the next year, we go to Champions League and miraculously win it. I complete the career major double, and then perhaps take the USA national job, and go from there.
2. I take this Spain job now, right on the heels of the Italy win. Over the next four years, I return them to their glory days. I take them to the semis of the European Championship in 2028, and then, in 2030, we win the World Cup. At age 56 I will be one of the most famous managers in the history of football. Then, I embark on Scenario 1, with nine years to go in my career and World Cup titles with two separate nations as part of my history. Or, I turn right around and try to do this a third time.

I'll be honest - in terms of success, this is the best save I've ever had. The World Cup win eclipses anything I've ever done in FM. I've won Champions League with Manchester United, but never, ever had any success as a National Team manager, and haven't even sniffed a major national job in the vast majority of my saves. This is an entirely new experience, I've totally enjoyed the wicked pace of the save over the last four years (10-15 games a year), and again, win or lose, whether I last four years or get fired (which I won't), I've got almost a decade to take a club team to glory.

Therefore...

[trman73]

On July 19, 2026, I call a press conference to announce that I am resigning my position as manager of the Italian National Team. I thank everyone that was associated with the team's success, and talk briefly about "dream come true" stuff. Genoa took a chance on me back on New Year's Day 2018, and here seven and a half years later I am presenting the country with its fifth World Cup title. There is nothing else I can offer this team. It's been great.

Later that day, I hop on a plane and head for Madrid. That evening, I take the podium as I am announced as the new head coach of...

LA ROJA, THE SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM!

Edited June 21, 2017 by trman73

[Keano16]

Great achievement! Now to do it all again with the Spaniards.

[trman73]

Spain: Background and Current Assessment

The Spanish dominated the football world from 2008-2012, winning the 2008 European Championship, the 2010 World Cup, and the 2012 European Championship, one of the best runs in football history. But since then, the well has run dry. Here's how things have gone in their major tournaments since then...

• 2014 World Cup: Out in group stage
• 2016 European Championship: Out in Round of 16 (Italy)
• 2018 World Cup: Out in Round of 16 (Holland)
• 2020 European Championship: Out in Quarterfinal (Ukraine)
• 2022 World Cup: Did not qualify
• 2024 European Championship: Out in Round of 16 (France)
• 2026 World Cup: Out in Quarterfinal (Italy)

No semifinal appearances in a major tournament in 14 years. That's not very good for a nation that has, and should have, very high expectations.

I'm Spain's sixth coach in the last decade, following Julen Lopeteguli, Marcelino, Pep Guardiola, Paco Jemez, and Ernesto Valverde, who was fired July 14. Of their last four coaches, only Jemez lasted past his second anniversary of being hired.

Despite their lack of recent success, this is still one of the most talented teams in the world. I was slightly off in my earlier assessment: while there are a few players that need to be transitioned out, there are a ton of talented players age 25 and younger on the main squad. Here are a few of the team's top players...

The biggest problem that I see is at goalkeeper. This team has relied on David De Gea for years, and he's now 35 years old and at the end of the line. But of all the positions on the field, the National Pool is most dry at this position. Look at this:

Yikes. Coming from a nation where we had way more quality keepers than spots on the national team, this is distressing. We need to build up some new players who can give us confidence between the pipes.

Other than that though, there is a lot to work with here. I am going to assess our staff, and then get to work evaluating the team. Our first match is the opener of the 2026-2027 International League, which starts in just over six weeks. We're in a group with Sweden and Germany.

 

 

[inthisspace]

Where is Kepa (Bilbao's keeper) in the game? He is one of the younger, more promising keepers for Spain. I presume Unai Lopez is also from Bilbao. Good luck in rebuilding another major nation! 

[trman73]

I'm scouting him right now, but it's taking a while and I've got my first match coming up. For whatever reason there are a whole bunch of guys that we have no scouting reports on. Unless someone knows a better way, you have to go through the whole list player by player and individually choose to scout each player. Kepa was valued at $4 million so I skipped him. But thanks for the tip.

[trman73]

September 4, 2026 - International League Division A, Group 1, Match 1: Sweden vs. Spain

It's six weeks after my hiring, and time for my first match as Spain boss. I never took the International League matches too seriously as Italy boss, but these matches with Sweden and Germany will be good tests of where we are roster-wise and how the team adjusts to my formation.

Sweden is the 15th-ranked team in the world. They made it out of their World Cup group and lost to Belgium in the first knockout round.

Here's our lineup...

Based on what I see from this roster we're going to need to score goals to win games, because defensively we're not that strong. Sure enough, in the 18th Sweden scores off a corner kick and I'm down 0-1 in my first match. But five minutes later we score on our own corner, as defender Jesus Vallejo puts it in. We go to the break tied 1-1, and we've been the better side. In the 52nd we take the lead, as Juan Carlos Saiz scores on a nice move in the box. But that's the last good highlight we have, as Sweden ties it in the 59th on a play where we are hopelessly out of position defensively. In the 72nd, they take the lead on a cross to go up 3-2. We don't come back, and it's a disappointing loss in my first match.

[trman73]

September 8, 2026 - International League Division A, Group 1, Match 2: Spain (0-0-1, 0 pts., 3rd) vs. Germany (0-0-0, 0 pts., 2nd)

Well there's a very good chance we start my career in Spain with two losses, as the Germans have a lot of firepower and we played a poor defensive match against the Swedes. This is my first home match, and I want a good showing here or I'll have some questions to answer. In my four years with Italy I never lost two matches in a row.

We play better in the first half of this one. After Germany's Alex Mputu-N'Toye scores first in the 25th, Carles Alena pulls us even with a goal on a free kick and it's 1-1 at halftime. But we can't stop Mputu-N'Toye. He scores in the 74th to break the tie, then again in the 82nd to cushion Germany's lead. We fall, 3-1, and that's two poor performances in my first two matches. Ugh.

Edited June 23, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

Here's Kepa's player card...

Meh.

October 7, 2026 - International Friendly: Italy vs. Scotland

Well, we've got a month to regroup. I scheduled my friendlies against Scotland and Chile. Scotland's 40th in the world, and we really need a win here to get some confidence. If we struggle in our next two matches, I'm going to rethink the formation that has led me to success throughout my career. If the players can't play it, they can't play it. It's adjust or die.

We play well defensively in this one, although it's against subpar competition. After a scoreless first half, we score in the second on two set pieces. Adrian Munoz scores on a corner in the 64th, and we add the clincher on a goal off a free kick by substitute forward Isou Lopez. I get my first win, but our next test is a big one in four days - at Germany.

 

[ManUtd1]

Catching up after a few days - congratulations on the World Cup! Excellent stuff! 

Good call re Spain, even if it's been a rocky start.

[trman73]

October 13, 2026 - International League Division A, Group 1, Match 3: Germany (1-0-0, 3 pts., 1st) vs. Spain (0-0-2, 0 pts., 3rd)

The odds of us advancing to the semis of this tournament are not good. So I really just want our guys to play better than they did in the opening two matches. For the second straight match I am starting Unai Lopez in net, as I've got to see what else we've got besides De Gea. He didn't have to do much against the Scots. He will tonight.

Germany played three days ago and beat Sweden, 4-2, to take control of the group. We need three points to stay alive.

Things get off to a really poor start for us as the Germans score in the 9th, then Alex Mputu N'Toya scores his fourth goal against us in two games in the 42nd, and we're down 2-0 at the half. It's looking like yet another poor performance for us, but we get a goal from Juan Carlos Saiz in the 65th to pull within 2-1. Then, Saiz scores again on a great individual effort to tie it. We hang on for the 2-2 draw, and while we are out of the running for the semifinals of this competition, a draw on the road at Germany is an encouraging result.

Edited June 23, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

November 13, 2026 - International League Division A, Group 1, Match 4: Spain (0-1-2, 1 pt., 3rd) vs. Sweden (1-0-1, 3 pts., 2nd)

We need to beat Sweden and then have them lose to or draw with Germany in order to remain in Group 1. For the first time in my tenure, we score quickly, as Jesus Vallejo scores in the 6th. Sweden ties it a couple minutes later, but we're nowhere near done. Silverio Jose Rivera scores off a corner in the 14th, then Israel Maldonado adds one in the 21st to make it 3-1. For the next 70 minutes we play good, solid football, and hang on for the win. We apply the pressure we need to on Sweden.

We've got a home friendly with Chile in a few days to close out 2026, and then I'll do a full assessment of the team heading into a year of European Championship Qualifying.

[trman73]

November 17, 2026 - International Friendly: Italy vs. Chile

This is our most dominant game of my first six months. Maldonado and Saiz score first-half goals and we're up 2-0 at the break. Center midfielder Rafael Pozo adds a third in the 53rd to make it 3-0, and win by that score.

Sweden does indeed fall to Germany, and we're safe in Division 1 of the International League. After our two losses to start my career, we go 3-1-0 in our final four games.

I'm going to progress through to the European Championship draw, and then it's a week off of FM for me.