In their quest to secure a long-awaited spot in the 2026 World Cup, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy face off, aiming to end a multi-year drought of missing the tournament. While The Dragons look to cause damage with their aerial game, the Azzurri will rely on speed down the wings. Bosnia and Herzegovina face Italy in the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, with both sides aiming to secure their desired spot. While the Dragons arrive with major doubts regarding their competitiveness, the Azzurri come in as clear favorites, having delivered an impressive performance in their last match. Despite this, they face serious defensive issues that their opponents will look to exploit.
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While they do not have a midfield capable of controlling the tempo of the game, Italy have managed to shine, relying on Sandro Tonali as main core of the national team. In addition, Manuel Locatelli remains the central anchor, providing defensive balance to the team. However, they still face serious defensive issues, as their high pressing leaves significant space in behind.
Although they are not the favorites in this match, Bosnia and Herzegovina are proving to be a tough opponent for Italy. Aware of the team’s weaknesses in collective play, coach Sergej Barbarez has decided to focus on aerial play as one of their key strengths, alongside the counterattack. For this reason, Edin Džeko remains a key player, as he is the national team’s leading scorer.
Italy are looking to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup, relying on the speed of Federico Dimarco and Matteo Politano. However, they aren’t looking to dominate the aerial game; instead, Tonali and Barella serve as key support to find Moise Kean or Pio Esposito. Additionally, they could use their strong long-range shooting to open the scoring. As a result, they have solutions to counter Bosnia and Herzegovina’s solid defense.