"Italy is 90% through to the World Cup." – Gianluigi Buffon
Kenley Ward
Dailysports's expert
Italy has been eagerly awaited at the World Cup stage.
Details: The 47-year-old legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stated that he believes in his country’s national team and considers that Italy has practically secured its place at the 2026 World Cup:
“There’s a 90% chance we’ll make it to the play-offs. In the remaining matches, we need to showcase the positives we’ve demonstrated recently. People and the media need to have faith in us—we must show our devotion to football,” Buffon said.
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At the moment, Italy sits second in Group I with 9 points. Norway tops the group, while Israel, also on 9 points, trails just behind Italy, followed by Estonia and Moldova.
Italy’s next match is an away fixture against Estonia on October 11, and then, on October 14, they will host Israel on home turf.
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