Overview

• Norway crushed Israel 5-0 to maintain a perfect record and tighten their grip on Group I, increasing the likelihood Italy will need the March 2026 playoffs.
• Italy must stack wins to have any chance of catching Norway, with goal difference and remaining fixtures making a direct berth increasingly unlikely.
• Gattuso urged a return to Italy’s traditional defensive solidity, saying the team lost strength by changing style and stressing the need to “sniff out danger.”
• The coach named an attack‑minded XI for Estonia with Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui up front and wide threats Riccardo Orsolini and Giacomo Raspadori, and Italy took an early 1-0 lead via Kean, according to live coverage.
• If Italy finish second, they will enter a 16‑team playoff path after the Nov. 21 draw in Zurich, a scenario drawing extra scrutiny as the under‑21s impressed with a 4-0 win over Sweden.