"The women's side were temporarily seen as leaders of a renaissance for Italy's proud footballing nation... their successes in 2019 came at a time when the men's team had failed to qualify for their own World Cup."
I was close to accepting the call-up to the Italy national team. I would have gone to the European Championships that they won in 2020.
"They destroy decades of precedent and tear away the hopes of millions of Italians worldwide. To qualify and then not on a whim overnight is absolutely devastating."
The disparity between northern and southern Italy starkly reflects a socioeconomic divide, with northern regions thriving while the south struggles in growth metrics such as GDP and human development.