I Azzurrini finished runners-up in the 2013 UEFA European U-17 Championship – their best ever performance in four appearances in the continental finals. And while they may have graced the World finals at this age level six times, they have reached the last eight just once, with their best ever showing a fourth-place finish at Canada 1987.
With one-time Italy midfielder Daniele Zoratto at the helm the side is hoping to change their fortunes and nab that elusive age-group title.
“With that in mind, we’ve taken part in qualifying tournaments that have made us realise that this team is capable of doing something great,” Zoratto says.
“Game after game, the players have grown more confident in themselves and they’ve seen that our methods work. Now they trust absolutely in what we tell them to do on the pitch, because the results prove that we’re right.”
Their form at the May qualifying tournament saw them embark on a run that took them all the way to the final, where they narrowly went down on penalties to Russia after the match ended goalless.
Zoratta says the campaign, while hugely disappointing at the final mark, was overall a rewarding experience which has put the team in good stead for UAE 2013.
“At this level every game is decisive and needs to be approached with maximum concentration. You need character to win matches like that.
“I think my players have got over their disappointment now. Obviously there’s still a little bitterness about getting so close and falling short because opportunities like that don’t come up very often. They’ve calmed down now though.”
New Zealand U-17 coach Darren Bazeley says Italy are a good side, but their form in the lead-up to the World Cup means their campaign will be steeped with pressure.
“I’m sure they are a very good team and from a great footballing nation,” Bazeley says. “This does however also mean that they will be under pressure to perform and meet their own expectations.”
While this Italy side isn’t short on up-and-coming individual talent Zorrato will be relying heavily on his captain Alberto Cerri to lead the challenge later this month.
Standing at an imposing 6’4 Cerri has scored 12 goals in 26 outings for the national U-17s who was bought by Juventus last May, but will continue his education at Parma, the club where he made his Serie A debut at the tender age of 16 years and 348 days.
As well as Cerri, Zorrato says there is a core of players who he will also be counting on.
“Above all we’ve got a group of players that are so well-knit that they have an immediate grasp of what’s going on, both on the pitch and off it. The last point is essential, especially at their age.”
Looking at their Group B opponents, Zorrato expects the biggest threat to come from South America and Africa.
“The South American and African teams will be the toughest, mainly because they’ve got the physical strength that the European players don’t have. That’s going to be a very important weapon for them.”
That statement positions New Zealand as the group’s underdogs, but with a qualifying campaign that saw them dismiss most of their Oceania opponents with relative ease, it may be something the Kiwi’s will be happy to disprove on the field.
And an assessment Bazeley is happy for any team to make.
“We hope that all three teams in our group view us as underdogs – and hopefully we can spring a few surprises,” the former Watford and Wolverhampton Wanderers fullback says.
“Football is a game where 11 players play another 11 and anything can happen on the day.”
New Zealand will face Italy in their second match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates on 20 October.
The match will take place at Ras Al-Khaimah at 20h00 (local time).