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Italy news

Genoa v Como - Serie A

Why ex-City & Liverpool star Balotelli still has ‘itch’ to play

Mario Balotelli is representing the 14th club of what has been an eventful career, with a former Italy international team-mate telling GOAL why the enigmatic striker still has “that itch” to play. Giuseppe Rossi knows what ‘Super Mario’ is all about as a performer and person, and has pointed out that - amid all of the headlines - the charismatic forward has always just wanted to play.

Francesco Pio Esposito Inter Milan GFX 16:9

Pio Esposito: Why Arsenal are tracking Inter's young star

The Gazzetta dello Sport claimed earlier this week that Arsenal have expressed an interest in signing Inter prospect Francesco Pio Esposito. However, the Nerazzurri's CEO, Beppe Marotta, moved quickly to quell the transfer talk by insisting that there had not been any contact between the two clubs. "Arsenal did not ask for Pio," the Italian told Sport Mediaset before Inter's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Como on Tuesday. "But also Inter are not a selling club. We don't make player trading our main activity.

FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-PSG-CAMPUS

Ex-PSG star set for shock Italy return

In a move that has caught the footballing world off guard, former Paris Saint-Germain maestro Marco Verratti is reportedly on the verge of a sensational return to the Italy national team. The veteran midfielder, who was once the heartbeat of the Azzurri engine room, has been largely forgotten by the international mainstream since his high-profile move to Qatar. However, with the high-stakes pressure of the World Cup play-offs looming on the horizon, new head coach Gennaro Gattuso appears ready to roll the dice on one of the most technically gifted players of his generation.

GFX Icons 2006

ICONS: Fabio Grosso - Italy's unlikely World Cup hero

Back in the summer of 2006, a few nights transformed Fabio Grosso from an outsider to an Italian national hero. From his decisive left-footed strike against Germany to his perfect penalty in Berlin, Grosso’s is an incredible story of humility, courage, and destiny that took him from the fields of Serie C2 to the World Cup final. This is ICONS - a GOAL podcast and feature series that revisits the last 10 World Cups through the moments, characters, and controversies that defined them, bringing the spirit of each tournament back to life.

KidSuper: Runway - Paris Fashion Week - Menswear Spring/Summer 2026

Balotelli set to complete transfer to unlikely 13th club

Mario Balotelli is set to complete a transfer to the 14th club of his career as he closes in on a switch to Al-Ittifaq FC of Dubai. The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker has been a free agent since he left Italian side Genoa over the summer. Balotelli signed for the Serie A outfit on a season-long deal last October but did not stay there long.

Legacy Italy World Cup GFX 16:9

LEGACY: How four-time World Cup winners Italy lost their way

This is Legacy, GOAL's feature and podcast series following the road to the 2026 World Cup. Every week, we dive into the stories and the legacies that shaped football’s greatest nations. This time it's a look at Italy’s long and painful fall from grace. From Berlin 2006 to the heartbreaks that followed, this is the story of a four-time world champion lost in footballing exile.

Canada WC

Canada WC draw: Lucky on paper - but Italy could flip the script

Canada got the rub of the green as preparations for the 2026 World Cup kicked into full gear. Les Rouges will face Switzerland, Qatar and the winner of a European playoff to open the tournament next summer. On paper, it’s a winnable group - but if the playoff unfolds as expected, Jesse Marsch’s team could be staring down global giants Italy in the early stages.

Italy v Norway - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

'He's a great man' - Italy boss Gattuso told to make shock Rangers move

Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso has been touted to make a shock move back to his former club Rangers, where he played for a single but memorable season as a player. The 47-year-old has been manager of the Italian national side since June 2025 and is hoping to lead the Azzurri to the World Cup when they take part in March's play-offs. Rangers recently appointed Danny Rohl as their new boss, following the sacking of Russell Martin.

Italy v Norway - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

O'Neill insists all the pressure is on Italy ahead of WC play-off

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has declared that the weight of expectation lies firmly on Italy’s shoulders as his young side prepare for a daunting 2026 World Cup play-off semi-final away to the four-time champions. The March showdown in Italy on 26 March will mark the first step on what could be a remarkable path back to football’s grandest stage for both nations. Should Northern Ireland conjure an upset, they will face either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina five days later in a decisive, winner-takes-all play-off final for a coveted ticket to North America.

Gennaro Gattuso Federico Chiesa

'Chiesa has the problem, not me' - Gattuso addresses Italy return

Gennaro Gattuso delivered a sharp message about Federico Chiesa’s Italy future after the Liverpool winger rejected two more national team call-ups. With the Azzurri preparing for a tense 2026 World Cup play-off run, the spotlight is now firmly on Chiesa’s repeated withdrawals and Gattuso’s growing frustration. The situation adds fresh tension around Italy’s build-up to a defining March showdown.

Frequently asked questions

Edgar Everest, an official of the Sussex Football Association, founded Brighton United in 1897. Then, in the wake of the collapse of the club in 1900, Brighton & Hove Rangers were formed, before suffering the same fate a year later. Finally, the manager of Brighton United, John Jackson, formed a club at the Seven Stars pub in Ship Street in 1901 called Brighton & Hove United, before changing its name to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Legendary English sports bettor Tony Bloom is the majority shareholder and the current chairman of Brighton. He bought the club in 2009.

Brighton & Hove Albion play all their home games at The Amex (American Express Stadium). The Seagulls have been playing their games at this venue, also known as the Falmer Stadium, since 2011.

The capacity of The Amex is 31,876 and has undergone several renovations since it opened in 2011 with an initial capacity of 22,374 seats.

Brighton have won just a solitary title throughout their history, the 1910 FA Community Shield (or Charity Shield as it was known as the time).

Brighton are yet to lift an English top flight title, and only got promoted to the first division in the Premier League era ahead of the 2016-17 season, 34 years after they last played in the top flight.

Ernie Wilson, who spent 14 years at the club between 1922 and 1936, is Brighton's record-appearance maker of all-time, featuring in 566 games.

English striker Tommy Cook, who is Brighton's first-ever player to play for England, is the club's leading goalscorer of all-time, finding the back of the net 123 times in 209 games. He also played county cricket for Sussex for 15 years.

Alexis Mac Allister, James Milner, Adam Lallana, Danny Welbeck, Tommy Cook, and Bobby Zamora are some of the most famous names to have donned the Brighton jersey.

Roberto De Zerbi, Sami Hyppia, Liam Brady, and Gus Poyet are among the most famous Brighton managers ever.

Brighton & Hove Albion are famously known as The Seagulls. The club is located at the south coast of UK, where there are a lot of beachfronts and seagulls, which is where the nickname originates from.