Two matches, two different signals, make it easier to see the path the team needs to take. Paolo Di Canio believes that Italy's first halves against Turkey and France displayed two complementary aspects for a national team eager to return to competitive status: the ability to control matches against weaker opponents on one hand, and the composure to withstand pressure from stronger sides on the other. This assessment is optimistic, but not blindly so.

"I remember these two first halves: the first half against Turkey and the first half against France," Di Canio said on the sidelines of the FIP Gold Mediolanum Padel Cup in Perugia. "It's a good combination, showing a team with clear ideas, knowing how to make easy matches easy, and knowing how to minimize pressure when facing stronger opponents."

This contrast seems even more significant when considering the match against Belgium. However, Di Canio remains measured: "Don't let these two performances sweep you away. After the Belgium match, everyone thought everything was terrible, and now they're starting to think we can compete with top teams like France and England. If we give 200% effort, and these players are good—some even excellent—we can truly get back to being competitive. But that doesn't mean we've become a French national team with too much talent. We still need to keep our feet on the ground."

On Mancini and team atmosphere

In the former striker's eyes, Roberto Mancini's greatest achievement has been rebuilding an environment where everyone feels included. "Mancini has restored the meaning of team spirit and collective mentality, which we saw at the European Championship. He naturally brings everyone in and creates a wonderful atmosphere." What truly works is the veterans' willingness to embrace younger players. "The team atmosphere is fantastic, and Mancini is very good at creating that. We saw it at the European Championship when he arrived with Gianluca Vialli: they created a certain magic in their approach. It's like a big family, capable of passionate debate, but also focused on the same goal—achieving results and growing together."

Frattesi, now more complete

Among the positive signs for the national team, Frattesi is one. Di Canio believes what he's showing for Italy goes far beyond his usual ability to make late box runs. "Normally, we know he's good at making late runs, which we saw in the Turkey match," he continued on the sidelines of the FIP Gold Mediolanum Padel Cup in Perugia. In the France match, Frattesi showed another side of his game: "Especially when we needed to use counterattacks, he did something different. In front of our box, under pressure from ball recovery and high pressing, he had the courage to actively press opponents, showing great personality. This allowed the team to breathe, reorganize the attack, and launch counterattacks into empty spaces."

According to Di Canio, this shows a significant evolution: "He can also be quite a special midfielder, responsible for creativity and organization in front of the defense. I think he's fully matured. He went through difficult times at Inter Milan in recent years because the team wanted to control and dominate matches, and he wasn't always the main figure or regular starter. However, he absorbed those ideas, and now he can play in front of the defense, connect with teammates, make late runs, and find space to finish." Frattesi's ability to make late runs, score, and link up play is exactly what Lazio needs, especially as the league continues. The Biancocelesti will host Monza next, followed by an away match against Juventus. Di Canio particularly emphasized that after a difficult period, the team needs passion. "A player like him can connect defense and attack: as a midfielder, he goes forward, then falls back, in a continuous cycle. But what he also brings is a special passion that's valuable during difficult moments." In this environment, a player who can transmit energy becomes an anchor point.

Di Canio also mentioned Frattesi's relationship with Gattuso: "He loves his coach and is willing to overcome any difficulty for him. The energy the coach transmits to him in training, he brings onto the pitch and then passes to others. Most importantly, he can also change a match with his ability: he can become an iconic player."

Bastoni, more than just goals

Another positive message came from Bastoni, who made an impact in both matches. However, according to Di Canio, what's most noteworthy isn't just the goals. "In the Turkey match, his goal opened the scoring; in the France match, his equalizer even put the team in a winning position. But what impressed me most was how he scored against France—he started pressing 50 meters from goal," Di Canio continued on the sidelines of the FIP Gold Mediolanum Padel Cup in Perugia. "Mancini asks him to press high when opponents build from the back, and he did it with an attitude of not wanting to lose that match, wanting to stop opponents from passing. In the end, he even scored like a true striker. This is new: the attitude, personality, and ability to do different things from his usual position." The former striker also admired Bastoni's personality in the press conference before the France match: "He was quite outspoken at the press conference. I like outspoken people, as long as they're not arrogant or foolish. If they can also deliver on what they say, I like them even more." That's exactly who Bastoni is: "He had the courage to say that what others think about him doesn't matter; he's here to do his best and contribute as much as he can. And he truly played a decisive role on the pitch."

Esposito, strength and personality

Di Canio also included Esposito in the list of those who performed well, believing he proved he can handle this level of competition in the France match. "He had the courage to play, he looked for wing combinations, and the pitch was full of his strength and personality. He has power, technique, and quality, plus a bit of boldness—an attitude that can be very useful. He's different from his brother, who perhaps brings more spirit, fighting will, and power on the pitch. Sebastiano's character is more mature: while he still looks like a young man, his personality shows very clearly on the pitch."

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