The history between Italy and Spain is not necessarily fraught or extensive, but it is bloody. The World Cup champions lie in waiting. Then Spain beat Italy again, in a shootout, at the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil. Del Bosque, 65, is expected to step down this summer, and Spain seems likely to go through a reshaping before World Cup qualifying begins in the fall. For years, Italy has been known for its back line, its ability to pile in and absorb an opponent’s attacks without bending.

Source: New York Times June 27, 2016 19:41 UTC