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OSLO: Italy’s World Cup qualification campaign has barely begun and already the country is worried about the shocking possibility of failing to reach the final tournament for a third consecutive time after a humiliating defeat by Norway.

Norway already had two wins under their belt in Group I before Friday’s match in Oslo, while Italy had yet to play, having been involved in the Nations League quarter-finals in March, losing out to Germany.

A 2-1 defeat at the San Siro in the first leg left Italy chasing the tie in Germany and they found themselves 3-0 down at the break before staging a second-half comeback to salvage a draw, and some pride.

It was the same story on Friday for Italy at the Ullevaal Stadium, at least as far as the opening act went. Norway roared into a 3-0 lead in the first half but this time there was no Italian fightback in a goalless second half.

“Enough!” screamed the Gazzetta dello Sport front page on Saturday, after Italy suffered their third loss in a four-game winless run, with the newspaper adding that for Italy the “World Cup is already at risk.”

Next year’s World Cup takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico but in the two decades since Italy won the tournament for the fourth time, they have struggled to perform or, more recently, to even get there.

Berlin 2006 seems a lifetime ago now, with Zinedine Zidane sent off for his head butt to Marco Materazzi’s chest and Italy lifting the trophy after a penalty shootout win over France.

The next two World Cups saw Italy exit at the group stage, and while they triumphed at Euro 2020, on either side of that success they missed out on the World Cup after playoff defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia.

With Italy now playing catch-up and only the group winners qualifying automatically, La Repubblica’s front-page headline “Azzurri humiliated in Oslo, the playoff nightmare returns” hints at the frightening possibilities ahead.

Italy’s loss came less than a week after Inter Milan’s 5-0 mauling at the hands of Paris St. Germain in the Champions League final and on both occasions the tired-looking losers were outclassed by a hungrier, more creative side.

Italy manager Luciano Spalletti was spared following last year’s dismal Euros but is now under real pressure and nothing but a convincing win at home to Moldova on Monday will do, with media and fans increasingly calling for a change of leadership.

MUNICH: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged he was “another generation” to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo.

The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game’s biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.

Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain’s wild 5-4 semifinal win over France.

Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world.”

“There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK.

“When you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that’s not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it’s one team versus another team.”

“You’ve been talking about Lamine a lot and you’re right to do so because he’s very good,” Ronaldo told journalists, adding “but I’d like to talk about the team.

“They’ve got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach (Luis) de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.”

Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbors in a competitive fixture in 21 years ago at Euro 2024, a match which Ronaldo started.

Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age.

Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later.

Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last summer.

The Portuguese veteran asked media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star “with funny hair” was just “three years older than my son.”

“The kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.”

Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019.