Player Analysis: Riccardo Orsolini

After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy recovered in incredible fashion to win the 2020 European Championship under Coach Roberto Mancini. The former Manchester City and Inter tactician instilled an attacking philosophy and a great sense of belief to a squad that was lacking in international experience.

Some of the younger players who played at Euro 2020 had featured at the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, when the Azzurrini finished third in that tournament. That team was coached by Alberico Evani, who is now one of Mancini’s assistants with the Azzurri, but the star of his team was not selected for the senior squad at the Euros.

Bologna forward Riccardo Orsolini was the Golden Boot winner at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup with five goals but he has not been a regular feature of the senior Italian squad.  Mancini already had a plethora of options at Euro 2020 who could play on the right-wing such as Federico Chiesa and Federico Bernardeschi from Juventus as well as Domenico Berardi from Sassuolo. Like Matteo Politano from Napoli, Orsolini had to watch the tournament from home.

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