The Italian Football Association has announced that they plan to play the USMNT in a friendly on Novermber 20 of this year. While that is still a hearty seven months away, it’s never too soon to start thinking about what such a friendly could mean.
These are two teams that are in massive transition phases. They both fell short of World Cup qualification, despite the expectations heaped on each side that they, at the very least, qualify for every major competition.
A mix of poor management and a bit of an age problem on the pitch led to their combined demises, and now they face a rebuilding phase that they will undoubtedly both be eager to get underway.