Andrea Abodi, Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, has delivered a scathing assessment of the national team’s elimination from EURO 2024. Speaking to RTL 102.5, Abodi described the team’s performance as “not just a defeat, but a debacle” and “an unconditional surrender, both sportively and morally.”
Abodi, who witnessed the match in Berlin, expressed his disappointment in the team’s lack of inspiration and moral strength. He emphasized that wearing the Azzurri shirt should motivate players to demonstrate courage and determination.
“I was in Berlin, and I experienced firsthand the bitterness not of a defeat, but of a debacle. An unconditional surrender, not only in sports but also morally. The blue jersey should inspire those who wear it and bring out moral strength.
“We’ve returned home, and what surprised me was the search for others’ responsibility,” he continued. “In the face of a defeat, self-analysis must emerge; it’s too easy to look at others’ mistakes. Sport teaches us to take responsibility.” Then, regarding the attitude of the Italian players on the field, he admitted that “there was no reaction, no spark, especially in difficult moments. The players who go on the field know this perfectly well; it’s not about tactical errors or individual mistakes, the team seemed physically and morally absent. And this should lead to further reflections for a new beginning,” Abodi concluded.
