Italy vs Belgium prediction: expert analysis, possible lineups, September 25, 2026
UEFA Nations League A
On September 25, 2026, Italy and Belgium will face off in Matchday 1 of UEFA Nations League League A. Both giants will be looking to make a strong start to a new cycle.
Italy vs Belgium: team news and expert analysis
Italy have once again failed to qualify for the World Cup. After their heavy defeat by Norway at the start of qualifying, they replaced Spalletti with Gattuso. But he also had no answer to the Scandinavians, settling for second place in the group. Then, in March, the favorites lost to Bosnia on penalties in the decisive playoff round. In the summer, without a full-time manager, they beat Luxembourg and Greece 1-0 in friendly matches. Now Mancini, with whom they won Euro 2020, has returned to the post amid controversy.
Belgium not only made it to the World Cup but also performed brilliantly there! Although they began with two draws, a thumping win over New Zealand helped them advance from the group. In the playoffs, they eliminated Senegal with a comeback and comfortably defeated the United States, while in the quarterfinals they led Spain — the eventual champions won 2-1 only after Courtois was injured and his replacement made a mistake. Nevertheless, Rudi Garcia stepped down after the tournament, and van Bommel is set to make his debut now.
The "Azzurri" averaged 2.4 goals scored while conceding almost exactly one per game. De Bruyne and company have a slightly better record: 2.7 goals per match at the attacking end and the same one conceded.
Previous matches: Italy vs Belgium
Italy have won six of their last eight matches, suffering just one defeat.
They will be favorites again, albeit not overwhelming ones. But the visitors are not much weaker at the moment — we are backing "both teams to score" (odds – 1.67).
Italy vs Belgium: key statistics and trends
- Italy have won three of their four matches this year
- 40% of Italy's matches finish with both teams scoring, and the average total goals per game is 3.4
- Belgium have won three of their last four matches
- 70% of Belgium's matches finish with both teams scoring, and the average total goals per game is 3.7
Italy vs Belgium: possible starting lineups
Italy play in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation (possible lineup): Donnarumma — Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Mancini, Calafiori — Tonali, Ricci — Barella, Frattesi, Raspadori — Kean
Belgium play in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation (possible lineup): Lammens — De Cuyper, Mechele, Ngoy, Castagne — Raskin, Vanaken — Lavia, De Bruyne, Trossard — De Ketelaere
Place your bets on the upcoming match and keep track of your team's position in the UEFA Nations League standings
