For 16 European countries, today presents a rare opportunity in football: a second chance. There are four remaining UEFA qualification spots for the World Cup, and across eight semifinals, 12 nations who were runners-up in conventional qualifying, and four who snuck in through good performances in the 2024/25 Nations League, will face off to creep one step closer to the Holy Grail.

The winners of today’s matches will meet in four mini-finals next Tuesday to decide who will graduate to the top school this summer. Italy are desperate to restore some national pride by reaching their first World Cup since 2014, while Sweden and Denmark’s talented squads will also feel entitled to join their Scandinavian cousins Norway in North America.

More: Here’s a full breakdown of all the permutations and potential qualification paths in the UEFA playoffs. 🏆

ii. Next month, we’re heading to TAMPA BAY on April 17 for Men in Blazers Live from Tampa Bay, presented by Verizon. Joined by a cast of luminous guests, we'll revel in the magic of the Premier League, shoulder to shoulder with this city’s vibrant footballing faithful. Tickets available here. 🌴

iii. We’re willing to guess you’ve never seen a goal like this before: Deryn Lang, a player for fourth-tier Stranraer in Scotland, pulled up with an apparent muscle injury as he was in on goal, but still finished the chance! Bonus points for the incredible commentary. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

iv. One of the most nostalgic football shirts of the past 20 years was just reissued and it’s never looked better. 😍

v. If you need a pump-up speech to get you to Friday, may we suggest watching Wales manager Craig Bellamy as he details his team’s brave approach to World Cup qualifying. That should do the trick. 💪

Cheers,
Tommy Stewart & Max Bonem

P.S. - We will be very impressed if you can guess which Premier League team has the second-most players on international duty this week. 🤔

Türkiye 🇹🇷 vs. Romania 🇷🇴 (TODAY, 1 p.m. ET, FS2)

Türkiye came third in the 2002 World Cup, and despite having not been back since, their stacked squad includes Inter Milan’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Real Madrid’s Arda Güler, making them favorites to progress to next Tuesday’s playoff final against either Slovakia or Kosovo. Manager Vincenzo Montella played for Italy in that tournament, so his experience as well as his side’s home advantage in the volatile Beşiktaş Stadyumu will prove invaluable. Romania haven’t been to a World Cup for 28 years; they’re currently ranked 49th in the world and can pull off an upset having won three of their last four competitive matches. 

More: Romania’s Mircea Lucescu is the greatest manager you’ve maybe never heard of. Learn more about his incredible career here.

Italy 🇮🇹 vs. Northern Ireland (TODAY, 3:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/Vix)

Italy have slept in for the last three World Cups and Genaro Gattuso’s talent-heavy but too often maybe sh*t side have even fallen behind their cricket team, which until recently we didn’t even know existed. In an unprecedented move, possibly influenced by an existential fear of failure, the match will be played in Atalanta’s New Balance Stadium rather than the more traditional San Siro or the gladiatorial Stadio Olimpico, giving Northern Ireland a psychological win before a ball has even been kicked. Federico Chiesa returned and left the squad like that Grandpa Simpson GIF because he “wasn’t up to it,” and while it might take a miracle for Northern Ireland’s team of EFL journeymen to win in Bergamo, the nervous energy surrounding the four-time World Cup winners is palpable.

More: Could Italy miss out AGAIN after a “torturous” qualification campaign?

Ukraine 🇺🇦 vs. Sweden 🇸🇪 (TODAY, 3:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/Vix) 

Graham Potter was initially hoisted into the Sweden job as an interim manager with the mission of securing World Cup qualification, but despite a winless start, in a vibes-based promotion, his contract was recently extended until 2030. His deep pool of attacking riches includes Anthony Elanga and Viktor Gyökeres, and if they can secure qualification, that will be emboldened further by Alexander Isak, who should return from injury next month. Due to the war with Russia, Levante’s Estadio Ciudad de Valencia in Spain will host the match, which historically favors Ukraine, who have only lost once in six against Sweden.

Czechia 🇨🇿 vs. Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪 (TODAY, 3:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/Vix)

“The Ballad of Troy Parrot” will forever be sung across the Green Isle, but his miraculous hat-trick against Hungary to sneak Ireland into the playoffs will only truly matter if the Irish can enjoy an epic trip to Prague. In a very interesting choice of words, Czechia manager Miroslav Koubek has insisted West Ham’s Tomáš Souček is still a “full fat player” for his team, despite being stripped of the captain’s armband for ignoring fans after they beat Gibraltar 6-0 in qualifying last November. Ireland hasn't been to the World Cup in 24 years, an event that was so seismic that movies have been made about it.

Denmark 🇩🇰 vs. North Macedonia 🇲🇰 (TODAY, 3:45 p.m. ET, Fubo/Vix)

Denmark missed out on an automatic spot when they lost 4-2 in their last outing, a decisive qualifier against Scotland, but their blend of explosive youth and wily experience favors them at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium today. Their pivotal player is striker Rasmus Højlund, who’s been unleashed on loan at Napoli this season, scoring 13 goals in a defensive side where North Macedonia’s main man, Eljif Elmas, marauds the midfield. In the FIFA rankings, De Rød-Hvide are 45 places higher than the Lions, so while on paper it should be a formality, the away side have only lost one of their last five matches.

🗓️ Full UEFA World Cup Qualifying schedule here.

While Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac hard-launched Welsh football into the mainstream, Wales manager Craig Bellamy has long been one of its proudest stalwarts. The former Liverpool and Manchester City striker’s side only missed out on automatic qualification to Belgium, but their intense style of play and his proud list of non-negotiables have impressed.

Dan James, Brennan Johnson and David Brooks populate their familial squad, but currently Fulham’s Harry Wilson is a cut above the rest. He’s got 10 Premier League goals this season and has become the sort of one-man highlight reel Welsh football hasn’t possessed since Gareth Bale.

Wales is one of four countries that make up the UK, and while its main language is English, 17.8% of the country also speak Welsh fluently. As Wrexham’s kit launch paid homage to last summer, there’s also a small population of Welsh-speaking Patagonians in Argentina who are direct descendants of the 153 settlers who moved there in 1865. If someone called “Gareth” ever plays for Argentina, now you know why. 

More: In what’s undoubtedly the weirdest story of the week, former Forest manager Steve Cooper gets apology in Wales vs. Bosnia dropping row.

Juventus No. 10 Kenan Yıldız matches Harry Wilson’s 16 goal contributions for his club this season; the difference is the Turkish starlet is only 20 years old. Although the Bayern Munich academy product is the same age as “Batman Begins,” he’s already made over 100 senior appearances for the Old Lady, won a Coppa Italia and earned himself a new contract until 2030, all while wearing the best gloves in the business.

Unfortunately, just in front of him in the Türkiye pecking order is another generational talent, Real Madrid’s 21-year-old playmaker, Arda Güler, who’s enjoying his own breakout season. But like Leo and Brad in “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood,” national team manager Vincenzo Montella has made room for both wunderkinds, utilizing the versatility of Yıldız by playing him from the left.

No speed limit. Get yours now.

Congratulations to last week’s winner, Amy O’Toole, who was the first to correctly answer that Juanfran hasn’t scored for both Madrid sides, having only netted for Atlético. Send us an email and we’ll get you a patch.

👋 We’ll see you again tomorrow. In the meantime, you can send us your stories, questions or theories about Italy’s rocky decade to [email protected].

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