Belgium's win in Rome deepens Italy's football crisis

Italy's national football team suffered another setback, losing 0-2 at home to Belgium in the opening match of the new Nations League campaign. The game was played at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, though this time the stands were only about half full, reflecting growing disengagement among fans of the national team.

The defeat deepens a crisis that Italian football has been grappling with for some time, as the team continues searching for a way to stabilize its form on the road to the next World Cup. The match is being viewed as part of the latest attempt to rebuild the squad and restore its competitiveness.

Belgium played convincingly, scoring twice while keeping Italy off the scoresheet entirely, giving their new Nations League campaign a strong start with an away win. For Italy, the loss adds further pressure on both players and team management, given the side's underwhelming recent results.

The sparsely filled stands are being read as a symbolic sign that a portion of the fan base has lost faith in the current direction of the national team's development. The result is expected to fuel fresh debate over whether the ongoing rebuilding process can deliver the results needed as a major tournament approaches.