Mancini was pleased with his players' determination to score after Italy drew with France.

Italy, nicknamed the "Azzurri," rallied from a goal down to draw 1-1 with France in the third round of Group A of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League, thanks to a goal from Bastoni. In an interview, Mancini expressed his hope that this result would be another step forward for the team and said he was happy with the players' fighting spirit in striving to score.

In the 55th minute of the second half, Laryan Sergiu took a free kick, and Olise, positioned at the edge of the penalty area, fired a long-range shot into the net, giving France a 1-0 lead. In the 68th minute, Dacuña made a mistake while receiving the ball, allowing Bastoni to regain possession and break into the penalty area before slotting the ball home, leveling the score at 1-1 for Italy.

Ultimately, Italy held Zidane's France to a 1-1 draw at the Stade de France.

Italy coach Roberto Mancini said, "We knew it would be a very difficult game, especially in the opening stages. However, we did well and didn't give them many chances, despite their dominance in possession."

“We played as a team, united in both attack and defense, so it was undoubtedly a very positive day for us. I hope this game can be another step forward in our journey. I like that the team still managed to play its own style against a team with many top stars and an exceptional French team.”

Mancini said, "At times we were under pressure, but we always tried to score whenever we had the chance, so we did a very good job."

"I also saw some positive things in the second half of the match against Belgium, but the final result will certainly affect people's evaluation of the game."

In addition, Mancini said, "Donnarumma made a few saves to help us, but when we needed to show our ability, the team did play to our level, and we created chances throughout the game."

“I know that if these players continue to work hard, they are fully capable of building an excellent Italian national team. It takes time. The team will have better times and there will be times when things don’t go well, but it all takes time.”

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