Defending champions Italy CRASH out of Euro 2024 as Ruben Vargas stunner inspires Switzerland to 2-0 win to book potential quarter-final with England

Italy’s reign as European champions is over. Brought to a bitter end in Berlin, where they fell feebly to the sound of the incessant drumbeat and festive cowbells of Switzerland.

Luciano Spalletti’s team never really got into it. They couldn’t get the ball in the first hour and by then the Swiss were two goals ahead. In fact, it wasn’t until the last half hour that the Azzurri started to enjoy any possession, because the Swiss let them.

They dropped deep, defended the edge of their penalty area and played out the game without much panic. They now move on to Düsseldorf, where they will face England or Slovakia. They are a much bigger threat than Italy.

Murat Yakin’s team is beautifully balanced. The back three is solid, experienced and brilliantly organized by Manuel Akanji. They have pace and movement up front, and they have Granit Xhaka on the crest of a wave.

Xhaka plays with incredible confidence after a triumphant season at Bayer Leverkusen, as if he can see the pitch from above and knows where everyone is moving and when.

Reigning champions Italy exited the 2024 European Championship after a comfortable defeat

Ruben Vargas scored a stunning second goal to deal a fatal blow to Italy’s hopes of reaching Euro 2024

Luciano Spalletti’s (left) first bow at a major tournament with Italy ends in a last-16 elimination

Switzerland has dealt a few blows to its neighbors. Two draws in qualifying helped keep Italy out of the last World Cup, but this is the first time they have beaten them in 31 years. The last time they did that, Roy Hodgson was in charge.

Italy’s return to the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, where they won the 2006 World Cup, did not start well against Switzerland, who took control early and dominated the first half. Xhaka orchestrated everything from midfield with pace and movement forward, causing problems for the reigning champions.

Spalletti is still looking for balance. His team sputtered through their first three games of the tournament and here he made six substitutions. They looked uncomfortable as they chased the ball on a stifling hot day in the German capital and were grateful to keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for keeping them level midway through the first half.

Breel Embolo burst onto a pass from Michel Aebischer from his position at left back but could not beat Donnarumma who made a fine reaction, except by diving to his left. The relief was short-lived however and the Swiss soon had the goal they deserved.

Dan Ndoye, whose pace up front was causing Germany problems, started this match at wing-back on the right as Murat Yakin redeployed and Silvan Widmer was sent off. It was Ndoye’s right-to-left runs that threw the Italian defence out of shape.

When Ruben Vargas collected his pass and nodded inside, Freuler had spotted the opportunity and charged forward. His first touch wasn’t perfect. The ball spun up high above his head, but he was in such a space that he had time to wait for the ball to fall.

As the ball approached the grass, Freuler volleyed it with his left boot with enough force to leave Donnarumma helpless. Italy have conceded the first in all four games at Euro 2024.

Fabian Rieder nearly got Donnarumma before half-time with a free kick on the right, which he drove towards the near post with his left leg. The Italian goalkeeper, expecting a cross, recovered in time to scramble back and push the ball against the frame of the goal and play it out for a corner.

Spalletti tried to wake up his team by setting the break by bringing on Mattia Zaccagni. In the 98th minute he scored the equalizer against Croatia, securing the transfer to Berlin. However, within a minute of the break, Switzerland scored again.

Once again they were overloaded in wide areas with advanced wingbacks and forward runs from midfield and this time it was Vargas who had time to pick a superb finish, curling his right foot past Donnarumma into the top corner.

With a two-goal lead, the Swiss dropped deeper and nearly helped Italy back into the game when Fabian Schar headed an innocent long ball past his own goalkeeper Yann Sommer and onto a post. Sommer was forced to make a save, but it was a breakaway.

Spalletti made changes and sent more attackers. The Azzurri began to dominate possession, with their opponents happy to give them the ball in the midfield third of the pitch and playing almost exclusively on the counter-attack.

Mateo Retegui forced Sommer to make his first save of the match in the 73rd minute with a rather hopeful effort from outside the penalty area. It didn’t extend the goalkeeper. Gianluca Scamacca then turned a cross against a post.

There was no flag, but he was offside and he finished as he knew it. There would be no late redemption on this occasion. Italy go home, well beaten. Their title lost. Switzerland can sit back and think of England. Or Slovakia.