Italian wind, stop here! The head coach is thrilled. "I have told the players that they are true champions."→I'm so proud of you"

*This content was translated by AI.

A pleasant revolt in Italian baseball stopped on the semifinal stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). But instead of bowing down, Francisco Cervelli, 40, who led Italy's squad, gave generous applause to the players who had made Italian baseball history.

The Italian national team, led by head coach Servelli, knelt down 2-4 after a close game against Venezuela in the 2026 WBC semifinals at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida on the 17th (Korea time). Although he failed to advance to the final, he surprised baseball fans around the world by continuing an equal game with a 2-1 lead until the seventh inning against Venezuela, which is full of major league stars. Italy, which reached the quarterfinals at the 2023 WBC, finished the tournament with the feat of reaching the semifinals.

Coach Servelli's expression at the official press conference after the game was full of pride rather than regret. "I've just been telling the players in the locker room, 'You're the real champions of this tournament,'" Servelli said. No one expected us to come this far, but our players did it. I'm really proud of you," he said.

Italy's starting pitcher Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies) silenced Venezuela's powerful firepower by pitching four innings of one run. However, second pitcher Michael Lorenzen (Colorado Rockies) collapsed with four hits and three runs in two ⅔ innings. "Lorenzen was our key card, not a mistake, but the opponent did a good job," Servelli said of the upset situation, which led 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning and had consecutive hits with two outs. We have dealt with the best players in the major leagues, not minor league teams," he said, praising the players until the end.

Italy's gust of wind in this tournament also sparked a heated response from their home countries. According to Servelli, as many as 7 million viewers watched the game despite the midnight Italian time. It is considered unprecedented for baseball to have such an impact in Italy, the country of soccer.

"We're not 'Cinderella' anymore," Servelli said. Through this tournament, Italian baseball has revolutionized and clearly imprinted the sport of baseball on the national map. In the next tournament, which will be held three years later, all teams will take us seriously," he stressed.

Finally, Servelli said, "I think now the Italian kids will head to the stadium with their gloves and bats, just as I started with everyone watching soccer during the World Cup as a child. I left the press conference emphasizing that my role is only an assistant, and this tournament is a new beginning for Italian baseball, not an end."

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*This content was translated by AI.