It’s been five years since Italy played at a major tournament, so it’s come as a surprise to many to see the Azzurri completely transformed into an attack-minded juggernaut resembling the elite of modern soccer.

Where did the old “catenaccio” system of lockdown defense and occasional counterattacks go?

Well, it turns out that the genesis of Roberto Mancini’s new-look squad at the European Championship came right in Italy’s backyard.

Teams like Atalanta, Sassuolo and even Napoli have adopted the more offensive styles seen around Europe in recent seasons.

Atalanta and Sassuolo also excel at promoting young Italian players — in a league where the tradition for decades was to make local teenagers wait their turns behind more experienced veterans, even if budding talents from South America were given time to shine immediately.

So, really, it’s no wonder why the Sassuolo tandem of Manuel Locatelli and Domenico Berardi plus Atalanta midfielder Matteo Pessina have been the breakout stars of Italy’s perfect run through the group phase at Euro 2020.

Once a club that bounced back and forth between the top two divisions, Atalanta will soon play in its third consecutive season in the Champions League. The scoring machine created by coach Gian Piero Gasperini reached the quarterfinals of Europe’s top club competition last year and led Serie A with 98 and 90 goals scored over the last two seasons, respectively.

Likewise, recently departed Sassuolo coach Roberto De Zerbi was praised for his forward-looking approach with homegrown players like Berardi and forward Giacomo Raspadori, who was called up to Italy’s Euro 2020 squad despite never having been with the national team before.