The 29-year-old has started all four games at the tournament for the Azzurri, who came through their group with maximum points before seeing off a stubborn Austria side in the last 16.

Playing his usual composed role in central midfield, dictating play from deep and keeping his team in control of proceedings, Jorginho has won praise from pundits and team-mates alike, leading Lorenzo Insigne to put him forward as a contender for the Ballon d’Or.

‘He has spent some fantastic years at Chelsea and I’m proud to have him in our team,’ the Napoli forward said recently.

‘I’m not the one deciding if he deserves the Ballon d’Or but I hope he’ll be shortlisted. He deserves it because he’s a great player. I call him "the professor" and we are all happy to play with him.’

After winning the Champions League in May, a successful tournament with Italy could certainly put Jorginho in the running for individual recognition but the man himself is not even considering the prospect. Instead, he dreams of replicating European glory at club level on the international stage.

‘I don’t think about it,’ he stated this week when asked about the Ballon d’Or. ‘Everything that is happening is the consequence of hard work.

‘My priority is the group and celebrating together with my team-mates and friends. This is more beautiful than celebrating alone.'

Roberto Mancini’s men have a particularly difficult quarter-final tie against the team ranked number one in the world, with Munich the venue for Friday night’s big clash between Italy and Belgium.

The Italians have looked good thus far – well-balanced, defensively strong and threatening in attack – but Jorginho believes they will have to up their game if they are to overcome the Red Devils and book a place in the last four.

‘We are aware there is no room for mistakes,’ he added. ‘It would be wrong to think we have already achieved something important.

‘We need to work more and more. We are on the right path but now we need to grit our teeth and keep doing it. We must respect the first team in the rankings but we also know that everybody has their weak points. We hope to be the surprise of this Euros. We immediately believed in it and we never stopped doing it.'

Belgium's biggest attacking weapons will need to be kept quiet and Jorginho has recent experience of coming out on top against Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, a player he knows must be kept under close observation.

'Mancini doesn't ask me for advice on De Bruyne,' he said. 'He doesn't need it. He knows how to enhance our qualities and neutralise those of the opponents.

'He is certainly a player who makes the difference because he is gifted with this extraordinary football intelligence. We must limit him by taking away spaces and preventing him from crossing.'

And what of Romelu Lukaku, Belgium's top scorer at the tournament with three goals? Who will come out on top between the former Chelsea striker and Italy centre-backs Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini?

'Our defenders - there are two,' answered Jorginho with that trademark wide grin. If that proves to be the case, it will be Italian smiles all round in Munich tomorrow.