After letting the ultimate Bosnian penalty slip underneath his attain on Tuesday, Italy goalkeeper remained on his knees, placing his palms on his head in utter disbelief.
The remainder of his teammates, lined up close to the midway line, both fell to the ground or stood immobile as the house crowd erupted concurrently the Italian gamers’ worlds got here crashing down round them.
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The Azzurri had simply misplaced to world No. 65 Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout – the outcome which means Italy is not going to play on this yr’s , the third consecutive version that it has didn’t qualify for.
Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport led with a headline calling it “” – an indication of what means to the nation.
That actuality is scarcely plausible for a rustic that has produced among the finest gamers in historical past and a group that has gained the World Cup on 4 earlier events, most just lately again in 2006.
It was additionally a actuality that hit the present crop of Italian gamers laborious within the Bosnian metropolis of Zenica.
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“We nonetheless don’t consider it, that we’re out and that it occurred on this method,” Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola stated after the defeat.
“It’s upsetting for everybody. For us, for our households, and for all the children who’ve by no means seen Italy at a World Cup.”
Italy supporters react as they watch in a bar in central Rome on March 31. Italy misplaced in a penalty shoot-out and didn’t qualify for a 3rd straight World Cup. – Tiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty Photographs
The unimaginable made attainable
The truth that Italy even needed to play Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup playoff is an indication of how dangerous issues have turn into for the nationwide aspect.
Whereas the remainder of Europe’s elite booked their place for this yr’s World Cup by profitable their qualifying teams with ease, the Azzurri completed second behind Norway.
It meant the group was condemned to the playoffs, the place it efficiently navigated Northern Eire to arrange a winner-takes-all tie towards Bosnia.
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It was a tie they couldn’t lose. Regardless of having to journey to play in powerful situations, Italy nonetheless boasted a group filled with elite gamers who ply their commerce within the greatest membership groups on the earth, like Inter Milan, Juventus and Manchester Metropolis.
Moise Kean scores the primary purpose of the match. – Matteo Ciambelli/Reuters
There additionally gave the impression to be confidence within the camp, with Italy’s gamers seemingly glad after they found they might be enjoying the Zmajevi (“Dragons”) as a substitute of Wales for a spot on the World Cup – a tie that was arguably simpler on paper.
However the “Lovely Recreation” is a sport that always cares little for popularity or statistics, and Italy acquired a harsh reminder of that on Tuesday, buying and selling one set of dragons (Y Dreigiau) for one more.
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20 years of distress
In fact, Italy began the sport on prime, scoring within the fifteenth minute via Fiorentina ahead Moise Kean to arrange what ought to have been a easy, routine win.
However the contest was turned on its head earlier than the break, when Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni was despatched off for bringing down a Bosnian attacker when he was via on purpose.
All the way down to 10 males and feeling the load of expectation greater than ever, the Azzurri appeared to crumble, being pushed again for a lot of the remaining minutes and ultimately conceding a purpose within the 79th minute to Haris Tabaković.
Nevertheless, towards the percentages, Italy managed to pressure a penalty shootout however missed twice from the spot, in the end permitting Bosnia to qualify for simply its second World Cup as an unbiased nation.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Kerim-Sam Alajbegovic scores a penalty previous Gianluigi Donnarumma. – Amel Emric/Reuters
In the meantime, will probably be at the least 4 extra years till Italy options in one other World Cup, and its woes stretch again even additional.
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The final two World Cups that Italy certified for had been in 2010 and 2014. On each events, the Azzurri had been knocked out within the group phases. It means the final World Cup knockout match that Italy performed in was the 2006 World Cup last, which it gained on penalties.
There was a random brilliant spot previously twenty years of distress, although. Italy , beating England on penalties inside Wembley Stadium to safe the nation its second European Championship.
That outcome now seems prefer it was simply papering over some systemic cracks.
Selecting up the items, once more
Legendary Italian participant Gennaro Gattuso took over as Italy’s supervisor final yr, tasked with reversing the dangerous run. The 48-year-old was a no-nonsense participant, and the engine room in Italy’s final World Cup success.
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However even his ardour and expertise as a participant couldn’t mild a hearth on this new era of stars, who look misplaced enjoying on the worldwide stage.
And whereas it’s not but clear whether or not Gattuso will keep in his function, you sense that the supervisor isn’t the true situation, with the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina dealing with contemporary calls to resign.
“That has to occur or Italy shall be doomed to relive this time and again,” Italian sports activities journalist Tancredi Palmeri informed ’ Amanda Davies, talking in regards to the want for giant adjustments within the FIGC.
“Clearly, Gattuso isn’t the issue, however he isn’t even the answer. He was a brief coach who got here on final June. His job was to revive a way of belonging to the Italian group, to the nationwide group, to the gamers. He truly succeeded in that, however soccer isn’t solely about that.”
(L-R) President of CONI Luciano Buonfiglio, President of FIGC Gabriele Gravina and UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin look on forward of the match. – Getty Photographs
The nationwide group’s struggles are a symptom of a wider downside in Italian soccer. The nation’s prime membership groups are not one of the best in Europe – whereas Inter Milan made the 2025 Champions League last, it was blown out by Paris Saint-Germain 5-0 – and Serie A, Italy’s prime division, is slowly falling behind different leagues on the continent.
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There are additionally considerations in regards to the funding in youth soccer, with the nation crying out for younger expertise to kickstart a brand new chapter of success.
These points return years, with former Italian talisman Roberto Baggio – arguably the best Italian soccer participant ever – hinting at issues within the FIGC when he abruptly resigned from his place as technical director in 2013. Baggio had been employed three years earlier to assist repair points within the system after Italy’s disastrous 2010 World Cup marketing campaign.
On his departure, Baggio , “I haven’t been allowed to work: my 900-page program has remained a lifeless letter. €10 million has been allotted, however I haven’t acquired a cent but. I’m bearing the results; I’m not obtainable to proceed.”
CNN Sports activities has reached out to the FIGC for remark.
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The nation’s politicians have now demanded solutions from under-pressure Sports activities Minister Andrea Abodi, with Italy’s former prime minister Matteo Renzi calling the outcome “an indication that Italian soccer has failed.”
He added: “Soccer isn’t simply leisure in our nation; it’s a part of our tradition and nationwide identification.”
It’s sentiment that explains why the fallout from this third failure would possibly sound so dramatic to these wanting in from the surface.
For a rustic that has produced gamers reminiscent of Baggio, Paolo Maldini and Gianluigi Buffon – among the biggest of all time – it’s unimaginable that the nation is not aggressive on the largest stage.
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The autopsy of how the newest failings have transpired has solely simply begun, however it would contain makes an attempt to fully reshape nearly the whole lot about how Italian soccer is run.
For now, although, hundreds of thousands of followers in Italy should settle for watching one other World Cup with out their group in it. Worryingly for them, it’s changing into the brand new regular.
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