Giorgio Chiellini has delivered a candid evaluation of Italian soccer’s disaster following a 3rd consecutive World Cup absence, insisting the nation has hit its lowest level whereas expressing cautious optimism in regards to the expertise rising at youth stage.
Talking on the Pageant della Serie A in , with , the previous Italy captain and present Director of Soccer Technique didn’t shrink back from the size of the issue.
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“We can’t fake nothing has occurred, staying out of three consecutive World Cups is one thing very troublesome to just accept,” Chiellini mentioned.
“The primary two exclusions I skilled personally and they’re wounds I nonetheless carry inside. A profound reflection is required to get well an id that has been misplaced over time, even when not all the pieces is to be thought-about destructive.”
BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Former Juventus participant Giorgio Chiellini appears on previous to the Serie A match between and Juventus FC at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Picture by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Pictures)
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Chiellini requires united response as Italy urged to spend money on youth improvement
On the trail ahead, was clear, restoration should run via the younger gamers and a shared imaginative and prescient at federation stage. He pointed to the Below-17 facet reaching the European ultimate as a supply of real encouragement.
“It’s proof that the expertise exists,” he mentioned. “The gamers are there, however they must be accompanied and developed higher. One thing remains to be lacking, however the base to work from is current.”
The retired defender was equally direct in his analysis of the broader structural drawback. “We’ve got touched the bottom level and we hope to not must go any decrease,” he mentioned.
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“Now a typical mission is required, constructed collectively by all elements of the motion. It’s as much as us, in addition to to the governance of Italian soccer, to start a critical and concrete path to reverse course, with out on the lookout for excuses or hiding the issues.”