Italy lacking the 2018 World Cup was exhausting sufficient to take. Lacking 2022 after profitable the Euros made no sense to many supporters. Now 2026 has gone as properly, and there’s solely so lengthy a rustic can hold calling this a shock.
The Azzurri won’t be on the subsequent World Cup, even with the match expanded to 48 groups. Europe has extra locations, too, so there was no hiding behind a slim format this time. For a rustic with 4 World Cup titles, this isn’t one dangerous marketing campaign. It’s a severe soccer downside.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Gamers of Italy present their dejection of Italy in the course of the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Picture by Getty Photographs/Getty Photographs)
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The final hit got here in Zenica. Italy drew 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina within the play-off closing, then misplaced the shoot-out 4-1. gave them the beginning they needed, however ’s crimson card earlier than half-time modified the temper fully. Bosnia stayed alive, levelled late, and Italy as soon as once more discovered a technique to make a World Cup place slip away.
The group stage had already made issues messy. beat Italy 3-0 in Oslo in June 2025, and it was not a wierd consequence from one fortunate evening. Alexander Sorloth scored early, added one other, and made it 3-0 earlier than half-time. Italy had loads of the ball, however Norway had the elements that mattered: pace, chew, and clear probabilities.
That consequence value his job and pushed the federation in direction of Gennaro Gattuso.
It’s too straightforward to say Italy merely froze. They did, in moments, however this was not solely a psychological collapse. The workforce had gaps that by no means actually went away. The defence nonetheless had robust names, together with , Bastoni, and Calafiori when out there, but it surely didn’t look as safe as previous Italian groups. The midfield had high quality by , , and others, but it surely not often carried matches with actual pressure. Up entrance, Italy nonetheless appeared like a aspect making an attempt to resolve who they had been.
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Kean, , , , Lucca, and the youthful all supply one thing completely different. None of them turned the clear, chilly, dependable striker Italy wanted in the course of the marketing campaign. That issues in qualifying. Tight video games typically come down to 1 early likelihood, one ugly end, or one ahead who can bully a match into submission.
Italy have had loads of good footballers. They haven’t had sufficient gamers on the nationwide workforce to really feel settled.
The Euro 2020 win now appears even stranger in the midst of this run. Italy had been courageous, sharp, and energetic beneath Roberto Mancini. They pressed properly, moved the ball shortly, and received the ultimate at Wembley towards . On the time, it felt like a rebuild had arrived early. Now it appears extra like a peak that the system couldn’t maintain.
Since then, the nationwide workforce has saved altering faces with out altering the deeper story. Mancini left. Spalletti arrived. Gattuso arrived. Outcomes improved in small patches, then collapsed when the strain returned. Gabriele Gravina’s resignation after the most recent failure solely confirmed how deep the embarrassment had develop into.
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There’s additionally a membership downside sitting beneath the nationwide workforce. Serie A stays a robust league, and Italian golf equipment nonetheless produce tactical element that many nations envy. However the pathway for Italian attackers and younger gamers has not been clear sufficient. Too many prospects get minutes late, transfer typically, or sit behind older and international gamers, which slows their growth.
That isn’t a easy “too many foreigners” argument. The higher query is why Italian golf equipment don’t belief sufficient younger Italian gamers early sufficient, particularly in attacking positions. , , , and England have discovered methods to throw younger gamers into severe soccer sooner. Italy nonetheless talks about expertise for years earlier than absolutely utilizing it.
The 2026 World Cup will nonetheless have loads of Serie A curiosity. , , France, the USA, and others will deliver gamers from Italian golf equipment. Italy will watch its league represented whereas its personal nationwide workforce stays house. That may be a painful little element.
There’s additionally a betting angle round this World Cup, particularly now Italy’s absence has modified the marketplace for outright winners, high scorers, and group betting. For readers who nonetheless wish to observe the match that approach, OnlineBookies has a listing of the that features newer platforms with soccer markets and World Cup-specific affords.
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For Italy, although, no market or outdoors story softens the reality. They haven’t scored a World Cup aim since towards England in 2014. By the point 2030 arrives, a complete technology of supporters can have grown up with out seeing Italy play at a World Cup.
Claudio Gentile of Italy celebrates profitable the 1982 FIFA World Cup Ultimate towards West Germany on eleventh July 1982 on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain. Italy defeated West Germany 3-1. (Picture by Steve Powell/Getty Photographs)
That’s virtually not possible to course of that gave the sport Paolo Rossi, Roberto Baggio, Fabio Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo, and . Italy are tied with Germany for essentially the most World Cup wins, behind solely Brazil. They aren’t presupposed to be a aspect individuals focus on throughout qualifying post-mortems each 4 years.
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The reply to what went unsuitable will not be one crimson card, one coach, one penalty shoot-out, or one dangerous evening in Bosnia. It’s all of these issues sitting on high of years of weak planning, striker uncertainty, unstable management, and a soccer tradition that also doesn’t fairly know easy methods to transfer from pleasure to restore.
Italy don’t want one other slogan about rebuilding. They’ve had sufficient of these. They want a clearer youth pathway, bolder squad selections, a stronger attacking id, and a federation that stops treating failure as a shock.
The Azzurri can come again. International locations with that a lot soccer historical past normally do. However 2030 can’t be handled as one other likelihood to hope. It must be handled because the deadline for lastly fixing what three missed World Cups have already made apparent.