The Hard Tackle takes a deep dive at Italy’s third successive failure to qualify for a World Cup after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs final.
Italy’s heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers playoff final has sealed a third straight absence from the global showpiece. Ranked nearly 50 spots higher in FIFA standings than their hosts on Tuesday night, the Azzurri’s collapse against the underdogs underscores a rapid downfall from their Euro 2020 glory just five years prior.
Shocking Defeat in Bosnia
Picture this: Italy, the four-time world champions, stepping onto the pitch in Zenica as heavy favorites against Bosnia and Herzegovina, sitting at No. 65 in the world rankings while the Azzurri hovered around 12th. The match kicked off with Moise Kean giving Italy a slick early lead in the 15th minute, curling one into the net like it was just another training drill.
But then disaster struck. Alessandro Bastoni picked up a second yellow just before half-time, leaving Italy down to ten men and scrambling. Nikola Vasilj stood tall, denying chances, and in the 79th minute, Haris Tabakovic poked home the equaliser to make it 1-1. Extra time brought no goals, and in the shootout, Bosnia kept their cool, scoring all four while Italy missed three, with Pio Esposito, Sandro Tonali, and Bryan Cristante failing from the spot.
As the final whistle blew and condemned Italy to another embarrassing defeat in the playoffs to qualify for a World Cup, players and Gennaro Gattuso stood shell-shocked, with a dead look in their eyes, showing they had no idea how they got to this point.
This was not just any loss; it knocked Italy out of the qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the first time a former champion has missed three successive editions. Fans are reeling, mulling over how the team that lifted the Euro 2020 trophy not so long ago, beating England on penalties at Wembley, spiral to this?
Less than half a decade later, the shine has worn off completely, leaving questions about everything from coaching to the core of Italian soccer. While Gennaro Gattuso may still reserve some support after the latest debacle, we take a look at how Italy have hit rock-bottom again in their endeavour to qualify for a World Cup. But first, we go way back in time, nearly two decades.
Glory Days of the 2006 triumph
Flash back to 2006, when Italy ruled the world. Under Marcello Lippi, the Azzurri navigated a scandal-hit Serie A at home but turned it into fuel abroad. They topped their group with wins over Ghana and Czech Republic, then edged Australia 1-0 on a late Francesco Totti penalty in the round of 16.
The quarter-final against Ukraine was a 3-0 masterclass, with Gianluca Zambrotta and Luca Toni scoring. The semi-final against hosts Germany produced an epic 2-0 extra-time win in Dortmund, as Fabio Grosso’s curler and Alessandro Del Piero’s finish silenced the home crowd. The final versus France went to penalties after Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi, and Italy won 5-3, with Grosso the hero.
That victory earned Italy a fourth World Cup star (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), putting them only one shy of Brazil’s record five triumphs. Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso; the squad was stacked and unbreakable. It felt like the start of a dynasty, with Italy at No. 1 in rankings and dreaming of matching the Selecao greats.
The Long drought begins
Since that magical Berlin night, it has been mostly pain for Italy at World Cups. In 2010 in South Africa, the defending champions crashed out bottom of their group after managing only two draws with Paraguay and New Zealand while suffering a 3-2 loss to Slovakia. They had no wins, a maiden instance for World Cup holders. But it was about to get so much worse in the coming decade.
2014 in Brazil brought more heartbreak. While the Azzurri started with a 2-1 win over England, they suffered shock 1-0 losses to Costa Rica and Uruguay to go back home early again. Surely, it was not about to get even worse for the European heavyweights? But so it did. Italy missed the 2018 edition after the playoff loss to Sweden, and North Macedonia stunned them at home in 2022. We have already discussed the latest setback.
While international football has still produced some highs at the European Championships, including the run to the 2012 finals, the 2020 triumph, and other memorable campaigns, they have been unable to mask the World Cup curse.
Cesare Prandelli, Antonio Conte, Euro hero Roberto Mancini, Luciano Spalletti, even Gennaro Gattuso’s stint; no one has managed to break the streak. From nearly equalling Brazil to zero appearances in over a decade, Italy, a country proud of their footballing heritage, have officially hit rock-bottom.
Roots of the decline
So what has gone wrong? Start with the FIGC, Italy’s soccer bosses, mired in mess. Corruption scandals have plagued them for years, shaking trust and draining cash. Gabriele Gravina, president since 2018, faces massive backlas. Lazio’s Claudio Lotito has even launched a Senate petition for his resignation, while Italy’s sports minister Andrea Abodi has asked him to step down.
However, Gravina is only the tip of the iceberg, as Italy’s footballing infrastructure leaves much to be desired. UEFA’s Aleksander Ceferin blasted Italy’s stadiums as “the worst in Europe”, as they have no modern pitches, poor youth setups, and slow upgrades despite World Cup wins. Clubs beg for government help, but talk outpaces action.
Furthermore, the carousel of head coaches over the past decade have been nothing short of odd picks. Post-2006, Italy have witnessed hit-and-miss spells from Roberto Donadoni, Marcello Lippi (who oversaw the 2010 World Cup flop show), Cesare Prandelli (2014 group stage exit), Antonio Conte (Euro 2016 quarters), Gian Piero Ventura (2018 miss), Roberto Mancini (Euro 2020 win but 2022 fail), Luciano Spalletti (Euro 2024 round of 16), and Gennaro Gattuso (the latest playoff loss).
Only Mancini shone briefly, while Conte showed some signs of grit and fighting spirit; the others, like Ventura, have been head-scratchers, showing exactly the FIGC’s lack of imagination, leading to their gradual but somewhat unsurpsing downfall. Outdated training methods hit hard too. Defender Riccardo Calafiori recently called out Italy’s recovery and methods as being behind modern standards.
Meanwhile, Italian clubs have regularly suffered humiliating defeats in Europe, including Inter Milan’s embarrassing defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League final. Meanwhile, no Serie A team has qualified for this season’s Champions League quarter-finals. Youth pipelines have also been running dry, leading to overreliance on imports, tactical rigidity, and Serie A focus over national prep. It is a perfect storm for disaster.
Path forward looks rough
Where and what now for Italy? Their ebuild has begun, but it will not be a quick fix. Top clubs like Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Napoli are not churning world-beaters like Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, or Francesco Totti. Their youth ranks are thin, and the Serie C table shows mid-tier chaos.
While a few bright sparks exist, including Pio Esposito, Davide Bartesaghi, and Cesare Casadei, they are rare gems in a barren field. There is no flood of talent like France or England’s academies.
Gennaro Gattuso remains in charge in the short-term, but what about the long-term future? FIGC must overhaul: pump funds into facilities, scout smarter, modernise training, and show more imagination. The UEFA Nations League looms, and then they must look forward to reclaiming their Euro crown.
A long road back
Italy’s third straight World Cup snub stings deepest because they know greatness, and the four stars on their shirt prove it. From the 2006 heroes to the Bosnia bottlers, the downfall screams a systemic rot at FIGC, from Gabriele Gravina’s loosening grip to crumbling stadiums and coaching chaos.
Yet hope flickers in prospects like Pio Esposito and Davide Bartesaghi. However, the rebuild will be gruelling, perhaps taking years if not dozens of months, demanding bold moves. They must sack underperformers, including the FIGC chief, build Coverciano 2.0, demand Serie A feed the Azzurri pipeline. If they don’t, more empty summers await. But get it right, and those five stars beckon again. Italy are too proud to stay down forever.
