Italy has not qualified for the World Cup since 2014, marking a significant decline for a historically successful football nation. In a recent match held at Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica on March 31, 2026, Italy faced Bosnia and Herzegovina in a crucial playoff that would determine their fate.
Italy initially took the lead with a goal from Moise Kean in the 15th minute. However, the match took a turn when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off in the first half, leaving Italy with ten players. Despite the setback, Italy held onto their 1-0 lead until the 79th minute when Haris Tabakovic scored the equalizer for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The match proceeded to a penalty shootout, where Bosnia and Herzegovina converted all four of their penalty kicks. In contrast, Italy’s Francesco Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their attempts, sealing Italy’s fate and leading to a 4-2 loss in the shootout.
Gennaro Gattuso, Italy’s coach, expressed his disappointment, stating, “It hurts, because we needed it for us, for all of Italy and for our movement. A blow that’s difficult to digest.” This sentiment was echoed by player Leonardo Spinazzola, who lamented, “Italian children will see another World Cup without Italy.”
This defeat marks Italy’s third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup, a stark contrast to their historical success, having won four men’s World Cups in the past. Their last appearance was in 2014 in Brazil, and they previously lost to North Macedonia in the semi-finals of the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup.
As Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates their qualification for the World Cup for the second time in their history, Italy faces a period of reflection and rebuilding. Observers are questioning what the future holds for Italian football, as the inability to qualify has become a troubling norm.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the next steps for the Italian national team as they seek to address the challenges that have led to this ongoing decline.
