Italy out again! Once mighty champions miss third straight World Cup

Italy’s football crisis deepened on Tuesday as the four time World Cup champions failed to qualify for the tournament for the third consecutive time , losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a dramatic playoff shootout.

The heartbreaking defeat in Zenica marks another low moment for one of football’s most decorated national teams. Bosnia won the penalty shootout 4-1 after the match ended 1-1 , sealing their return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

Italy actually started the game brightly. Moise Kean gave the Azzurri an early lead , raising hopes that the team could finally break its recent run of disappointments. However, the match turned before halftime when defender Alessandro Bastoni was sent off with a direct red card , leaving Italy to battle with ten men for the rest of the contest.

Bosnia slowly gained control and finally found the equaliser in the 79th minute through substitute Haris Tabakovic , forcing the match into extra time. With neither side able to score again, the game moved to penalties where Italy faltered badly. Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their spot kicks , while Bosnia held their nerve. U.S.-born midfielder Esmir Bajraktarevic converted the decisive penalty , sparking wild celebrations among the home fans.

The defeat extends a painful trend for Italy, who had already missed the 2018 World Cup after losing to Sweden and the 2022 edition after a shock defeat to North Macedonia in qualifying playoffs.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso admitted the situation was deeply troubling.“We are having a tough time achieving our goals,” he said. “The fact is that Italy has failed to qualify for three World Cups.”

Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina also described the situation as a “huge crisis” for the once dominant football nation, which has seen its FIFA ranking slip to its lowest in decades , reflecting a sharp decline in performance on the international stage.

Italy’s last appearance at a World Cup was in Brazil in 2014 , meaning the country will go at least 16 years without playing in football’s biggest tournament despite its rich history that includes titles in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 .

The long absence also means an entire generation of young fans has never seen Italy play at a World Cup , a reality that reflects how dramatically the fortunes of the Azzurri have declined. Meanwhile, Bosnia celebrated a historic achievement, qualifying for only the second World Cup in their history .

Elsewhere in the European playoffs, Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic also secured their places in the tournament. Sweden defeated Poland 3-2, Turkey beat Kosovo 1-0, while the Czech Republic overcame Denmark in a penalty shootout.

For Italy, however, the painful wait continues.