Italy, one of the most decorated countries in international football, is once again on the verge of missing out on the FIFA World Cup, and a decisive play-off match against the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team will determine their fate.
Despite expanding the competition to 48 teams from Mexico, Canada and the United States for this summer’s tournament, Italy is still far from guaranteed a spot.
The winners of Tuesday’s playoffs will advance to a group that includes Canada, Qatar and Switzerland, while the losers will be eliminated. The stakes are unprecedented for a country that has won the World Cup four times.
After shocking group stage exits in 2010 and 2014, Italy missed out on qualification in 2018 and 2022, a downturn that shook one of football’s proudest traditions.
After Italy narrowly defeated Northern Ireland in the play-off semi-finals, head coach Gennaro Gattuso acknowledged the magnitude of the moment.
We have taken small steps,” Gattuso said. “Now I have to climb Mount Everest.
Pressure mounts as Italian football decline widens
NBC News analyst Andrew Greif explains that Italy’s precarious position stands in stark contrast to the overall good health of Italian sports.
Tennis star Jannik Sinner recently won the Miami Open and Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli celebrated his victory in Japan, but the success has brought even more attention to the national team.
Midfielder Sandro Tonali said his confidence had increased since Gattuso’s arrival, but admitted there was no longer any room for error.
There is no choice but to win.
Former World Cup winners point to deeper structural problems. Former goalkeeper Marco Amelia has claimed that Italy’s youth development has stagnated since winning the 2006 title, while Massimo Oddo has warned that Italy’s modernization is slow as opportunities for young players shrink domestically.
Financial trends reflect decline
Italian clubs once dominated the revenue rankings, but by 2025 only three Serie A teams will be in Europe’s top revenue rankings compared to nine Premier League teams. No Italian team has won the UEFA Champions League since 2010.
Italian football icon Gianluigi Buffon, who is currently involved in the federation’s leadership, has reportedly hinted that he may resign if the Italian national team misses the World Cup for the third consecutive year.
Mr Oddo said such an outcome would be a “huge blow”.
On Tuesday, Italy’s modern identity and its place on soccer’s biggest stage will depend on 90 minutes.
