Italy suffered another failure. They have been eliminated from the World Cup for the third year in a row, and this time it was a playoff final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a small team with a population of only 3 million people.
Donnarumma and the World Cup Curse
The Italian goalkeeper is currently one of the best players in his position and is the reigning Champions League champion, a feat that earned him a move to Manchester City, but he has found little joy at international level.
Donnarumma was the Euro 2021 champion, but when it comes to the World Cup, he has never played. This is a remarkable fact, as Gigi made his debut at just 16 years old, and Donnarumma could have been closer to making his third World Cup appearance had he qualified in the past. However, he will have to wait another four years and if he qualifies, he will play in the 2030 World Cup at the age of 31.
Donnarumma and the penalty that could have changed everything
Italy lost on penalties, but Donnarumma almost saved Tahirovic’s shot during Bosnia’s fourth penalty. It was a save that gave the Italian national team a second chance. Remarkably, although the Italian goalkeeper was not as good as one of the culprits in the defeat, the look of regret on his face after that decisive goal said it all, and he came very close to keeping the Azzurri alive.
Italy eliminated from 2026 World Cup
The penalty shootout defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina not only meant defeat on the road to 2026, but also confirmed the crisis that had bedeviled Azura at critical moments.
A 1-1 tie in regulation time left me with mixed emotions. Italy took the lead with a goal from Moise Kean, but the game changed completely when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off. With one fewer player, the team lost their game and allowed the opponents to react, allowing them to score the equalizer and forcing a penalty shootout.
Once again, Italy collapsed. Bosnia showed determination, but Italians showed doubts. Benjamin Tahirovic’s decisive penalty sealed the fate of Gennaro Gattuso’s side.
Exclusion is not an isolated event. This means Italy will miss the World Cup for the third year in a row, and the fact reflects the magnitude of the problem, with the result that great goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma has not been able to experience what it is like to play in a World Cup.
