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FRIDAY | APR 3, 2026

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The World Cup curse I TALIANS woke up angry and disillu sioned after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row by losing a playoff to Bosnia and Herzegovina, prolonging a sporting night mare for the football-mad country. defeat to North Macedonia, another part of the old Yugoslavia; but then, at least, it was Italy who had 30 attempts at goal. of his position would be made at a federal council meeting scheduled to take place next week. Italy’s Sports Minister Andrea Abodi described it as a “definitive defeat” and suggested that Italian football needs to be “rebuilt from the ground up”. ld be made at a federal cheduled to take place inister Andrea Abodi definitive defeat” and an football needs to be ound up”. Italy sheds tears after missing out again with the latest disaster is now the norm

Ridiculously, Gattuso remains part of the last Italy team to win a knockout tie at the World Cup: the 2006 final. The last team to play in a World Cup at all were knocked out by Uruguay in their last group-stage game in 2014 and also lost to Costa Rica. That side contained Gattuso’s old sidekick Andrea Pirlo, the regista will be in his fifties by the time Italy play in a World Cup; if, that is, they qualify for 2030. The four-time winners are missing a third successive tournament. Even expanding the competition to 48 teams has still left a high-profile absentee: Italy. The defeat sparked outrage across the country, with political parties calling on Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina to resign. “It is an unacceptable disgrace. Italian football needs a complete overhaul, starting with the resignation of Gabriele Gravina,” the League Party, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, wrote on Instagram . Gravina said an assess ment

“The World Cup curse,” said the front page of Italy’s main daily Corriere della Sera , call ing for rebuilding in a country that has pro duced some of the game’s greatest players but has won only one match at the finals since lift ing the trophy for the fourth time in 2006. Headlines in La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport , the country’s two main sports newspapers, both said “We’re all stay ing at home”, in reference to another summer without a World Cup. Fans in Rome were left stunned after Italy suffered a 4-1 penalty shootout loss to Bosnia on Wednesday following a 1-1 draw, their third playoff defeat in a row after losing to Sweden and North Macedonia. “Everything went badly from the start of the match. The team wasn’t good, players out of form coming in and playing (anyway)… it makes no sense. Honestly, I’m shocked,” said Davide Caldaretta, who watched the game at a city pub. “The Azzurri” last qualified for the World Cup finals in 2014, where Bosnia made their only previous appearance at the tournament. The Balkan team will play in Group B this year with co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. Italy were eliminated by the team ranked 65th in the world, on a day

“When we fail to qualify for the World Cup for three consecutive tournaments, perhaps it would be wise to reflect on the situation,” Abodi told reporters. “This is no ordinary day and it is not a day on which it is enough, or satisfactory, to simply pass the buck by saying that we expected more from the organisation. “First and foremost, comes the respon sibility and awareness of what has hap pened – not just yesterday, because this is not the first time.” Italy went down to 10 men in the 42nd minute with Alessandro Bastoni punished for a late last-man tackle, a key turning point in the match with Italy leading at the time. o qualify for the World secutive tournaments, e wise to reflect on the d reporters. nary day and it is not a nough, or satisfactory, buck by saying that we m the organisation. ost, comes the respon ess of what has hap sterday, because this is to 10 men in the 42nd ndro Bastoni punished for ckle, a key turning with Italy leading at

“(We feel) really upset and dis appointed. Even when you’re let down you always hold out hope. And this is the third time in a row,” said Italy fan Melanie Cardillo. Even Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe said he felt “sick” on behalf of Italy. “A dark dawn for Italy. The day after failing to qualify. Again,” he wrote on X . “How is this possible with so much talent?” – Reuters/The Independent upset and dis hen you’re let old out hope. rd time in a fan Melanie inning actor said he felt of Italy. for Italy. The g to qualify. on le with so nt?” dependent

when their sup posed inferiors had 31 shots. There could be compari sons with t h e 2022

Italy’s Pio Esposito (left) and head coach Gennaro Gattuso reacts after failing to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup on Wednesday. – REUTERSPIC

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