Italy Loses World Cup Spot
Wednesday, 2026/04/01168 words3 minutes113 reads
Four-time world champions Italy will miss their third consecutive World Cup after losing to Bosnia-Herzegovina in a penalty shootout. No previous tournament winner has ever missed three World Cups in a row.
Italy took the lead when Moise Kean scored in the 15th minute after the Bosnian goalkeeper made a mistake. However, their hopes suffered a blow when defender Alessandro Bastoni was sent off before halftime for fouling a Bosnian player who was through on goal.
Playing with 10 men, Italy defended desperately in the second half. Bosnia finally equalized in the 79th minute when Haris Tabakovic scored from a rebound. The match went to penalties, where Italy missed two crucial shots while Bosnia converted all of theirs.
Manager Gennaro Gattuso, who won the World Cup as a player in 2006, was devastated. The head of Italian football admitted the country's football is now in a "profound crisis." Italy's struggles stem from poor youth development, financial problems, and outdated stadiums that limit revenue compared to other European leagues.
