Four-time World Cup winners wrote the wrong kind of history with their qualification failure against Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are the first World Cup winners to not qualify for the global tournament three times in a row. (Photo: Image Photo Agency / Getty Images) The Italian soccer dynasty is in tatters. Despite being one the most successful nations in World Cup history, Italy will not be among the 48 countries that will head to Mexico, the US and Canada for the 2026 edition of the global soccer spectacle.
Italy succumbed 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina, after a 1-1 draw during their World Cup playoff match on Tuesday, 31 March. The 2006 World Cup winners scored first and early, which is exactly what they would have wanted.
But Bosnia showed grit and heart to fight back, levelling matters through substitute Haris Tabaković with 11 minutes of regulation time remaining. A red card for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni late in the first half did little to help the Azzurri in their quest to end their World Cup participation drought. Then their penalty shootout showing was a disaster as they only scored one of their three spot-kicks.
/file/attachments/orphans/2269289392_808841.jpg "Italian players were left disappointed after falling to Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 on penalties in their 2026 World Cup European playoff match. (Photo: Image Photo Agency / Getty Images)")
Italy rewrite history
While not qualifying for the World Cup is a disappointment in itself for four-time world champions, that this is the third successive World Cup the Italians will miss makes it so much worse. No former World Cup champion has had to wait longer to feature at the quadrennial tournament.
The previous record was held by two-time World Cup winners Uruguay. The South Americans missed two consecutive tournaments, 1978 and 1982, and returned to the global stage in 1986, for the Mexico-hosted edition.
The Italians have to wait until the qualification journey for the 2030 World Cup – co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco – to try to finally end their World Cup drought.
/file/attachments/orphans/2269288617_914928.jpg "After winning the World Cup in 2006, Italy now have to wait until the 2030 World Cup qualification cycle to end their participation drought at the tournament. (Photo: Getty Images / Getty Images)")
The Italians last played a World Cup knockout match when they won the 2006 final against France. In the South Africa-hosted 2010 tournament they exited in the group phase. The same fate befell them in 2014. This latest disappointment came after they finished second behind Norway in their qualification group, forcing them into the playoffs.
‘It hurts,’ says Gattuso
“It hurts, because we needed this, for all of Italy and for our movement. A blow that’s difficult to digest,” Italy’s coach, Gennaro Gattuso, said.
“I’m not interested at all in talking about my future today,” Gattuso said. “It hurts. It really hurts. More than hurting me, it hurts to see this group of players [suffer this fate]. They have really given everything in these past few months. They deserved to get back what we put in and I honestly think it’s reductive and too immature to be talking about my future today.
“Here we should be talking about Italy, about the national team shirt. It’s yet another blow, even though this time we didn’t deserve it. We deserved more and that’s why my future doesn’t matter. They surprised me even today with the heart they showed.
“But we are talking about the umpteenth time we aren’t going to the World Cup. I personally apologise for that.”
/file/attachments/orphans/2269273370_710042.jpg "Despite being backed by his employer to continue in the job, Gennaro Gattuso is the latest coach to fail in helping Italy to qualify for their first World Cup since 2014. (Photo: Image Photo Agency / Getty Images)")
The president of the Italian soccer federation, Gabriele Gravina, backed former Italy and AC Milan midfielder Gattuso to remain in the hot seat, even after this latest disappointment for the national team.
“I have to praise Gattuso. He’s been a great coach. He is a great coach. I’ve asked him to stay in charge of these players,” Gravina said.
This chapter is just another that shows how far Italy has fallen when it comes to international soccer. There was a time when Italy was one of the most intimidating nations to face, with quality household names all over the pitch, from defence to attack.
From Paolo Maldini, to Roberto Baggio and Gianluigi Buffon – the line-up had names that still send shivers down the spines of rivals. The 2006 World Cup-winning side had greats such as Andrea Pirlo, Fabio Cannavaro, Francesco Totti, Alessandro del Piero, Gianluca Zambrotta and Gattuso himself.
/file/attachments/orphans/WhatsApp-Image-2026-04-01-at-1024_543887.jpg "With just more than two months until the start of the expanded 2026 World Cup, all 48 participating teams and their groups have been finalised. (Graphic: Fifa World Cup)")
Those who made it
Joining the Bosnians in booking a World Cup spot late on are nations such as Iran and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Iranians ended a 40-year absence from the tournament by defeating Bolivia 2-1 in their intercontinental playoff. It’s just their second appearance at the tournament.
/file/attachments/orphans/2269302230_242619.jpg "Charles Pickel (left) and Yoane Wissa of the DRC celebrate their qualification for the 2026 World Cup after beating Jamaica in an intercontinental playoff. The Congolese are the 10th African country to qualify for the 2026 edition. (Photo: Luis Cano / Jam Media / Getty Images)")
The Congolese edged Jamaica 1-0 in their intercontinental playoff, ensuring that there will be a maximum of 10 African teams at the 2026 tournament. They last appeared at the World Cup in 1974, when they were known as Zaire.
They join Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cape Verde and South Africa in representing Africa.
From South Africa’s point view there is keen interest in the European playoffs as the final team in Group A was set to come from the winner-takes-all match between Denmark and Czechia. The latter booked their World Cup spot via a 3-1 penalty shootout victory over the Danes. They join Mexico, Bafana Bafana and South Korea in Group A. DM