The Italy national football team have failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals for a third consecutive edition. This came after a playoff defeat to the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team, where Italy lost 4–1 on penalties following a 1–1 draw in Zenica.
Bright Start Ends in Setback
Italy made a promising start, taking the lead in the 15th minute through Moise Kean, who capitalized on a goalkeeping error to silence the home crowd. The early advantage briefly suggested a turnaround for the four-time world champions.
However, the match shifted before halftime when Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card in the 41st minute for a last-man foul. Reduced to ten men, Italy were forced onto the defensive for the remainder of the contest.
Bosnia Capitalize on Numerical Advantage
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team thereafter dominated proceedings, registering multiple attempts on goal before finally equalizing in the 79th minute through Haris Tabaković.
Italy’s resistance ended in the penalty shootout, where misses from Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante proved costly, while Bosnia and Herzegovina converted all four of their penalty attempts.
A Continuing Decline for Former Champions
The four-time world champions, who last lifted the trophy in 2006, will once again be absent from the global tournament after falling short in the qualification campaign for the 2026 edition.
This marks a continuation of a disappointing trend following their previous failures to reach the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Coach Reaction and Federation Support
Head coach Gennaro Gattuso issued an emotional apology after the match, accepting responsibility for the result. Meanwhile, Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina is reported to be backing him to remain in charge.
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