Italy, four-time World Cup winners and one of football’s most decorated nations, face the prospect of missing the tournament for a third straight edition after a 4–1 loss to Norway. The defeat left the Azzurri six points behind Norway, forcing them into the play-offs for a place at the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Italy’s recent play-off history offers little reassurance. In 2017, they lost 1–0 on aggregate to Sweden and missed Russia 2018. Four years later, a shock 1–0 home defeat to North Macedonia kept them out of Qatar 2022. Commentator James Horncastle described Italy’s current plight as “apocalyptic,” echoing the reaction to their first modern World Cup failure.
Gattuso Demands Fairer Qualification Rules
Manager Gennaro Gattuso, appointed in June, has questioned the European qualifying system.
“In my era, the best runners-up went straight to the World Cup; now the rules have changed. Europe faces tougher routes while other continents have more direct slots,” he said.
Gattuso highlighted the imbalance, noting that South America has six direct qualifiers from 10 teams, while Europe must battle through tighter margins.
A Rocky Start Compounds Pressure
Italy’s 2026 campaign began disastrously with a 3–0 loss to Norway in June, in which Erling Haaland scored one of his 14 qualifying goals. Following that result, Luciano Spalletti announced his own departure, though he managed the next match, a 2–0 win over Moldova.
Norway’s dominant start—seven wins, 33 goals—left Italy constantly chasing. Gattuso, despite a checkered club managerial career, stepped in, bringing fire and passion to a squad that had struggled under previous coaches.
“Gattuso has screamed at them, made them fight for the jersey,” said journalist Mina Rzouki. “The players admire him and are responding on the pitch.”
Goals Flow, but Balance Is Lacking
Under Gattuso, Italy have scored freely—18 goals in five games, including thrilling wins over Estonia and Israel. Mateo Retegui has netted five times in these fixtures. Yet defensive fragility and tactical naivety remain concerns.
“They’re hungry for goals but reckless at times,” Rzouki noted. “They can outscore opponents, but it’s chaotic rather than controlled.”
Italy now face the daunting task of winning two single-leg play-offs to secure a spot in North America. After missing out in 2018 and 2022, the Azzurri will be desperate to avoid a third consecutive World Cup absence, a scenario unimaginable for a nation that lifted the trophy in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006.
