Italy's National Team: When Failure Is No Longer an "Accident"

Once again, Italy's national team collapses on the journey to secure a spot for the FIFA World Cup 2026. But this time, the pain stems not only from the result, but also from how they squandered their own opportunity. A defeat deeply marked by self-destruction.

1. It cannot be said that Italy lacked chances. They led, they controlled the match at crucial moments. Yet they themselves shattered every advantage through individual errors.

The red card for Alessandro Bastoni in the 41st minute was the biggest turning point. In a decisive match, the lack of composure from a top-class central defender forced the entire team to play 10 against 11 for over a half. From that point, Italy no longer played according to their plan, but merely survived to resist.

But even under pressure, Italy still had opportunities to decide the match. The problem was they failed to capitalize. Counter-attacking situations, finishing chances that could have sealed the game were all missed. When a team doesn't know how to finish a match, they pay the price. The penalty shootout further revealed the psychological collapse. The missed shots by Francesco Pio Esposito or Bryan Cristante were not merely technical errors, but manifestations of pressure and lack of nerve. Even with Gianluigi Donnarumma, one of the world's best goalkeepers, Italy could not salvage the situation.

Italy did not lose because they were completely inferior. They lost because they threw away their own match.

2. There is a bitter paradox: Italy's 2006 World Cup victory was not due to a superior star squad, but thanks to an invisible weapon called spirit.

That was the collective of Gianluigi Buffon, of Gennaro Gattuso, of people ready to fight to the very last limit. A team that might not be flashy, but always gritty, disciplined, and never collapsing. However, the last representatives of that generation now cannot pass that spirit to the current team. Gattuso as coach, Buffon as team manager. They carry glorious memories, but cannot transform them into present strength.

Today's Italy still fights, but no longer possesses the "Italian essence" of before. They lack cold-bloodedness in decisive moments, lack the nerve to finish opponents, and increasingly lack steadfastness when facing pressure. In tears, Leonardo Spinazzola said Italian children will continue watching the World Cup without their home team. That is not just sadness, but proof of helplessness. The spirit that once formed the foundation helping Italy stand atop the world. When that foundation vanishes, everything else is just fragmented pieces.

3. Looking broader, this failure is not the story of just one match. It is the inevitable consequence of a stagnant system lasting many years.

Italian football no longer produces top-tier stars. Since after EURO 2020, the old generation retired leaving a huge gap the successors cannot fill. Only Gianluigi Donnarumma appearing in recent Ballon d'Or nominations is clear evidence.

At the systemic level, Serie A falls behind the Premier League in finances, infrastructure, and appeal. Outdated stadiums, an uninnovative operational model cause Italian football to gradually lose its standing.

More importantly, the management mindset remains conservative. President Gabriele Gravina refusing to resign after a series of failures shows a football culture lacking accountability. Past warnings, like Roberto Baggio's reform proposal, were not listened to. Italy does not only lose on the pitch. They lose in operations, in vision, and in the belief in change itself.

Three consecutive World Cup absences are no longer a temporary shock. That is the price Italy must pay for years of complacency and stagnation.