Six days have passed, and the shock of Italy not making the World Cup is no longer shocking. It’s another harsh reminder of the state of Italian football.
The last World Cup knockout-stage game they won was in 2006, when they won the final in a dramatic penalty shootout against France. The last time they made the group stages was in 2014, where they unexpectedly failed to qualify in a group consisting of England, Uruguay and Costa Rica, the “Group of death” with their only win being against an even more shocking England side.
To stress how far they have fallen, the loss to Bosnia marks the 3rd consecutive World Cup in which the Azzurri failed to qualify. As a country deemed football royalty, with the 2nd most World Cups and a massive influence on the sport itself, what does Italy need to do to fix its stagnant footballing culture?
Why are the Azzurri failing?
First, we need to look at the upset that eliminated them from the playoffs. In the qualifying group stages, Italy handily secured 2nd by winning every game bar two surprising losses to eventual winners Norway, who notably gave them their worst home defeat in 70 years. This was worrying, but Italy was still expected to steamroll the playoffs.
They beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the playoff semi-finals, but the finals were an unexpected disaster. Despite Moise Kean’s early goal, Italy was dominated throughout the game. They were overrun in midfield, outranked in shots 30-9, had lower passing accuracy and passes overall, and fewer touches in the opposition box. Centre-back Alessandro Bastoni was shown a red card for a desperate tackle. Italy did not look up to the task at all, while an energetic Bosnia team balled without restraint or the weight of expectations. Bosnia ranks 65th in FIFA, and Italy ranks 12th.
Italian manager Gennaro Gattuso vowed to move “far away” from Italy if they didn’t qualify for the World Cup. Now he must commit, as he made Italy the first world champion to miss three consecutive World Cups. decided to play old-school, route one football and bypass the midfield entirely. Sandro Tonali, Manuel Locatelli, and Nicolo Barella are considered some of Italy’s most talented players as midfielders, so this is a confusing choice by Gattuso. But why did he decide to do this?
The state of Italian football
Italian football is at a low point. The stadiums are outdated and still owned by the government, which heavily restricts the amount of money teams can make from match-going fans and the private investments they can make to improve facilities. Plans by Inter, Milan, and Roma to own or build their own stadiums have been lost amid bureaucratic delays. As of today, only 7 Serie A teams own their stadium. Juventus, with a capacity of 41,689, can generate much more revenue than its rivals because of this.
The teams do not have as much money compared to their European rivals. Despite Inter’s 2 Champions league final appearances in the last 5 years, and Atalanta’s Europa league win in 2024, and Roma’s win and Fiorentina’s consecutive finals appearances in the Conferences league between 2022-2024, Italian teams have been uncompetitive in Europe since 2010.
With the lack of successful Italian teams comes the question of Italian youth. In the past, you’d think of Mario Balotelli, Leonardo Bonucci and Lorenzo Insigne as potential superstars for Italy. Now, who can you name?
A step in the right direction?
Although Italy has taken steps to reform its youth system since crashing out of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups consecutively. Legendary manager Arrigo Sacchi was hired to train coaches; more age groups were added, and Serie A clubs gained B teams in the third division for youth to play extensively.
These changes did pay off: Italy won the Under-17 Euros in 2024 and the Under-19 Euros in 2023, with talents like Francesco Camarda and Michael Kayode emerging. Despite declines in the Champions League, club ownership did stabilise, and hosting Euro 2032 will spur stadium upgrades. Yet World Cup failures overshadow all, including the 2021 Euros win. Something isn’t right.
Overall, Gattuso’s tactics are indicative of a failure of Italian football. Since 2006, they have been through 8 managers. This reveals that the Azzurri lack a clear vision, which is fundamental to building a strong international team. 27-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma was 15 years old when Italy last played a World Cup match. He was supposed to be the next long-term goalkeeper after Gianluigi Buffon. While he — as a goalkeeper — will likely still be playing at the peak of his career, there are many outfield players who will not have such an opportunity.
Alessandro Bastoni will be 30 at the 2030 World Cup. Sandro Tonali will be 29, and Nicolo Barella will be 33. Moise Kean, Gianluca Scamacca, Giacomo Raspadori, Mateo Retegui, Federico Dimarco, and Manuel Locatelli will all be at least 30 years old; these are critical ages at which there are no guarantees in professional football.
Losing an entire generation of talent comes with significant risks to the program’s long-term viability.
Germany 2000: How they overcame national embarrassment.
Since their 2014 win, Germany has been tied with Italy for the 2nd most World Cups, at 4. With an identical football pedigree to theirs, they have also experienced similar low points. After their embarrassing group-stage knockout at Euro 2000, when they finished last without winning a single game, the DFB adopted a radical plan to change German football for the better.
Although they had recent success in the 1990 World Cup and 1996 Euros, they had the foresight to realise that their footballing culture was stagnating and in dire need of a reset. The German FA found that the Bosman rule stifled young talent. So they launched a nationwide academy system emphasising homegrown players, education, and collective vision.
This worked spectacularly. By 2014, they won the World Cup. They also made it to at least the semi-finals in every Euros and World Cup since 2002, bar Euro 2004. The key to success was patience in raising a new generation of stars. With over 1.8 million junior players, 27,000 clubs, and thousands of highly licensed coaches, Germany became a “youth football paradise.” Education was central: teams like Freiburg prioritised school over football, noting most academy players won’t turn pro. As coach Christian Streich said, “The school is the most important thing, then comes football.” This moral obligation to develop people, not just players, defined the German model.
England 2014: How they overcame national embarrassment.
England has a similar story. As the inventors of football and perpetual underachievers internationally, the English FA ultimately had to make a change to their culture after continuous national embarrassment: failing to qualify for Euro 2008, the infamous loss to Germany in World Cup 2010, failing to get past the group stage in World Cup 2014, and the loss to Iceland in Euro 2016.
Since the 90s, England faced the same problem: A talented team without cohesion. Coaches were pressured to pick star players and were quickly sacked if they failed to meet very high expectations. England’s revival began with the 2014 “England DNA” programme, led by Dan Ashworth and Gareth Southgate. It ensured cohesive coaching and playing styles across all age groups, with a focus on technical skills and mental resilience. This foundation helped England reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals—their best since 1990 —and both the 2021 and 2024 Euros finals, their best results ever. All under Gareth Southgate as the manager.
Youth success followed: four European and world titles in ten years. Grassroots investment and the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan modernised development, with £1.94 billion spent since 2012. Players like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka emerged as world-class talents.
Setbacks built resilience. With experienced leaders and young stars, England is now a genuine contender for winning tournaments. The Lionesses’ Euro 2022 win raises hopes for the men’s team. The journey continues, but strategic overhaul and talent development have restored England as a competitive force.
What can Italy learn from this?
To conclude, Italy’s path back to its heavyweight status is clear but demanding. Like Germany and England, they need a unified, long-term vision: not reactive management or tactical shortcuts. The Under-17 and Under-19 Euros wins prove their youth system can produce talent. But those players need a coherent senior pathway, stable coaching, and modern infrastructure to progress.
Hosting Euro 2032 offers a rare chance to rapidly overhaul stadiums and rebuild football’s identity. Above all, Italy must prioritise development over desperation and patience over panic. Without a cultural reset from the grassroots to the Azzurri, another generation will be wasted and forced to watch the World Cup from home.