BBC News
Leaning against a wall near a newsstand in central Rome, Tommaso Silvestri, 65, reviews the morning's headlines, which oscillate between terms like "apocalypse," "scandal," and "disaster" following Italy's latest football setback.
"We have truly mishandled the situation," he remarks, shaking his head. "We had players who couldn’t even find the target."
"The glorious era of Italian football is definitively behind us."
On Tuesday night in Zenica, Italy—four-time World Cup winners—suffered the disappointment of failing to qualify for the tournament for a third consecutive time, losing 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina after being reduced to 10 men prior to halftime.
Since clinching the World Cup in 2006, the Azzurri have experienced considerable disappointment in international competitions, with only their unexpected triumph at the Euros in 2021 against England at Wembley serving as a silver lining.
"We are defined by the outcomes of our matches," Silvestri noted. "When you attempt to score but can’t even hit the net, you aren't going to progress. When it comes to finishing strong, Italy just doesn’t seem to get it anymore."
The defeat drew immediate and fervent reactions from various sectors of Italian politics and society.
"Everything has a limit," lamented Ignazio La Russa, president of the Senate and a prominent figure in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy party.
In a post on X, he commented: "We're not participating in the World Cup. We supported them, we hoped, and we even protested some questionable refereeing decisions... but deep down, we feared this outcome. In fact, we acknowledged it."
Roberto Saviano, author of Gomorrah and an anti-mafia activist, also chimed in, highlighting deeper systemic failures within Italian football, from governance issues to challenges in youth development.
"Clubs are corrupt and vulnerable to criminal influence. Truly laundering enterprises. There is no investment in young athletes, no attention to second-generation talent. It’s easier to acquire foreign players than to nurture new homegrown talent," he stated in an Instagram post.
Across Italy, a nation revered for its rich footballing culture and history of producing world-class talent, many are questioning the prevailing circumstances. Giovanni Colli, 71, who was seen rolling his eyes while enjoying an espresso at a café near the Pantheon, expressed feelings of betrayal.
"Not qualifying for the World Cup three times consecutively—how did this happen? It's an enormous letdown. Everyone in charge should resign. We need to provide young players with opportunities," he remarked.
The heartbreak of Italy's World Cup elimination was poignantly encapsulated in the tearful expression of coach Rino Gattuso, who fought to contain his emotions following the team's loss.
"We do not deserve this. It’s unjust. I regret I couldn’t make it happen," Gattuso stated, with tears in his eyes, before retreating to the dressing room.
The legendary midfielder from the 2006 World Cup-winning squad had only assumed the coaching position the previous June.
Despite the disappointment, Gattuso expressed pride in his players’ efforts: "I am proud of my boys and what they contributed on the pitch."
The match, which was decided by penalties after Italy was left with 10 men due to Alessandro Bastoni's early red card, initially fostered a moment of hope with Moise Kean's goal, only to culminate in despair.
Gattuso acknowledged the team’s failures: "When you have opportunities and fail to capitalize on them, football will punish you."
In reflecting on their exit, he added: "This is painful. We gave it everything we had. It’s a true shock."
Sport journalist Elisabetta Esposito of La Gazzetta dello Sport reported to the BBC that Italian football is encountering a challenging phase—one that would require significant time to overcome, during which loyalty to individual clubs often overshadows support for the national team.
"The risk is that this third consecutive failure to qualify will deepen young people's disinterest in the Azzurri," she remarked.
"The disappointment runs deep, but the sentiment extends beyond mere disappointment to a sense of disillusionment. It seems as though a new generation does not even understand what it means to rally behind their country."
Reflecting on Tuesday's match, Esposito added: "From a technical perspective, everything fell apart. The team has not sufficiently gelled. Rebuilding necessitates a long-term strategy—pursuing immediate successes through hasty decisions is unlikely to yield results."
On a bustling street in central Rome, 56-year-old Teresa, walking her dog among tourists and commuters, posed a question.
"Oh, we are not going to the World Cup?" she inquired. "I don’t know much about football, but that seems like quite a disaster, doesn’t it?"
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