Initial weekend reports suggested that Italy’s national team players had attempted to negotiate a collective bonus before their crucial World Cup play-off final. However, subsequent updates indicate that had the Azzurri qualified, the squad members would have received individual ‘gifts’ rather than a direct cash payment.
Earlier claims, notably from La Repubblica, pointed to players seeking a combined €300,000 bonus, equating to just over €10,000 per player, for securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup. These aspirations, however, were dashed when Italy suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final, ending their journey to the North American tournament.
While some reports suggested coach Gattuso tried to discourage players from negotiating a bonus before the pivotal match, La Gazzetta dello Sport later clarified that the FIGC (Italian Football Federation) was prepared to offer bonus ‘gifts’ to the national team players upon qualification. The reasoning behind this approach was that a cash bonus of around €10,000 would not significantly impact the financial situation of highly-paid, top-tier footballers.
Instead of monetary compensation, the FIGC reportedly planned a more symbolic and sentimental bonus. La Gazzetta dello Sport speculated that players might have received individual high-end watches or similar tokens. It was also noted that while there were discussions among players about a potential bonus after a previous match against Northern Ireland, no formal requests for a specific cash prize were ever made to the federation.
