Italy's Unwanted Hat-Trick: The Three Squads That Failed World Cup Qualification

For a third consecutive time, the Italian national football team has failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, extending a disheartening streak that began after their last appearance in the tournament in 2014. This marks a truly challenging and unprecedented era for the Azzurri, as three different squads have, regrettably, etched their names into history for the wrong reasons.

Italy Misses Out on the World Cup for the Third Straight Time

This ongoing nightmare continues to haunt the country and its passionate fans, who haven't witnessed La Nazionale compete in a World Cup since Brazil 2014. Even more starkly, Italy's last knockout match played at the tournament dates back to 2006, when Marcello Lippi famously led them to lift the coveted trophy.

The initial shock came in 2017, when the team, then coached by Giampiero Ventura, was eliminated in the play-offs by Sweden. The idea of the Azzurri missing a World Cup seemed surreal at the time. Now, nearly a decade later, this has tragically become an unwelcome pattern.

The Road to Disappointment: Three Qualification Campaigns

2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification

Under coach Giampiero Ventura, Italy faced Sweden in a two-legged play-off tie. Despite their best efforts, the Azzurri suffered a 1-0 aggregate defeat, preventing them from participating in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. This early elimination sent shockwaves through the football world and signaled the beginning of a difficult period.

Italy's Line-up (2018 vs. Sweden):

• Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Candreva (76′ Bernardeschi), Parolo, Jorginho, Florenzi, Darmian (64′ El Shaarawy); Immobile, Gabbiadini (64′ Belotti).
• Coach: Ventura.

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification

Four years later, the qualification play-off format had evolved, featuring semi-final and final stages. Under the guidance of Roberto Mancini, Italy, despite being reigning European champions, unexpectedly lost in the semi-finals to North Macedonia. Had they advanced, they would have faced Portugal away in the final for a spot in the Qatar 2022 tournament, adding another layer of disappointment to their recent history.

Italy's Line-up (2022 vs. North Macedonia):

• Donnarumma; Florenzi, Mancini (89′ Chiellini), Bastoni, Emerson; Barella (77′ Tonali), Jorginho, Verratti; Berardi (89′ Joao Pedro), Immobile (77′ Pellegrini), Insigne.
• Coach: Mancini.

2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification

The most recent instance described in this unfortunate sequence saw Italy, under coach Gennaro Gattuso, once again reach the play-off Final. However, they were unable to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup, ultimately losing on penalties to a team ranked 65th in the FIFA rankings. This third consecutive failure further compounds the challenges facing Italian football and raises serious questions about the future of the national team.

Italy's Line-up (2026 Play-off Final):

• Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano (46′ Palestra), Barella (85′ Frattesi), Locatelli (71′ Cristante), Tonali, Dimarco (91′ Spinazzola); Kean (71′ Esposito), Retegui (44′ Gatti).
• Coach: Gattuso.