Overview
- Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties in the European playoff, which sealed its absence from the 2026 World Cup.
- The miss makes it three straight World Cups without Italy, with the team’s last tournament goal scored by Mario Balotelli in June 2014 against England.
- Coverage highlights a foreign‑heavy Serie A, citing 401 non‑Italian players out of 588 professionals last season, which narrows chances for domestic talent.
- Coaches and players describe a blocked path from academies to senior squads, so Juventus, Milan and Atalanta have launched under‑23 teams in Serie C to provide real pro minutes.
- Analysts also fault tactics that prize structure over skill, noting common 3‑5‑2 setups and echoing Massimiliano Allegri’s view that schemes are overvalued, which has reduced Italy’s pool of dribblers and creators.