‘The World Cup curse’: Italy sheds tears after missing out again

Italy woke up angry and disillusioned on Wednesday after ​the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row by losing a playoff to Bosnia, prolonging a sporting nightmare for the soccer-mad country.

“The World Cup curse,” said the front page of Italy’s main daily Corriere della ​Sera, calling for rebuilding in a country that has produced some of the game’s greatest players but has won only one match ⁠at the finals since lifting the trophy for the fourth time in 2006.

Headlines in La Gazzetta ‌dello ‌Sport ​and Corriere dello Sport, the country’s two main sports newspapers, both said “We’re all staying at home”, in reference to another summer without a World Cup.

Fans in Rome ⁠were left stunned after Italy suffered a ​4-1 penalty shootout loss to Bosnia on Tuesday following ​a 1-1 draw, their third playoff defeat in a row after losing to Sweden and North Macedonia.

“Everything went ‌badly from the start of the match. ​The team wasn’t good, players out of form coming in and playing [anyway] ... it makes no sense. Honestly, ⁠I’m shocked,” said Davide Caldaretta, who watched ⁠the game at a ​city pub.

The Azzurri last qualified for the World Cup finals in 2014, where Bosnia made their only previous appearance at the tournament. The Balkan team will play in Group B this year with co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

The defeat sparked outrage across the country, with political parties calling on Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina to resign.

“It is an unacceptable disgrace. Italian football needs a complete overhaul, starting with the resignation of Gabriele Gravina,” the League Party, a member of ‌prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s ⁠coalition, wrote on Instagram.

Gravina said an assessment of his position would be made at a federal council meeting scheduled to take place next week.

Italy went down to 10 men in the ‌42nd minute with Alessandro Bastoni punished for a late last-man tackle, a key turning point in the match with Italy leading ​at the time.

“[We feel] really upset and disappointed. Even when you’re let ​down you always hold out hope. And this is the third time in a row,” said Melanie Cardillo.

Meanwhile, Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso was emotional and apologetic after the defeat, but he refused to talk about his future.

“Today the boys didn’t deserve a beating like this,” a teary-eyed Gattuso told RAI.

“We were left with 10 players, ​we had three decent chances and they barely troubled us. I’m sorry, this is football and I’m proud of my boys.

“It hurts, because we needed it ⁠for us, for all of Italy and for our movement. A blow that’s difficult to digest.”

Gattuso and Italy were ‌incensed ‌when ​a foul by Tarik Muharemovic on the edge of the area brought just a yellow card early in extra time, but the manager did not want to talk about refereeing decisions.

“I don’t ⁠want to talk about anything, but today it’s ​unfair,” he said.

“I have been in the world of football ​for years, sometimes I have rejoiced and today I take a beating. It’s hard to digest, they surprised me too for the ‌heart they put into it.

“We’re talking for the ​umpteenth time that we don’t go to the World Cup. I apologise if I didn’t make it, but the boys ⁠impressed me today.”

Gattuso, who replaced ⁠Luciano Spalletti early in the ​qualification campaign after defeat to Norway, was asked about his future.

“Today talking about my future is not important, it was important to go to the World Cup,” he replied.

“We hold onto this performance, but it hurts and I’m sorry.”

Gravina told reporters that he had asked Gattuso to stay on. –Reuters

Click here to read article