Italy’s World Cup nightmare continues after a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their play-off final, marking the third consecutive tournament the four-time champions will miss. The Azzurri, who failed to qualify in 2018 and 2022, found a new way to fall short in 2026, losing 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Zenica.
Moise Kean gave Italy an early lead with his sixth consecutive goal for the national team, but Bosnia dominated the match. Sergej Barbarez’s side had 11 shots to Italy’s two before Alessandro Bastoni was sent off just before half-time. Haris Tabakovic equalised in the 79th minute, and the hosts held on through extra time before converting all four of their penalties.
Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso described the defeat as “difficult to digest” and apologised for the team’s failure. “We are talking about the umpteenth time we aren’t going to the World Cup,” he said. “I personally apologise for that.” The result means an entire generation of Italian players will never experience a World Cup, as the nation’s footballing apocalypse becomes the norm.
