While baseball is gaining traction in Italy, the country has sadly stepped down from its position as a dominant force in soccer.
On Tuesday, Italy faced a setback against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout during the European playoffs, marking their third consecutive absence from the World Cup. This is quite significant, as they are the first nation that has previously won a World Cup to miss three tournaments in a row.
Leonardo Spinazzola, an Italian defender, expressed disbelief at the team’s elimination, sharing, “It’s hard to accept, especially like this. It’s disappointing for everyone involved—us, our families, and the kids who haven’t had the chance to see Italy in a World Cup.”
In a match that ended in a 1-1 draw, Italy lost 4-1 in the penalty phase, with Esmil Vajraktarevic, a striker from Wisconsin, scoring the decisive penalty that secured Bosnia’s win.
Italy initially led 1-0 with a goal from Moise Kean in the 15th minute. However, a red card for Alessandro Bastoni just before halftime meant they had to play the rest of the game with 10 players. In the second half, things turned as Haris Tabakovic brought Bosnian fans to life by equalizing in the 79th minute.
Italy has a long history of participating in the World Cup, having shown up for every tournament from 1962 until 2014 and winning the title four times—making them one of the few elite teams in the sport.
The last time Italy lifted the trophy was in 2006 when they triumphed over France in a penalty shootout, but their fortunes have declined since. They were eliminated in the group stages during both the 2010 and 2014 tournaments.
Italy did not qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, losing to teams like Sweden and North Macedonia in the qualifiers.
