There are reports Lazio have decided not to offer Toma Basic a new contract after all, despite previously seeming to agree a deal until 2030, so he’ll leave for free.

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The midfielder is one of several players whose contracts are running down at the Stadio Olimpico, but the club is pulling the purse strings tight and trying to lower the wage bill.

That means quite a few of them are going to be allowed to just walk away at the end of the season.

Lazio cool on Basic idea

Basic had been the one most likely to sign an extension, with multiple rumours an agreement until June 2030 had been worked out with the salary at €2.5m per season.

However, LaLazioSiamoNoi report that the club hierarchy changed their minds and are now ready to let the 29-year-old’s deal expire on June 30.

An injury in February saw him drop out of the squad and that lost the momentum he was building under coach Maurizio Sarri.

Basic joined Lazio in 2021 from Girondins de Bordeaux for €7.1m and so far this season had made 17 competitive appearances, scoring one goal and providing two assists.

An audacious name has been suggested for the Italy job next summer, because Pep Guardiola is expected to leave Manchester City and has a love for Italian football.

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Gennaro Gattuso is widely expected to leave the role after failing to secure World Cup qualification, after FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gigi Buffon both tended their resignations today.

The names mentioned as potential candidates are current Milan boss Max Allegri, plus former Azzurri coaches Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte, who are at Al-Sadd and Napoli respectively.

Guardiola dream for the Nazionale

An intriguing alternative was put forward by the Gazzetta dello Sport, specifically that of Guardiola, who is likely to walk away from Manchester City at the end of the season.

The Spaniard has been in that job since 2016, before that winning silverware with Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

It would be an interesting challenge for a coach with a very specific style of football that is in many ways the antithesis of Calcio tradition.

However, that doesn’t mean Guardiola is a stranger to Italy, far from it.

He played for two Serie A clubs, Brescia and Roma, still speaks excellent Italian, and regularly returns to these shores as a tourist.

Guardiola is also full of praise for several Italian coaches, such as Gian Piero Gasperini of Roma and Lazio’s Maurizio Sarri.

The last time Italy had a foreign CT was Helenio Herrera, but that was sharing the role with Giulio Valcareggi for only four games in the 1960s.

If Carlo Ancelotti can leave Real Madrid to take on the Brazil job, why not Guardiola in charge of the Azzurri?

Fabio Capello has urged Gennaro Gattuso to ‘wait for the next two games’ before deciding if he will quit as Italy coach. ‘We paid the price for an individual player error.’

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The failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup has seen an inevitable run of resignations at the top of Italian football, starting with FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon.

Gattuso is widely expected to follow suit, but former England and Russia national team manager Capello is encouraging him to postpone that decision until June.

Capello would like to see more of Gattuso

“I would wait for the next two games before making any decision on Gattuso,” Capello told Sky Sport Italia.

“Let us not forget he took over the team with the qualifying campaign already begun under Luciano Spalletti, and he managed to bring character and determination to the side.

“Unfortunately, and it is sad to say this, but we paid the price for an individual player error that was elementary, otherwise we probably would’ve taken home the result.”

Italy were leading 1-0 in the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for an ill-timed lunge.

When down to 10 men for over an hour, they scraped a 1-1 draw after extra time, losing the penalty shoot-out.

Gattuso had only eight games in charge for Italy, overseeing six victories, one defeat, and one draw with loss on penalties.

There are several names being mentioned to take over from Gattuso, including Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini, who had the job before.

“We’ll have to see not just what they won in the past, but also the way that some of them left the role. There are many things to be evaluated here,” warned Capello.

Buffon confessed he wanted to resign on the night in Zenica, but was asked to stall for time by Gravina.

“Gigi is very direct and is not someone who will lead you down the garden path. As they didn’t achieve their objective, he stood up and handed in his resignation. That is to be respected.”

As different names are put forward to take over from Gabriele Gravina as FIGC President, a big problem becomes self-evident in Italian football.

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Gravina has tended his resignation as President of the Italian Football Federation following the third consecutive failure to qualify for a World Cup.

New elections will be held on June 22 to find his replacement, ending a tenure that had lasted since October 2018, the wake of the first time the Azzurri lost the play-offs.

Italy coach will be chosen by new FIGC President

Gravina is 72 years old, and has been in and around Italian football for several decades, as he was also the Lega Pro President from 2015 to 2018.

He replaced Carlo Tavecchio, who died in January 2023 at the age of 79.

The President of the Italian Coaches Association (AIAC) Renzo Ulivieri confessed he had wanted Gravina to remain at the helm, and he is just turned 85.

The favourite to take over as FIGC President is Giovanni Malagò, who is a sprightly 67 and has been President of the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) since 2013.

Another likely option is current Lega Nazionale Dilettanti (Amateur League) President Giancarlo Abete, who will be 76 in August.

Only today, Italy legend Gianni Rivera announced he was putting his name forward as a candidate to lead the FIGC, and he is 82 years old.

Dusan Vlahovic will be a free agent on July 1 unless he agrees a new contract with Juventus, but there are two big problems stalling negotiations.

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The striker recently returned from a long injury lay-off and remains eager to extend his stay in Turin, despite no shortage of other clubs interested in his services.

Those include Milan, where he’d reunite with Max Allegri, Arsenal and potentially also teams in Spain.

What Vlahovic wants from Juventus

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, initial talks are on the right track, but there are still some significant blockages in the process, with another meeting planned next week.

It is hoped they can do a deal for a reduced salary of €6-7m per season from the current €12m including add-ons.

The biggest issue seems to be that agent Darko Ristic wants a significant commission if he is to organise this contract, seeing as he would earn a lot more if shopping Vlahovic to other clubs.

Juventus hope that the arrival of father Milos Vlahovic at the negotiating table will help smooth things over and reach a compromise.

Gianni Rivera has thrown his hat into the ring to become the next FIGC president, making an informal declaration of candidacy on the same day that Gabriele Gravina finally tendered his resignation following Italy’s third consecutive World Cup elimination.

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The 82-year-old, who in 1969 became the first Italian to win the Ballon d’Or, announced his interest during the radio programme Caffè on Rai Radio 1 Sport, via CalcioEFinanza.

“I am ready to become FIGC president because I have a very specific programme that I have developed with friends, including the son of Angelo Sormani,” Rivera said. “It is a model we are studying and preparing that could perhaps be useful for the federation.”

Rivera: ‘No surprise that Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup’

The former AC Milan legend was candid about the scale of the problems facing Italian football.

“There is no reason to be surprised about failing to qualify for the World Cup, I have to say that honestly,” he said. “At this moment there are serious problems that are difficult to overcome. We have shown that we have not overcome them.”

Any candidate wishing to stand in the election must submit formal documentation by 7 June, with the vote itself scheduled for 22 June.

The FIGC presidency is decided by an assembly of 516 weighted votes spread across Italian football’s various stakeholder groups.

The Lega Nazionale Dilettanti hold the largest share at 34%, followed by the players’ association at 20%, Serie A clubs at 18%, coaches at 10%, Lega Pro at 12% and Serie B at 6%. A candidate requires an absolute majority of validly cast votes, including blank ballots, to be elected.

Rivera’s candidacy is not yet official, but the intervention of one of Italian football’s most iconic figures adds a fascinating dimension to what promises to be a hotly contested race to reshape the game’s governing structures.

New Tottenham Hotspur coach Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that he will stay at the club if they are relegated to the EFL Championship, after signing a five-year contract that he describes as the ‘most important challenge’ in his career.

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Speaking to the club’s official X account, the Italian gave a lengthy interview where he discussed why he chose to join Tottenham and what needs to happen to get the club out of their ‘difficult moment.’

“I’m very very happy and very proud to be here. I consider Tottenham one of the most important clubs in the world and so I’m very happy. I have a big responsibility but it’s a big challenge for  me and I look forward to start, work with the players and win some games.”

De Zerbi did not sugarcoat the challenge on his hands, making no light of the difficult predicament the North London club find themselves in.

Spurs are just one point above the relegation zone with seven games to play, and De Zerbi has been brought in expeditiously in order to help boost their survival chances.

“I watched a lot of games, especially in the last period. I know very well the players. I love football, so I watch many games per week. I know everything, I know its a tough moment for Tottenham. But I know very well it’s a tough moment. It’s a difficult moment for everyone in Tottenham. I think we have the right qualities to come out from this moment.”

De Zerbi: ‘I believe in the players’

One frequently recurring message of De Zerbi’s interview was the undeniable faith he holds in the squad.

“I believe in the players. I think we have to remember who we are, and who the players are because we have very big players. And we have to work with confidence in them and their qualities. They have to show what they are what they are used to playing.”

He then stressed the need to take it a game at a time, and not get too caught up with hypotheticals at this stage.

“I think we have to be focused just on the Sunderland game,  I don’t want to speak about the schedule or the Brighton game or the Wolves game. Game by game, we have to prepare the players to win the game and to be focused just on the game.”

Last time we heard an Italian talking about the ‘history of Tottenham’, Giorgio Chiellini became meme immortal. This time, De Zerbi was a little more serious.

“We have to play with courage. We have to play with the qualities of the players, because if I accepted this challenge, it is because I have a lot of confidence in the players and the history of Tottenham football is a very clear style of play.

“The fans in the last seven games, especially in this moment, are crucial. We have to be together, they have to stay close to the players and the players have to give the right mentality and the right attitude to give back to the fans satisfaction and what they want to see on the pitch.

“Because after this part of the season, I think we can become great in the future.”

De Zerbi talks footballing philosophy & confirms he will coach Spurs next season

De Zerbi was asked about his philosophy and what Spurs fans can expect from his style of play.

“I think it’s not the right moment to speak about my philosophy in football. I’m here now, at the end for the season because we have to win games. And in football, the style of play, the tactical disposition are important.. But it’s a mentality and I would like to help the players reach the best mentality we can show.”

He then confirmed that he will be in charge next season, even if the club are relegated.

“I signed 5 years of contract because for me it’s a big challenge and I will be the coach of Tottenham next season, no matter what.”

The Italian did briefly touch upon his outlook on play and what he expects from his players, but stressed the need to tailor and adapt to what he has available to him in terms of players.

“I love keeping the ball, I love ball possession. I love creating chances, the chance to score. But in the same time, I love 11 defenders when we don’t have the ball because in this time of football we have to attack with 11 players, the keeper as well, and we have to defend with 11 players when the ball is not with us.

“I think in this moment we do not have time to work too much in more principles, but we have to know what we have to do on the pitch. We have to have good organisation with and without the ball. 

“We have to consider the qualities of the players.We are lucky, I am lucky because I have big players with big talent and my work is to help the players to show their qualities.”

Finally, De Zerbi concluded with a touching homage to the sport

“Many times I’ve said football is my life and my life is football. But it’s true because football is my work. I respect football because football gave me everything. And for me, it’s not real work, it’s a passion.

“If I stay at home I watch football, If I work I watch football and nothing changes. For me, Tottenham, especially in this moment, it’s maybe the most important challenge in my career. I’m ready to start this challenge and I go to work with my characteristics, passion, vision of football and knowledge as well.

Lega Serie A President Ezio Maria Simonelli warns the top flight clubs ‘must have a primary role’ in reforms after Italy’s World Cup flop and Gabriele Gravina’s resignation.

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The failure to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off and therefore miss a third consecutive edition of the World Cup is prompting an inevitable earthquake in the Italian football authorities.

Federation President Gravina resigned today, followed by Italy delegation chief Gigi Buffon, and coach Gennaro Gattuso is expected to follow.

An election has been scheduled for June 22 to appoint a new FIGC President, and the 274 delegates will vote with a system that gives Serie A 18 per cent of the power in this decision.

There is also 6 per cent to Serie B, 12 per cent Lega Pro, 34 per cent for the Amateur League (LND), 20 per cent the Players’ Association, and 10 per cent the Coaches’ Association.

Lega Serie A wants to take charge

“As the Lega Serie A, we must have a primary role, acting as a guide for all the teams,” Simonelli told reporters.

“Like all fans, we are disappointed, but we need to work on reforms, youth, reinforcing the governance and patrimony of the clubs, so we can get back to the past glories.”

The Lega Serie A had fought the main reform proposed by Gravina, which was to reduce the top flight from 20 clubs to 18.

Several names have been mentioned to become the new FIGC President, but the favourite would seem to be ex-CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) chief Giovanni Malagò.

“We didn’t even talk about names during the meeting,” insisted the Lega Serie A President.

Gabriele Gravina resigned as FIGC President today and assured it was ‘a personal, convinced and carefully meditated’ decision after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

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The head of the Federation had been expected to hand in his resignation straight after the penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night, but he waited until today’s emergency meeting of the Italian football authorities.

He was swiftly followed by delegation chief Gigi Buffon, and coach Gennaro Gattuso is widely expected to follow, as the failure to reach a third consecutive World Cup inevitably sparks an earthquake in Calcio.

Gravina explains resignation

“After many years, there is a feeling of sadness, but also of calm,” Gravina told reporters as he left the Federation headquarters.

“I have to thank all the elements of the Federation, who again today showed great support, great respect, affection, and also insisted that I should continue, but I made my decision, it was a personal and carefully meditated one.

“You will be able to read the rest in a statement. We’ll see each other over the next few days, Happy Easter to everyone.”

Gravina had been the FIGC President since October 2018.

There was also a great deal of confusion, as just minutes after the FIGC announced that a planned presentation to the Government would go ahead on April 8, the Commission for Sport instead confirmed that the event had been cancelled.

Elections will be held on June 22 to elect a new President of the Federation, and only after that will Italy likely choose a new coach too.

There are 274 delegates who choose the new President, with 18 per cent of the vote going to Serie A representatives, 6 per cent Serie B, 12 per cent Lega Pro, 34 per cent for the Amateur League (LND), 20 per cent the Players’ Association, and 10 per cent the Coaches’ Association.

Roberto De Zerbi has given his first interview as the new head coach of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur today, after he was announced as Igor Tudor’s replacement on a five-year deal.

Speaking to the club’s official social media accounts, De Zerbi broke his silence on the backlash he has received after his handling of Mason Greenwood at Marseille.

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Reports this week revisited comments the Italian coach made at the end of last year, where he praised Mason Greenwood’s character and sympathised with the former Manchester United forward.

Greenwood was charged with attempted rape, assault, occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour in 2022. All charges were dropped the following February.

De Zerbi: ‘I never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women’

Speaking in Italian, to make himself as clear as possible on the issue, which has caused Tottenham Hotspur supporters groups to express concern with his appointment, De Zerbi said:

‘I have never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women, or violence against anyone more broadly. 

‘In my life, I’ve always stood up for those who are more vulnerable, more fragile. I’ve consistently fought and taken a stand to be on the side of those who are most at risk. 

‘Those of you who know me well will know that I’m not the kind of person who makes compromises to win more games or to win an extra title. Im sorry if I offended anyone’s feeling with this subject matter. 

‘I have a daughter and I’m very sensitive to these things, and I always have been. I hope that over time people will get to know me better and will understand that at that moment I didn’t mean to take a stance.’

There are growing reports that Al-Sadd tactician Roberto Mancini is confident he’ll be called back as Italy coach, especially if Giovanni Malagò becomes FIGC President.

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The failure to qualify for a third consecutive edition of the World Cup is prompting a radical reshuffle of the authorities in Italian football, with Federation President Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gigi Buffon tending their resignations today.

Gennaro Gattuso is widely expected to follow suit, so the search is on for both a new coach and a new President of the FIGC.

Mancini eager for Italy return

According to Calciomercato, figures close to Mancini say he is confident of being at the top of the list, especially if Malagò is chosen to lead the Federation.

Currently under contract with Al-Sadd after a brief experience as coach of the Saudi Arabia team, Mancini had won the EURO 2020 tournament during his spell with Italy.

That ran from 2018 to 2023, when he abruptly resigned just a couple of weeks before the EURO 2024 qualifying campaign began.

The presence of Malagò would be crucial, as he was President of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) when he had to take temporary control over the FIGC because it was unable to elect a new President in 2018.

Massimiliano Allegri faces a significant attacking headache ahead of Sunday’s crucial Serie A clash with Napoli, with both Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic serious doubts for a fixture that could have major implications for Milan’s second-place finish and their fading title hopes.

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According to Pazzidifanta, Leão has been managing a pubic inflammation that forced him to train separately in the days before the international break.

The Portuguese winger spent much of the break in Portugal, with the club’s agreement, undergoing specialist medical assessments, and his availability for Sunday remains uncertain.

Pulisic, meanwhile, endured a difficult spell with the United States national team and is considered unlikely to start even if he is passed fit.

Fullkrug & Nkunku could partner up for Milan against Napoli

The absences of two such important and distinctive attacking players represent a considerable challenge for Allegri, who must find a way to unlock Conte’s well-organised Napoli defence without his most creative wide options.

Niklas Füllkrug is the most likely candidate to lead the line, having started against Torino in the last Serie A fixture.

Should Pulisic miss out entirely, Christopher Nkunku, who has not started since February’s match against Como, could come in alongside the German, offering greater movement and quality between the lines.

Santiago Gimenez is another option after the Mexican made his return from injury as a substitute against Torino, though his fitness levels after months on the sidelines make a starting role a stretch.

The most probable outcome is Nkunku partnering either Füllkrug or Gimenez, two players more comfortable linking play with their back to goal than the dynamic, direct duo they would be replacing.

Politician Ignazio La Russa has a revolutionary idea to revive the Italy squad. ‘If Brazil can hire Carlo Ancelotti, why can’t we get a foreign coach like Jose Mourinho?’

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The failure to qualify for the third consecutive World Cup means that there will be a transformation of the Nazionale behind the scenes.

We have already seen FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gigi Buffon hand in their resignation, with Gennaro Gattuso widely expected to follow suit.

Mourinho thrown into mix for Italy coach

Now the search is on for who will start the new era of the Italy squad, with names like Antonio Conte, Max Allegri, Roberto Mancini and Simone Inzaghi all mentioned.

“If Brazil can hire a great and foreign coach like Ancelotti, why can’t we get someone like Mourinho?” asked politician and Inter supporter Ignazio La Russa in the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Mourinho has been linked with the Portugal job over the years, but is currently the coach of Benfica, having split with Fenerbahce in August 2025.

He had two experiences in Serie A with Inter and Roma, but was sacked from the latter role in January 2024.

La Russa was extremely critical of the ‘incredible’ failure to get past Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs, losing on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The fact they were down to 10 men for much of it due to Alessandro Bastoni’s red card was also blamed on Gattuso.

“How can you let a youngster like Pio Esposito take the first penalty, when he doesn’t even take them for Inter? And why was Bastoni played out of position to accommodate Calafiori in centre-left of defence? This in turn penalised Dimarco on the same flank.”

Atletico Madrid have agreed personal terms with Atalanta midfielder Ederson, claims transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano, with a reported €40m fee wanted for the Manchester United and Manchester City target.

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The Brazil international has gone from strength to strength since the move from Salernitana to Atalanta in 2022, as he was instrumental in the Europa League triumph, and sorely missed this season during an injury lay-off.

His contract only runs to June 2027, so for some time it has seemed inevitable that a sale would arrive this summer, when the player will mark his 27^th birthday.

Ederson expected to leave Atalanta

There is no shortage of interested clubs, as Inter and Juventus had seen offers rejected in the past, while Manchester United and Manchester City both remain ready to make a bid.

However, Romano claims that Ederson considers Atletico Madrid to be his favoured destination, and has already agreed personal terms.

The Colchoneros still need to work out a deal with Atalanta, but the contract situation means the fee is going to be no more than €35-40m.

These two clubs already did business several times in recent months, doing deals for Ademola Lookman, Giacomo Raspadori and Matteo Ruggeri.

Gianluigi Buffon has confirmed that he has resigned from his role as the delegation chief of the Italy national team following the departure of Gabriele Gravina as FIGC President. 

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Heads are rolling within the Italy national team set-up. FIGC President Gabriele Gravina officially resigned on Tuesday, Buffon has confirmed that he has stepped down and head coach Gennaro Gattuso is expected to follow as well. 

The departures of the senior figures of the Italy national team are leaving in the wake of the penalty shoot-out defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tuesday night’s World Cup play-off final, which cost the Azzurri a place at the World Cup for the third time in a row. 

Buffon, in a long statement posted to his Instagram story, confirmed that he offered his resignation immediately after the Bosnia defeat on Tuesday night, but was asked to hold off from making any formal announcements. 

Now that Gravina has officially resigned, Buffon has made his decision public as well. 

Buffon had served as the head of the delegation of the Italy national team from the summer of 2023. 

What Buffon said about Italy resignation

“Resigning just after the end of the match against Bosnia was an urgent act, one that came from deep within me. As spontaneous as the tears that ache in my heart, and which I know I share with all of you,” Buffon wrote in a statement on Instagram. 

“I was asked to stall until everyone had the time to reflect. Now that President Gravina has chosen to step back, I feel free to do what I feel is the responsible act. Despite my sincere belief that I have built so much in terms of team spirit with Rino Gattuso and all of my collaborators in the very short time available to the national team, the main objective was to bring Italy back to the World Cup. And we didn’t succeed.

“It’s right to leave those who will follow me to choose the person they deem best to fill my role. 

“Representing the national team is an honor for me and a passion that has consumed me since I was a boy. 

“I have tried to do my role by putting all my energy into it, wanting all sectors to be linked, a link for dialogue and synergy between various youth teams, striving to structure a project that starts with the very young lads and reaches all the way up to the U21 national teams. This was to rethink the way in which the talents of the future senior national team are developed. 

“I requested and obtained the inclusion of a few key, highly experienced figures, who are bringing out these necessary chances with a medium and long-term vision. This is because I believe in the policy of meritocracy. It will be up to those in charge to judge the wisdom of these choices.

“I hold everything in my heart, with gratitude for the privilege and the lessons learned, even if it is a painful epilogue. 

“Forza Azzurri sempre.” 

The representatives of the Players’ Association (AIC) and Coaches’ Association (AIAC) express hope Gabriele Gravina’s resignation can finally spark reforms to revive the Italy squad.

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Gravina handed in his resignation this afternoon during the emergency meeting, which was organised in the wake of Italy’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

Coach Gennaro Gattuso and team manager Gigi Buffon are widely expected to follow suit, prompting a radical overhaul of the way Italian football is run, with elections for a new President of the Federation (FIGC) on June 22.

Meanwhile, Gravina will be heard in the Commission for Culture, Science and Instruction to give the Government an update on the health of Italian football.

Italy reforms expected after new election

“Finally there is talk about something we’ve been pushing for a long time, which is that Italians don’t get much playing time,” President of the Italian Players’ Association Umberto Calcagno told reporters outside the meeting.

“The Federation does not have the legal groundwork to impose a number of Italians on the field, so we hope politicians can study suitable norms to relaunch Italian football.”

Not everyone was entirely happy about Gravina’s resignation, even if it seemed inevitable after these failures.

“Gravina still has the trust and respect of the federal components, but we are aware of the difficult moment and that we must all roll our sleeves up. We’ve got to transform disappointment into positivity,” insisted Calcagno.

“Football is the biggest sport in Italy, but we are not able to get sufficient value out of all that we do. This is not a war against foreign players, as other countries with the same rules like Spain still manage to get homegrown players making up 60 per cent of the team.

“We must also teach football in a different way to kids, but ultimately the refinement of talent is not the job of the Federation, but of the clubs.”

Renzo Ulivieri, former Bologna coach and President of the Italian Coaches’ Association (AIAC) also commented that he was sad to see Gravina go.

“It was his personal decision, we expressed our solidarity, now we will try to start fresh with the elections on June 22. It is too early to say who will take over, the same goes for Gattuso and the Italy coach. If asked, we’ll give our opinion.

“It was a very sad meeting, because it’s the end of an era, but also the results were disappointing. We’ve been struggling since 2006, it’s not a new problem, so we’ll see what can be done.”

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has offered his full support to the recently-resigned FIGC chief Gabriele Gravina, and says that politicians are the ones who should take most of the responsibility for Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup three times in a row.

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Gravina has officially resigned from his position as President of the FIGC following Tuesday night’s penalty shoot-out defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which cost Italy a place at the World Cup for the third tournament cycle in a row. 

Ceferin was in the stands alongside Gravina in Zenica for the play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The pair have worked closely alongside each other as part of UEFA’s executive committee, of which Ceferin is the President and Gravina the first vice-President. 

Ceferin gave his thoughts on the current situation surrounding Italian football and the calls for Gravina’s head in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, which was published on Thursday morning, a few hours before Gravina’s resignation was announced.

UEFA President defends Gravina and slams Italian politics

Ceferin found it difficult to decide whether or not it was a ‘surprise’ that Italy failed to get past Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tuesday night’s World Cup play-off final.

“In one way yes, but on the other hand, Bosnia have a young and strong team that played at home,” he said. “There was much more pressure on Italy. Bosnia deserved to go to the World Cup, Italy lost after having a man sent off.” 

Ceferin admits that it is no surprise that fans had called for Gravina to step down in light of Italy’s third consecutive World Cup failure.

“When I was the President of the Slovenian federation, I always said to the coach: ‘If you win, you and the players will be the heroes. If you lose, the blame will fall on the two of us’. 

“It is absolutely not Gabriele’s responsibility and I wouldn’t allow myself to attack either the players or the coach. Perhaps it is the Italian politicians who should ask themselves why Italy has one of the worst footballing infrastructures in Europe.” 

Ceferin hinted that he thinks members of the Italy national team set-up were effectively hoping for Gravina’s downfall.

“It makes me angry and sad that there are people who stay ‘hidden’ and wait for something to go wrong and then jump out and start criticising. They don’t support Italy, they just support themselves. 

“Tell me one Italian player who wasn’t called up that should have been? It’s football, and even with the best players on the pitch, anyone can lose a game.

“Gabriele is my first vice-President and he’s very important to me. But the biggest loss would be for the FIGC. It won’t be easy to find a gentleman who loves football and Italy as much as he does. But I’m not so naive as to believe that some of these self-centred people, who were just waiting for something to go wrong, will be thinking about it. They don’t care.” 

Ceferin has previously accused Italy of having insufficient infrastructure in place, which is a concern ahead of EURO 2032, which will be co-hosted by Italy and Turkiye.

“Euro 3023 is scheduled and will take place. I hope the infrastructure will be ready, otherwise the tournament will not be played in Italy.” 

And giving his final comment, Ceferin said: “Italy is one of the biggest footballing nations and will return to the top. The biggest problem in Italian football is the relationship between football politics and ‘normal’ politics. If everyone fell into line, they’d soon become European and world champions again. And if the negativity continues, then things in football will go terribly wrong.” 

The contents of a 900-page report presented by the legendary Roberto Baggio have cropped up in conversations among supporters in the wake of Italy’s third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup. Here is what we know about the report and the changes that were recommended over 15 years ago. 

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Back in August 2010, Baggio was appointed as the head of the technical sector within the FIGC set-up and in December of 2011, presented a 900-page report that proposed a major overhaul of the federation’s training methods and its pathway for young talents. 

Baggio resigned from his position in 2013, claiming that the recommendations that he brought forward had been completely ignored. 

What was in Baggio’s 900-page Italy report?

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, Baggio had called for ‘adequate’ sporting facilities and wanted 100 different training centres to be operated by the FIGC.

Baggio also wanted to change the approach that the FIGC had to training coaches and managers. He wanted to focus on coaches who were well educated, preferably with degrees and with different professional experiences, not necessarily within football. 

He also wanted to implement a permanent study group, made up of FIGC members and university researchers, that would have been in ‘constant contact’ with coaching and backroom staff. 

Baggio also called for a vast improvement of data collection within the youth sector. 

He wanted 100 different training centres in 100 different districts of Italy, with three FIGC coaches assigned to each one. His aim was to have 50,000 matches per year for young Italian talents to prove themselves. 

Baggio also felt that there was too much attention being paid to tactical approach rather than technique, which is a topic that continues to come up in 2026. 

These suggestions were completely ignored 15 years ago, but now, with a major overhaul of the FIGC and national team set-up expected, Italy might be wise to revisit some of the topics that Baggio addressed all the way back in 2011.

Inter have confirmed that Yann Bisseck will miss Sunday’s Serie A clash with Roma after sustaining a muscular injury during the international break.

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The German defender underwent clinical and instrumental examinations at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano on Thursday morning, with results revealing a mild muscle strain in the flexors of his right thigh.

Inter’s official statement confirmed the injury is not serious.

However, Bisseck will not be available for selection against Roma and will not even be named in the squad.

Bisseck absence a blow for Chivu & Inter ahead of must-win Roma match

The news is a blow for Cristian Chivu, for whom Bisseck has become an established starter in the back three this season.

With the Italian title race entering its decisive phase and Inter holding a six-point lead over Milan, the coach will need to reorganise his defensive options for a fixture that carries significant weight.

Inter’s statement added that Bisseck’s condition will be reassessed in the coming days, suggesting the club are hopeful the injury will not keep him sidelined for an extended period beyond Sunday’s match.

The timing of the setback, coming just days before one of the season’s most important fixtures, is nonetheless far from ideal for a squad that has also had to manage the emotional fallout of Italy’s World Cup elimination, with several Nerazzurri players heavily involved in the playoff defeat to Bosnia.

Gabriele Gravina has officially resigned from his position as President of the FIGC following Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third tournament cycle in a row. 

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Official: Gravina is no longer FIGC President

Gravina has tendered his resignation at an emergency meeting of the FIGC general council following Italy’s World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening.

An election to appoint his replacement will take place on June 22.

Present at the emergency FIGC meeting were Serie A President Ezio Simonelli, Serie B President Paolo Bedin, Serie C President Matteo Marani, President of the amateur leagues Giancarlo Abete, head of the players’ association Umberto Calcagno and head of the coaches’ association Renzo Ulivieri.

Gravina has held the highest position within the Italian football association since October 2018. The Nazionale won Euro 2020 during his tenure, but also failed to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 World Cups while he was in charge. Italy had also failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup prior to Gravina’s appointment. 

Gravina was in charge of the Italian federation for the appointments of Luciano Spalletti and Gennaro Gattuso as head coaches in 2023 and 2025 respectively.

There had been calls from fans and senior figures within Italian football for Gravina to step down from his position as FIGC President in the wake of the latest failure to qualify for the World Cup. 

Minister for Sport Andrea Abodi said on Wednesday that: “it’s evident that Italian football needs to be rebuilt, and this process must start with a renewal of the FIGC leadership.” 

It remains to be seen who will take over the position as the head of the Italian football association. 

Former CONI chief Giovanni Malago is among the early frontrunners, as are the aforementioned Abete and Marani.

What FIGC said about Gravina resignation

“The meeting between President Gabriele Gravina and the presidents of the federal components took place today at the FIGC headquarters in Rome,” began a statement from the FIGC.

“At the beginning of the work, Gravina informed the top representatives of the Serie A Football League Ezio Maria Simonelli, the B League Paolo Bedin, the Pro League Matteo Marani, the National Amateur League Giancarlo Abete, the Italian Footballers Association Umberto Calcagno and the Italian Football Coaches Association Renzo Ulivieri, that he had resigned from the position entrusted to him in February 2025 and that he had called the Extraordinary Elective Assembly of the FIGC for the June 22 in Rome.

“The date was identified in full compliance with the Federal Statute and to ensure that the new governance can complete the registration procedure for the next professional championships.

“During the meeting, Gravina thanked the members for renewing, in public and private, the closeness and support to himself and informed the presidents that he had gladly made himself available to speak at a hearing on 8 April (11 am) in the VII Commission for Culture, Science and Education of the Chamber of Deputies to report on the state of health of Italian football.

“It will be there that President Gravina will expose, in the most complete and exhaustive way possible, a report on the strengths and weaknesses of the movement, also touching on some of the issues already addressed in the press conference held after the national team match played in Zenica last Tuesday 31 March.

“In this regard, Gravina said he regretted the interpretation of his words on the difference between amateur and professional sports, which were absolutely not intended to be offensive to any sporting discipline, but were a reference to the different internal laws and regulations (for example, the presence in the governance of some Federations of Leagues with their relative autonomy) and external (with express reference to the corporate nature of the Clubs professional football clubs that must be subject to national and international legislation different from amateur clubs).”

Gennaro Gattuso is widely expected to leave his position as head coach of the Italy national team following his failure to guide the Nazionale to the 2026 World Cup, and according to the latest updates, there are three main candidates to replace him. 

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Who could replace Gattuso as Italy national team head coach?

Gattuso and his players fell short in the World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night. The 10-man Azzurri lost on penalties away in Zenica, which means that they have now failed to qualify for the last three World Cup tournaments. 

As a result, Italian football is set for a major overhaul, with Gattuso expected to leave his position in the imminent future, Gianluigi Buffon expected to leave his role as delegation chief, and Gabriele Gravina to depart the position of President of the FIGC. 

According to reports from Sky Sport Italia and others, there are three early options to replace Gattuso as head coach. 

The ‘dream’ option for many Azzurri supporters would be Massimiliano Allegri, who is less than a year into his two-year deal with Milan, which also includes an option to extend for a further 12 months. 

The former Juventus head coach has never previously coached the national team, but is the second-most successful Serie A coach of all time with 6 Scudetti to his name. 

There have also been reports of a potential return to the Italy set-up for Antonio Conte, who previously held the position between 2014 and 2016. 

Conte went 10 matches unbeaten at the start of his Italy spell and comfortably secured qualification for Euro 2016, but left to join Chelsea in the Premier League after guiding the team to a quarter-final finish at the tournament.

Another former Italy CT who could potentially return to the role is Roberto Mancini, whois currently under contract with Al-Sadd in 2027. Reports from Sky indicate that he would ‘gladly’ return to the position.

Italy won EURO 2020 under the stewardship of Mancini in the summer of 2021, but also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup during his tenure.

There have also been suggestions of Simone Inzaghi and Stefano Pioli, who are currently considered outsiders for the role.

Gabriele Gravina has arrived at the FIGC quarters ahead of an emergency meeting of the federation’s general council, and the head of the Italian FA is expected to tender his resignation once the session gets underway, according to various reports in Italy. 

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Italy set for major overhaul with Gattuso, Gravina and Buffon departures

The Italy national team and the nation’s football association is set for a major overhaul following the World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night, which means that the Azzurri will miss out on the final tournament for the third time in a row. 

Head coach Gennaro Gattuso is expected to leave his position, as is delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon, who has been part of the national team set-up since the summer of 2023. 

According to reports from Sky Sport Italia and various others, Gravina arrived at the FIGC headquarters in Rome on Tuesday morning and will speak to the federation’s council at around 13.30 BST (14.30 CET).

He is expected to offer his resignation from his position as President of the Italian football association.

Part of the meeting will be Serie A President Ezio Simonelli, Serie B PResident Paolo Bedin, Serie C President Matteo Marani, Amateur League President Giancarlo Abete, players’ association chief Umberto Calcagno and coaches’ association head Renzo Ulivieri.

Multiple outlets are reporting that Gennaro Gattuso will step down from his position as head coach of the Italy national team and that Gianluigi Buffon will also depart following the failure to reach the World Cup for the third tournament cycle in a row.

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Gattuso and Buffon to step down from Italy roles

Italy missed out on a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after finishing second in their qualification group and then losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their play-off final on Tuesday evening. 

The Azzurri have not qualified for the World Cup since 2014 and have not won a knock-out game at the tournament since beating France in the final in 2006. 

Gattuso was called in to replace Luciano Spalletti as head coach of the Italy national team after two games of qualification for the 2026 World Cup last summer. 

According to reports from various outlets in Italy, including Sky Sport Italia, La Gazzetta dello Sport and others, Gattuso is now expected to step down from his position as CT in the imminent future. 

Buffon, who has been working with the national team set-up since August 2023, and had a large say in the decision to appoint Gattuso, is also expected to leave his position as delegation chief. 

According to the initial reports, there are two clear first-choice favourites for the Italy national team head coach, however, both are currently under contract with Serie A clubs. Those managers are Antonio Conte, who has already had a stint in charge of the Nazionale, and Massimiliano Allegri,  who is less than a year into his second stint in charge of Milan.

La Gazzetta dello Sport 

The shock 

Italian football changes after the latest failure

Gravina heading for farewell, then goes Gattuso

The government pushes for a change: The President ready to resign today. Serie A clubs consider Malago. The right choice. The dismissals require courage

Bastoni, the sending off is a shock. Inter, the sale is getting closer 

Ceferin: ‘Politics should think about the stadiums. Italy is among the worst in Europe.

Corriere dello Sport 

Italy backs Allegri 

But Mancini is strongly re-emerging. FIGC, Abete as the ruler

Everyone at home | Refounding after the latest disaster: 3 missed World Cups in a row, Gravina and Gattuso heading for goodbyes 

Max as the new CT: It’s the fans’ big dream. Roberto ready to return. Conte also liked. Abodi: ‘The President should resign’. The head of the Lega Dilettanti could become the caretaker while waiting for the elections. Malago in pole.  DeLa: ‘He’s the right man’

Inter block, the flop

From the nightmare in Zenica to the Scudetto fight 

Bastoni stumbling, Dimarco struggling and Barella is in reserve. Pio’s performance also disappointing. Chivu has a lot of issues to unravel ahead of the Roma match in San Siro on Sunday evening: Eight games until the end and challenges from Milan (-6) and Napoli (-7). Cristian makes his moves 

Alajbegovic, Roma prepare for the blitz 

The Bosnian talent 

Playing for Salzburg but is owned by Bayer. Bruno Conti thinking of leaving

Juve awaiting the Yildiz gift 

Champions League race

Kenan has taken Turkiye to the World Cup: Now for fourth place for Spalletti

Napoli, mission De Bruyne: Quota 100 

99 goals scored until now 

Pulisic mystery: Awaited in Milan 

No goals at all in 2026 

Last scored on December 28: ‘But now I feel on top again’ 

Tuttosport 

‘He can’t stay’ 

Everyone against Gravina: Expecting the dismissal today 

The gaffe about the ‘amateur’ opponents backfires on the federation President. Sporting champions and fans are up in arms. Minister Abodi lashes out: ‘Change is needed’. Emergency meeting of the FIGC. Rumours regarding Abete, Malago and Marani. Gattuso also heading towards a goodbye: Conte return draws interest. The lesson from Palestra and the U21s 

Yildiz, a World Cup boost for the Champions League race 

He transcended Turkiye in the play-offs: Now the mission with Juve 

He’s in overwhelming form: Montella thanks him again, Spalletti hopes to do the same. Meanwhile, Kenan ‘blesses’ his compatriot Deniz, currently impressing with the Bianconeri U16s. Interview with Nicolaas Fonseca, Oviedo and Uruguay midfielder: ‘My father Daniel, a real Juventino. Turin is in my heart. I recommend Ugarte’

Interisti in disarray, Scudetto alarms 

From Bastoni to Pio, morale at zero 

From Juve to Bosnia, the defender in turmoil: Can Barca be the saviour? Chivu fears repercussions, especially for Esposito. And Zielinski, too

Livakovic winks at Toro 

On loan to Dinamo Zagreb and leaving Fenerbahce in June: The prospect of joining Torino intrigues him, and a direct link to Vlasic from the national team 

Tarik Muharemovic was in a magnanimous mood after Bosnia’s World Cup playoff victory over Italy, offering warm words for a country where he has built his club career while celebrating the realisation of a lifelong dream.

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The Sassuolo defender, who plays his club football in Serie A, spoke to Swiss Italian channel RSI in the immediate aftermath of the penalty shootout win, carefully navigating the emotional complexity of eliminating a nation he clearly holds in genuine affection.

“My dream was to play at the World Cup with Bosnia, the greatest dream of all of us,” he said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“All my respect to Italy, my friends and brothers.”

Bosnia star Muharemovic: ‘I’m very happy in Italy, I never lost respect’

He was also keen to clarify comments from a previous interview that had apparently been misinterpreted.

“I hope they did not take it badly, because I have many friends and brothers there. I am very happy in Italy. I have never lost respect, I know where I come from and that I am humble. Italy is always in my heart.”

On the match itself, Muharemovic acknowledged how difficult the Azzurri had made things despite playing with ten men for the majority of the contest following Bastoni’s red card.

“They tried everything, even with one fewer player, and it was not easy to hold on for 120 minutes. I am sorry for them.”

His pride in Bosnia’s achievement, however, was unmistakable.

“Bosnia is back and making itself known, this is only the beginning. We can show much more.”

With the World Cup now on the horizon, his message was simple. “We are ready. Now we celebrate, then we think about the World Cup.”

Luciano Moggi has launched a scathing attack on the state of Italian football in the wake of the Azzurri’s third consecutive World Cup elimination, calling for Gabriele Gravina to resign and demanding that Sports Minister Andrea Abodi intervene to force genuine structural change.

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The former Juventus and Napoli director, speaking on Radio Tutto Napoli, drew a direct line between Italy’s current crisis and the fallout from the Calciopoli scandal of 2006, arguing that Italian football has been in terminal decline ever since its last major triumph.

“Remember that the last great result was in 2006, when we won the World Cup with a strong leadership structure,” he said, via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“From that point, with the dawn of Calciopoli, Italian football was finished.”

Moggi: ‘Italy broken at the core: the fish rots from the head, Gravina must step aside’

On Gravina, Moggi was unsparing. “The national team is a mirror of the system, if we have been eliminated three times, it means something is fundamentally broken at the base. The fish rots from the head, and therefore Gabriele Gravina should step aside. He has been neither lucky nor up to the task.”

His prescription for recovery was equally blunt. “We need to start from zero, a total clean-out. Minister Abodi should intervene seriously. Enough talk: what is needed is a real revolution.”

The suggestion that political intervention may be the only way to force meaningful change at the FIGC reflects a growing mood in Italy that the federation is incapable of reforming itself from within.

Moggi also backed Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis in his calls for a restructuring of Serie A.

“De Laurentiis is right, a general overhaul is needed because things cannot continue like this,” he said. “Today we have reached the point of being afraid of teams like Bosnia. That says everything.”

Gianfranco Zola has called for a fundamental rethink of how Italian football develops its young players, insisting the country must address deep structural problems if it is to avoid repeating the pain of a third consecutive World Cup absence.

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The former Chelsea and Italy forward, speaking in his role as vice-president of Lega Pro ahead of the Serie C Coppa Italia final between Latina and Potenza, was visibly affected by Tuesday’s penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia, and used his platform to deliver a message that went well beyond the result itself.

“The failure to participate in the World Cup is something we feel deeply,” Zola told Rai Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb.

“Football here is very important, and what happened yesterday has hit me hard. We must take stock of the problem and work to address it, understanding that our young players are extremely important.”

Zola: ‘Italy must start again from the ground up’

Zola was clear that the solutions need to come from the bottom of the game upward rather than from any quick fix at international level.

“We must start from the ground up and think about recreating the conditions to give quality to our young players,” he said.

“There is a very important and far-reaching piece of work to be done.” He also highlighted the need for continuity in young players’ development, arguing that talented youngsters must be given consistent opportunities to compete rather than being sidelined at club level.

As Lega Pro vice-president, Zola has a direct stake in that process, and he was keen to emphasise that the third tier of Italian football has a meaningful role to play.

“We as Lega Pro continue to work to encourage clubs to invest more and more in growing our young players in the best possible way,” he said.

He concluded with a message aimed squarely at the next generation.

“Coaches and facilities are fundamental, but the players themselves will also need to work hard. Commitment, vocation and dedication are what it takes to become true sportspeople.”

Manuel Locatelli has become the latest Italy player to break his silence following the Azzurri’s agonising World Cup playoff elimination, posting an emotional and unflinching message on social media that accepted collective responsibility while vowing to never stop giving everything for the national team.

The Juventus captain’s statement arrives as a wave of public grief continues to wash over Italian football in the days since Wednesday’s penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia in Zenica.

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Leonardo Spinazzola spoke in the immediate aftermath of the match, Gianluigi Donnarumma followed today, and now Locatelli has added his voice, each message reflecting a squad still struggling to process the enormity of a third consecutive failure to reach the World Cup.

Italy had gone into the match with genuine optimism following the victory over Northern Ireland, only for Alessandro Bastoni’s first-half red card to fundamentally alter the complexion of the contest.

A 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, no goals in extra time, and ultimate heartbreak in the shootout, a sequence that has left the entire country searching for answers.

Locatelli: ‘We failed, I’m devastated’

“I am devastated, drained, with tears in my eyes,” Locatelli wrote, before addressing the supporters who had backed the team throughout the campaign.

“We felt the responsibility towards the children, the families, the grandparents and all the Italians who supported us. We gave everything and I am proud of this group. We players, the manager and all the staff were united for this dream. We gave every last drop of energy, but we were not able to give you this World Cup.”

He did not shy away from the uncomfortable truth.

“We failed, that is the reality. And I feel the full weight of it.” Despite the pain, Locatelli struck a defiant closing note, mirroring Donnarumma’s call to move forward. “It is hard, incredibly hard, but let us get back up together. There will not be a single day when I do not give everything of myself on the pitch.”

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Former Italy goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano has delivered one of the more colourful verdicts on Gabriele Gravina’s refusal to resign following Italy’s World Cup playoff elimination, suggesting the FIGC president should be doing far more than simply stepping down.

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“It seems impossible to me that the federation president has not resigned,” Viviano told Radio Firenzeviola, via LLSN. “If I were in his position, I would emigrate.”

Speaking on Radio Firenzeviola, the former Serie A stopper did not limit his criticism to those at the top of the federation.

Vivano slams Italy academies: ‘Nothing is built, nothing is taught’

Drawing on his experience as a father of children currently playing youth football, Viviano pointed to a fundamental failure at grassroots level as a root cause of Italy’s repeated international failures.

“We are one of the best countries in sport, alongside the Balkan nations we have an incredible variety of talent and we are naturally predisposed to succeed in sport,” he said.

“But in football academies nothing is being built and nothing is being taught. It all comes down to ‘today I won, today I lost’, and nothing more.”

It is a damning assessment that echoes the broader frustration being expressed across Italian football in the 24 hours since Wednesday’s penalty shootout defeat in Zenica.

With Gravina yet to show any sign of stepping aside despite mounting pressure from politicians, former players and the public alike, the calls for fundamental change, both at the top and at the grassroots, show no sign of abating.

Franco Baresi has called for Italian football to conduct a collective examination of conscience following the Azzurri’s third consecutive World Cup elimination, while defending Gennaro Gattuso from the bulk of the criticism being directed his way.

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The Milan legend and former Italy captain spoke to Adnkronos in the aftermath of Wednesday’s penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb, acknowledging that key incidents on the night had worked against the Azzurri while insisting the deeper problems extend far beyond a single match or manager.

Baresi: ‘Italian football must do a ‘mea culpa’, Gattuso not to blame’

“Yesterday there were episodes that conditioned the match negatively for our team,” Baresi said, a reference to Alessandro Bastoni’s first-half red card, which left Italy with ten men for the majority of the contest.

“But Italy cannot keep arriving at the last stage just to play for qualification. The whole of Italian football must do a mea culpa, because the results of the last twenty years are there for everyone to see, with the isolated exception of the European Championship triumph.”

Despite that broad indictment of the system, Baresi was notably protective of Gattuso.

“In these months he gave everything, his soul, and in my opinion he also did a good job with the little time he had available,” he said. “Unfortunately it was not enough. It is not for me to say whether he should continue, but he is certainly among the least responsible for this defeat.”

It is a sentiment that contrasts sharply with some of the more sweeping criticism aimed at the coaching staff since Wednesday night, and one that reflects a broader view that Italy’s problems are structural rather than the product of any individual failure.

There will still be an Italian presence at the 2026 World Cup, even if Gennaro Gattuso and the Nazionale failed to make it, as three former Azzurri players qualified as head coaches with other nations. 

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Italy crashed out at the World Cup play-off stage for the third tournament cycle in a row as Bosnia and Herzegovina beat the 10-man Azzurri on penalties in Zenica on Tuesday night. 

Which head coaches from Italy will be at the 2026 World Cup?

Despite the shortcomings of Gattuso and his players, there are only three nations, Argentina (6), France (6), and Spain (4) that will have more head coaches at the World Cup than Italy (3). 

That is because Carlo Ancelotti qualified as head coach of Brazil, Fabio Cannavaro as the head coach of Uzbekistan and Vincenzo Montella as head coach of Turkiye, who beat Kosovo in their World Cup play-off final at the same time as Bosnia vs. Italy on Tuesday evening. 

The 48 competing teams at the 2026 World Cup will be led by head coaches from 25 different nations. Those nations include Argentina (6), France (6), Spain (4), Italy (3), Germany (3), England (2), the Netherlands (2), Australia (2), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2), Morocco (2). 

Croatia, Norway, Czechia, Scotland, Switzerland, Egypt, Senegal, Cape Verde, South Korea, Japan, Iran and Mexico will all be led by head coaches from their own nations, while South Africa will be guided by the tournament’s only Belgian head coach in Hugo Broos and Canada by the only American head coach in Jesse Marsch.

Fabio Capello has delivered a scathing assessment of Italy’s third consecutive World Cup elimination, describing the defeat to Bosnia as a national disgrace and calling for the entire FIGC leadership to accept responsibility and step down.

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The former England, Milan and Real Madrid manager spoke to Spanish newspaper Marca in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday night’s penalty shootout defeat in Zenica, and made no attempt to soften his words.

“I could not sleep all night, I still cannot believe what happened,” he said, with quotes via LLSN. “We are talking about a four-time world champion. This is a sporting tragedy, a disgrace. It is one of the worst things to have happened to Italian football in its recent history.”

Capello questions lack of resignations after Italy disaster

Capello’s sharpest criticism, however, was reserved not for the players or the coaching staff but for those at the top of the game’s administration.

“Nobody is resigning here, and that is the most worrying thing,” he said. “The first person who should take responsibility is the president of the federation, along with the entire leadership.”

The 79-year-old was equally clear that the problem runs far deeper than a single bad result.

“This is not just about results, it is structural,” he said. “Italy needs to reinvent itself. We must bring together the experts, analyse what is happening and begin a reconstruction from the foundations. It will be very difficult to recover from this, but I trust it will serve as the beginning of a genuine renewal.”

With Gravina yet to signal any intention to resign despite growing pressure from all directions, Capello’s words add another prominent voice to what is becoming an overwhelming chorus of calls for change.

Tuesday night’s elimination against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final means that there is now only one Italy player currently in Serie A that has previously featured in the World’s biggest international tournament.

Italy were beaten on penalties in Zenica on Tuesday night after being held level at 1-1 after 120 minutes of football. The Azzurri played with 10 men for 80 minutes after Alessandro Bastoni’s red card just before the end of the first half. 

This is the third time in a row that Italy have fallen short at the World Cup play-off stage. As fans know all too well, the Azzurri have not qualified for the final tournament since 2014 and have not won a World Cup knock-out match since beating France in the final in 2006. 

Who is the only current Serie A player that has played for Italy at a World Cup?

This means that as things stand, there is only one Italian in Serie A that has previously played at a World Cup: Inter defender Matteo Darmian. 

The now 36-year-old played the full 90 minutes in all three of Italy’s group stage matches in 2014, against England, Costa Rica and Uruguay, but Cesare Prandelli’s side did not qualify for the round of 16 after finishing the group with just one win and three points to their name. 

There was one other current Serie A player in Italy’s 2014 World Cup squad, Juventus goalkeeper Mattia Perin, but he did not play in any matches at the tournament given that Gianluigi Buffon was the captain of the side. 

There are five other members of Italy’s 2014 World Cup who are still active, but are not currently playing in Serie A. They are Mario Balotelli of Al-Ittifaq in the United Arab Emirates, Salvatore Sirigu of Palermo in Serie B, Ciro Immobile of Paris FC, Lorenzo Insigne of Pescara in Serie B and Marco Verratti of Al-Duhail in Qatar.

Claudio Lotito has taken the remarkable step of launching a petition in the Italian Senate calling for FIGC president Gabriele Gravina to resign, in the fallout from Italy’s devastating World Cup playoff final defeat to Bosnia on penalties.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, the Lazio president and Forza Italia senator is using his political platform to pile pressure on Gravina, who has so far given no indication that he intends to step down despite overseeing a third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup.

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Italy drew 1-1 after 90 minutes in Zenica, with Alessandro Bastoni’s red card in the first half leaving the Azzurri with ten men for the vast majority of the match. No goals in extra time saw the tie go to penalties, where Italy were ultimately eliminated.

Gravina days numbered as FIGC chief resists for now

The political pressure on Gravina is now considerable.

The Sports Minister has already publicly called on him to resign, and the FIGC president has convened an emergency meeting for tomorrow afternoon in Rome, bringing together representatives from Serie A, Serie B, Serie C, the amateur leagues, coaches’ and players’ associations, to assess the situation ahead of a full Federal Council meeting next week.

The mood outside FIGC headquarters has turned hostile, with protesters pelting the building with eggs following last night’s result.

Gravina, who was re-elected unopposed relatively recently despite the previous two World Cup absences, faces the biggest crisis of his tenure, and with Lotito now mobilising political opposition from within the Senate itself, the calls for his departure are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

It’s safe to say we were not entertained last night as Italy crashed out of their World Cup play-off final with a penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia.

In the aftermath, there has been no shortage of reaction: from ex-players and coaches, to current figures involved at the heart of Italian football, everyone has had their two cents to say after that dismal night in the Balkans.

The exit has send earthquakes throughout the world though, not just in Italy.

Lack of Strength & Honour sends Italy packing

Gladiator star Russell Crowe has had a long-standing connection with Italian football, ever since his appearance in the 2000 Best Picture winning film.

On several occasions, the New Zealand-born Australian actor has spoken about his love for the city of Rome and, specifically, Lazio.

Crowe has been pictured and filmed talking about his love for the club on numerous occasions, and today he spoke once again about the world of Calcio.

However, this time he dedicated a heartfelt message for Italy, writing: ‘A dark dawn for Italy, the day after failed qualification. Again. How is it possible with so much talent? I feel sick for the nation.

Un’alba buia per l’Italia. Il giorno dopo la mancata qualificazione. Di nuovo.

Com’è possibile con così tanto talento? Mi sento male per conto della nazione.

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) April 1, 2026

Italy must once again rebuild after another World Cup play-off elimination, and Gazzetta names the players expected to retain their spots in the team, those who could return, and others who won’t play for the national team again.

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Italy: six players to build on after World Cup disaster

Gennaro Gattuso’s future as the Italy national team coach is far from certain, even though FIGC President Gabriele Gravina has asked both the coach and Delegation Chief Gigi Buffon to remain in charge despite another dramatic elimination from the World Cup play-offs.

Gazzetta argues that regardless of Gattuso’s future, six players are expected to retain their spots in the team: Captain Gigio Donnarumma, Marco Palestra, Moise Kean, Francesco Pio Esposito, Riccardo Calafiori and Sandro Tonali.

The pink paper even adds Gianluca Scamacca, 27, but the Atalanta striker has suffered numerous injuries in recent years and has scored only once in 22 appearances with the Azzurri.

Mateo Retegui was not in his best shape after months in the Saudi Pro League, and it’s no coincidence that he’s pushing to return to Serie A, reportedly holding talks with Milan and Juventus.

Napoli winger Matteo Politano started both play-off games, but is unlikely to play a key role in the future as he’ll turn 33 in August. The same goes for Leonardo Spinazzola and Bryan Cristante.

Gazzetta notes that despite their poor performances on the international level, it’s hard to imagine Italy’s short-term future without Inter stars Nicolò Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Federico Dimarco, even if they’ll all be over 30 when the next World Cup is played in 2030.

The likes of Davide Bartesaghi, Michael Kayode and Cher Ndour are showing good developments at a club level. Francesco Camarda, 18, is one of the most interesting Italian prospects, but a shoulder injury halted his growth while on loan at Lecce this season.

The likes of Daniel Maldini, Mattia Zaccagni, Federico Chiesa, Nicolò Zaniolo, Matteo Gabbia, Samuele Ricci and Nicolò Fagioli are expected to be considered for future call-ups, depending on whether Gattuso remains in charge and his potential replacement.

• Read more – Italy’s selection crisis and the short-term decisions that should lead to three resignations

Italy’s World Cup dreams came crashing down after a penalty shoot-out defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final on Tuesday evening, but questions have been asked over an Edin Dzeko handball and a potential second red card incident in extra time. 

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Italy took the lead after 15 minutes thanks to a wonderful first-time finish from Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, but things took a turn for the worse when Inter defender Alessandero Bastoni wiped out Amar Memic and earned a straight red card a few minutes before half-time. 

The 10-man Azzurri held on until the 79th minute before conceding, and did well to see the game through until penalties, but after misses from Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante in the first three kicks of the shoot-out and with Bosnia scoring all of their first four, Italy were eliminated at the World Cup play-off stage for the third tournament cycle in a row.

Which refereeing decisions upset Italy against Bosnia?

The first incident in question is the handball by Dzeko in the build-up to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 79th-minute equaliser against Italy.

A cross had come in from the right flank. Dzeko and Gianluca Mancini were tussling at the back post, and though he had made an attempt to get his head to it, the ball clearly came off the arm of the Bosnian veteran. 

Gianluigi Donnarumma saved Dzeko’s attempt, but Haris Tabakovic was on hand to prod home the rebound from point-blank range. 

According to the IFAB laws of the game, it is an offence if a player scores a goal directly from their hand or arm, even if accidental, which means that had Donnarumma let Dzeko’s attempt go in, it would have been ruled out. 

However, as Bosnia did not score directly from Dzeko’s handball, and as this was presumably considered an ‘accidental’ handball, the goal was not ruled out.

Should Bosnia have had a man sent off against Italy?

Given that Bastoni was sent off in the first half for a last-man challenge, there were suggestions that Bosnia should have also been reduced to 10 men after Sassuolo’s Tariq Muharemovic brought down Marco Palestra in the 12th minute of extra-time. 

Sandro Tonali slipped the young full-back in with a perfectly-weighted through ball, but the Cagliari youngster was then wiped out on the edge of the area. Muharemovic was shown a yellow card as a result. 

According to the IFAB, there are four key considerations when it comes to the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO). They are: The distance between the offence and the goal, the general direction of play, the likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball and the location and number of defenders. 

Referee Clement Turpin was satisfied that Bastoni’s first-half deserved a red card given that he brought down Memic around 10 yards outside the penalty area, slightly to the left of centre of the goal, and that Memic would have retained possession of the ball and would have been clear through one-on-one with Donnarumma otherwise. 

As for the Muharemovic challenge on Palestra, the Italy youngster was also running through on goal from a relatively central position, but it is assumed that Muharemovic was not considered the last man as midfielder Dzenis Burnic was also on the scene when the challenge came in.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is ‘saddened’ by Italy’s World Cup play-off elimination: ‘It is sad because of how it happened, in an unfair way; it is a hard truth to accept.’

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Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row, losing the play-off Final on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.

Following a 5-0 friendly win over Zambia, Argentina national team coach Scaloni, a former Lazio defender, spared a thought for the Azzurri.

“I have Italian relatives, and what is happening in Italy saddens me,” he said at a post-match press conference.

“It is a brother country to Argentina that cares deeply for us. It is a world power, so the fact that it is not present does not sit well with us Argentines. It is sad because of how it happened, in an unfair way; it is a hard truth to accept.”

Argentina are the defending World Cup champions and have been placed in Group J at the World Cup along with Algeria, Austria and Jordan.

Bosnia and Herzegovina reached the World Cup play-offs instead of Italy and will feature in Group B with Qatar, Canada and Switzerland.

Meanwhile, in Italy, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina is under severe pressure, as the Minister for Sport has called for major changes in the Italian FA leadership, effectively suggesting that Gravina should resign.

• Read more – Italy miss out on World Cup: live reactions and updates

The headquarters of the Italian Football Federation in Rome was vandalised with eggs thrown at night, following a defeat in the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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FIGC headquarters vandalised after World Cup fiasco

Some Italian fans vented their frustration at the Azzurri’s World Cup play-off elimination on Tuesday night, throwing eggs at the entrance to the FIGC headquarters in Via Allegri in Rome, according to reports in Italy.

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina returned to the headquarters on Wednesday morning, and upon his arrival, a fan held a banner urging him to resign.

The Azzurri have missed out on qualification for the World Cup for the third time in a row, the second under Gravina’s tenure.

Gravina refused to resign last night, but has scheduled a general FIGC meeting for tomorrow, Thursday, April 2.

The FIGC President is facing mounting domestic pressure, even from Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, who has urged Gravina to acknowledge his responsibility after another catastrophic result for Italian football.

• Read more – Italy miss out on World Cup: live reactions and updates

It has been a horrendous few weeks for Inter and Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni, who had already cut a controversial figure after his Derby d’Italia antics in February and has since been on the receiving end of further criticism after his role in Tuesday night’s World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

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Why is Bastoni a divisive figure in Italian football?

It all kicked off for Bastoni during the eventful Derby d’Italia between Inter and Juventus on February 14, which ended 3-2 in favour of the Nerazzurri. 

Bastoni, who was on a first-half booking in the derby, dived under the challenge of Pierre Kalulu, which resulted in his opponent being incorrectly sent off for a second bookable offence. Had the reverse decision been taken, Bastoni himself should have been shown a yellow card for simulation, which would have been his second caution of the game. 

However, it was Bastoni’s passionate celebration of the decision to send Kalulu off that angered fans across Italy, not just in Turin. 

Since then, Bastoni has been met by a hostile reception in a variety of grounds across Italy, and there were genuine calls from large portions of the Italy fan base for him to be dropped from Gennaro Gattuso’s squad for the World Cup play-off campaign that took place over the last week. 

In the end, Bastoni kept his place in the squad and lined up in the middle of Gattuso’s back three for both the semi-final victory over Northern Ireland and the play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday. 

Bastoni has since been met by further criticism after his first-half red card in Tuesday night’s play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Gianluigi Donnarumma took a poor goal kick, which was headed straight back into the Italy half, and with Amar Memic running through, Bastoni, the furthest Italy defender back, lunged in from behind and was promptly shown a straight red card. 

The Azzurri were 1-0 up at the time, and had looked like they were going to see the half out with a narrow advantage until the red card was brandished in the 42nd minute. 

Italy held on until the 79th minute before conceding, and did well to see off the pressure during extra-time, but two early misses in the penalty shootout from Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante sent the Azzurri packing for another World Cup cycle. 

How have Italy fans responded to Bastoni’s red card?

To little surprise, the responses to Bastoni’s red card in Italy’s play-off final have not been particularly positive. Many have pointed to ‘karma’ after the Derby d’Italia incident, but others have questioned the defender’s decision making, given that Memic was still not 100% guaranteed to score past Donnarumma. 

“Bastoni should have had more trust in Donnarumma and let the striker through. Cost his country a huge upset,” read one tweet on X.

Similarly, another read: “He still had so much work to do to score as well. Total headloss from Bastoni.”

Many reactions have focused on the potential reception that Bastoni will now receive upon his return to Italy. The Nerazzurri centre-back has been linked with a summer move away to Barcelona, and many suggest that he would be wise to push for a move away from Italy during the upcoming transfer window. 

“Honestly, if you’re Bastoni how do you even go back to Italy after this? He was already getting booed all over Serie A before this,” one tweet read. 

“If the Azzurri don’t get to the World Cup, I really can’t see Bastoni staying in Italy – it would be absolutely terrible for him,” another agreed.

“Bastoni better fly straight to Spain because I don’t think he could step foot in Italy again,” read another.

Serie A commentator Patrick Kendrick commented: “I hope Italy doesn’t treat Bastoni like England treated Beckham in 1998,” and later added: “It will be interesting to see how Barella, Bastoni and Dimarco play at home to Roma on Sunday. For what it’s worth I think they’ll be some of the best players on the pitch & credit to them if they are. Ultimately, come that match, they’re damned if they do & damned if they don’t.” 

Others feel that Bastoni was in the wrong for his slide tackle against Bosnia, but feel that he is not solely to blame for Italy’s shortcomings in World Cup qualification.

“Apart from Bastoni’s f***-up, unfortunately the CT got it all wrong. The call-ups, the formations, the substitutions, the favouritism towards players from so-called big clubs. He only brought in Palestra because he’s a phenomenon,” one supporter wrote.

Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma admits he ‘cried’ after a World Cup play-off Final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but urges fans to keep supporting the team with ‘strength, passion and belief.’

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It’s another shocking day for Italian football as the Azzurri have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Tuesday’s loss on penalties against Bosnia and Herzegovina means the Azzurri won’t travel to the USA, Mexico, and Canada next summer, while their most recent World Cup appearance dates back to 2014.

Leonardo Spinazzola was the only Italy player facing the media at full-time, while captain Gigio Donnarumma sent a message to Azzurri supporters via Instagram on Wednesday.

“Last night, after the match, I cried,” wrote the Manchester City star.

“I cried with disappointment at not being able to take Italy to where it deserves to be. I cried because of the immense sadness I’m feeling together with the entire Azzurri squad of which I am proud to be captain, and which, I know, at this moment, you too are feeling, supporters of our national team.

“Now words don’t mean much, it’s true. But there’s one thing I feel strongly inside and want to share with you. After such a great disappointment, we must find the courage to turn the page once again. And to do that, we need a lot of strength, passion and belief. Always believing. That’s the engine that drives us forward because life knows how to reward those who give everything, holding nothing back.

“And this is where we must start again. Together. Once more. To bring Italy back to where it deserves to be.”

Donnarumma has made 81 appearances for the Italy national team but has never played in a World Cup with the Azzurri, and will be 31 when the next World Cup is held in 2030.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA (@donnarumma)

Juventus have been linked with signing Italy and Newcastle star Sandro Tonali, but his price tag this summer will make it hard for any Serie A club to sign the ex-Milan star.

Tonali is surely one of the most highly regarded central midfielders in Europe, and his recent brilliant displays with the Italy national team only reinforced his status as one of the best Azzurri players.

Several ex-Juventus and Italy stars have urged Juventus to sign the 25-year-old from Lodi, but the level of competition, especially financially, will make it very hard for the Bianconeri to secure a deal for the Italian ace.

As 1xBet login highlights, Newcastle are unlikely to qualify for any European competition this season, and with many top clubs targeting the ex-Milan star for next summer, a move seems practically certain.

Tonali’s agent, Beppe Riso, will hold talks with the Magpies this month to determine his client’s future: “We will evaluate in March whether Newcastle are open to anything, but right now he is playing in the Champions League, it is not the right moment to talk about it,” Riso said last month.

A former Milan star, Tonali has three goals and seven assists in 47 appearances across all competitions with Newcastle this season.

According to reports in Italy, Newcastle will demand at least €90m for Tonali next summer, making it nearly impossible for Juventus to compete with Premier League clubs.

Arsenal, Manchester United and City are said to be interested in the Italy international who joined the Magpies from Milan in a deal exceeding €70m in the summer of 2023.

Regardless of Tonali’s future beyond the summer, the Italian has surely built a strong bond with Newcastle and their fans.

Tonali recently expressed his gratitude to the Magpies’ supporters, especially for their support during a betting ban in 2024.

“It goes beyond football; it’s a matter of everyday life. Too often, we judge people before really knowing them, and we hurt them,” Tonali said.

“The line between right and wrong is very thin, but Newcastle fans never cross it. They see, they understand, and they think; they don’t judge. Their behaviour has taught me not to judge. Everyone can make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean everyone has the right to judge. I will always acknowledge this credit to Newcastle fans. If I think this way today, it’s because they did the same to me.

“It’s rare for such a bond to be created between a player and fans without really having done anything. I basically just play football. Many people play football, and many play it well, but not everyone has this kind of relationship with their fans. I was, and still am, surprised by the affection I receive.”

The penalty shoot-out between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy on Tuesday night was not without its controversies as goalkeepers Nikola Vasilj and Gianluigi Donnarumma clashed after the first spot kicks were taken. Here’s why. 

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Italy, who were reduced to 10 men shortly before half-time in their World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night, held out for a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes of action in Zenica, but missed out on a spot at the final tournament for a third cycle in a row after falling short on penalties. 

Pio Esposito missed Italy’s first, Bryan Cristante hit the crossbar from the third, and as Bosnia had hit the net with all of their first four attempts, Italy’s World Cup dreams came crashing down once again. 

Why did the goalkeepers clash during Bosnia vs. Italy penalties?

After both sides had taken their first penalties, Bosnia stopper Vasilj and Italy’s Donnarumma were seen arguing behind the net, which needed two officials to step in and resulted in a yellow card being shown to Vasilj. 

As was explained by SportItalia reporter Tancredi Palmeri, Donnarumma’s ‘cheat sheet’, which told him where to dive for each Bosnian penalty, was the main reason behind the clash of the two goalkeepers. 

Donnarumma’s notes showed a list of 13 Bosnia and Herzegovina players, their expected placement of their penalty kicks and additional notes for Donnarumma, such as to ‘wait’ or whether or not he should dive at full stretch. 

This go straight into history of World Cup.

Here the penalty taker sheet prepared for Donnarumma by Italy staff, and that Bosnia goalkeeper stole which brought to the two keepers arguing behind the goal after first penalty #BosniaItaly pic.twitter.com/3zKbn3UTn2

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) April 1, 2026

There have been conflicting reports over the clash of the two goalkeepers during the shoot-out, though. Some reports in Italy claim that it was Vasilj who tried to interfere with Donnarumma’s notes, which would explain why it was the Italian who instigated the incident and why Vasilj was shown a yellow card, but other outlets, including Der Spiegel in Germany, suggest that it was Donnarumma who had tried to ‘steal’ Vasilj’s notes. 

Italy will have to wait another four years for their next World Cup opportunity after losing on penalties away against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tuesday night’s play-off final, but for some of the current Azzurri squad, the chances of ever featuring at the final tournament is practically over.

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For the third time in a row, Italy will not feature at the World Cup finals after losing on penalties against Edin Dzeko and his Bosnia and Herzegovina teammates in Zenica on Tuesday evening. Moise Kean struck after 15 minutes, but an Alessandro Bastoni red card just before the interval made life considerably more difficult for Gennaro Gattuso’s side. 

Haris Tabakovic levelled for the hosts in the 79th minute, which was enough to send the game to extra-time and then a penalty shootout, where Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante both missed within the first three attempts, and with Bosnia scoring all of their first four, that was that four another four years.

How old will the current Italy squad be in 2030?

Only eight of the 28-player squad that Gattuso called up for the World Cup play-off campaign will still be in their 20s by the time the 2030 World Cup rolls around: They are Goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile, defenders Marco Palestra, Riccardo Calafiori, Giorgio Scalvini and Diego Coppola, Niccolo Pisilli in midfield and forwards Pio Esposito and Niccolo Cambiaghi.

For the likes of Leonardo Spinazzola, who will be 37 in the summer of 2030, Matteo Politano, who will be 36 and Bryan Cristante, who will be 35, the chances of ever appearing at a World Cup finals is now looking highly unlikely. 

There will be question marks over the likes of Nicolo Barella, who will be 33 by the start of the 2030 World Cup, or Federico Dimarco or Manuel Locatelli, both of whom will be 32. 

Goalkeepers

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 31 in 2030 

Marco Carnesecchi – 29 in 2030 

Alex Meret – 33 in 2030 

Elia Caprile – 28 in 2030 

Defenders

Marco Palestra – 25 in 2030 

Alessandro Bastoni – 31 in 2030

Federico Dimarco – 32 in 2030

Leonardo Spinazzola – 37 in 2030 

Alessandro Buongiorno 31 in 2030 

Riccardo Calafiori – 28 in 2030 

Federico Gatti – 31 in 2030 

Andrea Cambiaso – 30 in 2030 

Gianluca Mancini – 33 in 2030 

Giorgio Scalvini – 26 in 2030 

Diego Coppola – 26 in 2030 

Midfielders

Manuel Locatelli – 32 in 2030 

Sanro Tonali – 30 in 2030 

Niccolo Pisilli – 25 in 2030 

Bryan Cristante – 35 in 2030 

Davide Frattesi – 30 in 2030 

Nicolo Barella – 33 in 2030 

Forwards

Matteo Politano – 36 in 2030 

Mateo Retegui – 31 in 2030 

Giacomo Raspadori – 30 in 2030 

Moise Kean – 30 in 2030 

Pio Esposito – 24 in 2030 

Gianluca Scamacca – 31 in 2030 

Nicolo Cambiaghi – 29 in 2030 

* ages at the predicted start time of the 2030 World Cup, i.e. early to mid-June. 

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Italy’s Minister for Sport, Andrea Abodi, says ‘Italian football needs to be rebuilt’, a process that ‘must start with a renewal of the FIGC leadership.’

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Italy’s Minister for Sport calls for drastic changes in Italian football after another World Cup disappointment.

The Azzurri lost on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final on Tuesday night, failing to qualify for the competition for the third consecutive time.

“I thank the team and the coach for the commitment they showed last night, but it’s evident that Italian football needs to be rebuilt, and this process must start with a renewal of the FIGC leadership,” Abodi said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

“Football is a sport, and in times of military and economic crisis like these, it should not be burdened with excessive meanings. On the other hand, it is undeniable that football is more than just a sport, especially in Italy, where it has become part of popular culture, a communal ritual, and a source of international prestige,” he continued.

“It saddens me to think that there is an entire generation of children and young people who have yet to experience the thrill of watching the national team play in a World Cup.”

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina has refused to resign, but is facing growing pressure in Italy. Gravina has been in charge since 2018 and was re-elected in February 2025 with 98.68% of the votes.

During his press conference last night, Gravina called for measures in support of the football system, but Abodi hit back, saying that the FIGC President should acknowledge his responsibility.

“The Government has demonstrably shown, over the years, its commitment to the entire Italian sports movement,” Abodi noted.

“Our athletes have given us immense satisfaction across many disciplines. I consider it objectively unfair to deny one’s own responsibility for the third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup by accusing institutions of alleged shortcomings and downplaying the importance of the professional level in other sports.

“We will continue, as we’ve done so far, to carry out the institutions’ responsibilities, but what is needed is responsibility, humanity, and respect from everyone. Italy must return to being Italy, even in world Football.”

Italian players returned home on Wednesday morning, landing at Malpensa Airport just a few hours after their defeat in Bosnia.

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis says Serie A should be cut to 16 teams to allow more time for Italy’s national team training, while also insisting on compensation and ‘full insurance’ protection for players called up to international duty.

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Italy are once again licking their wounds after failing for the third time in a row to qualify for the World Cup. The Azzurri lost on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night in the play-off Final.

Napoli President De Laurentiis spoke about the state of Italian football in an interview with Radio CRC just a few hours after the Azzurri’s loss.

“My sentiment has been clear for ten years. It just makes me smile,” he said via TMW.

“We’ve always said that too many games have been played, and this destroys our players. Today, we still want to have 20 teams [in Serie A], but if we return to 16 teams and abolish the Supercups played in Saudi Arabia, we’d rest our players, who are a heritage we pay for, and we’d have time to let the national team train. We should start thinking: is the tactical approach that Italian football prides itself on really conducive to achieving against other nations?

“For years, I’ve argued that everything in Italian football is stagnant and nothing changes, because when nothing changes, everyone muddles along. I’m not someone who likes to muddle along,” ADL continued.

“Sixteen teams, fewer matches, more time to train the national team.”

The Napoli owner, however, also suggested that national federations should pay clubs for the use of their players.

“Compensating clubs for players called up to the national team and full insurance coverage in case of injury: in my view, that’s the restart we need,” he added.

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina has so far refused to resign, but is facing internal pressure on several fronts, and ex-CONI President Giovanni Malagò has emerged as a possible replacement.

Malagò, 67, surely has the backing of De Laurentiis.

“Someone like Malagò, who is used to always doing his best because he’s a great professional and has always shown it, is someone who can contribute rather than take, and he also has a certain humanity,” concluded the Napoli President.

“If we were to restart with him tomorrow morning, I believe we would be strong again within a couple of years.”

Mario Balotelli’s goal against England on June 14, 2014, remains the last goal the Azzurri have scored at a World Cup: ‘Proud to be Italian, always and no matter what,’ said the ex-Inter striker.

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Italy have suffered another massive World Cup blow, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off Final on Tuesday night.

It’s the third time in a row that the Azzurri fail to qualify for the World Cup.

La Nazionale made their last appearance in the competition in 2014 and were eliminated in the group phase, playing against England, Costa Rica and Uruguay.

They won the opening match 2-1 against the Three Lions with goals from Claudio Marchisio and Balotelli, but then lost 1-0 to Costa Rica and Uruguay, who went on to qualify for the Round of 16.

Balotelli’s winning goal against England remains the last one scored by the Azzurri at the World Cup.

The 35-year-old striker, now playing for UAE club Al-Ittifaq, reacted to the Azzurri’s loss with an Instagram story: “Proud to be Italian, always and no matter what,” wrote the ex-Inter, Milan and Manchester City striker, adding two pictures of his appearance at the 2014 World Cup.

Balotelli reacts to Italy’s loss vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

La Gazzetta dello Sport calls Italy’s World Cup play-off elimination as the ‘Third Apocalypse’, and while it’s ‘unfair’ to only blame Gennaro Gattuso, it’s ‘hard to imagine the national team restarting with the coach who led it to such a serious defeat.’

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Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reacts to Italy’s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final, which prevented the Azzurri from qualifying for the competition for the third consecutive time.

The Azzurri had already missed out on World Cup qualification in 2018 under Giampiero Ventura and 2022 under Roberto Mancini.

“The third Apocalypse is terrible because it has two behind it,” wrote Gazzetta senior writer Luigi Garlando.

“It has lost the sense of shock, of an unexpected catastrophe. It is becoming normal. For the third consecutive time, we will not take part in a World Cup. We’ll talk about it in 2030, 16 years after the last participation. For the first time, there will be young people coming of age who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”

Moise Kean gave Italy the lead last night, but there was a turning point right before half-time when Alessandro Bastoni received a straight red card.

It was the right decision, and even though other calls by the referee were far more debatable, Gazzetta refused to blame the match official.

“Refereeing mistakes? We made more of them ourselves,” Stefano Agresti added.

“The truth is that Bosnia were stronger, and we are tired of thinking about how to improve: technique, speeches. The third Apocalypse is the worst.

“In Zenica, they gave us some reasons to protest. Not Bastoni’s sending-off, which was clear, but rather the failure to show a red card to Muharemovic. But come on, we are Italy. Can we really cling to such small details when facing the 71st-ranked national team in the World? We threw the match away ourselves. Bastoni’s mistake affected it, perhaps even decided it, but even with ten men, we had chances to score.”

The victory in the 2020 Euros now looks like an exception to the norm as the Azzurri have not played in the World Cup since 2014 and have not played a knockout match in the competition since 2006, when they last lifted the trophy.

“Recent history tells us something clear: the exception, sadly, is not missing the World Cup, but the victory five years ago at Wembley,” Agresti continued.

“Normality is, sadly, what we saw at the small stadium in Zenica. Gattuso failed in the most important match. It would be unfair to blame Rino only. Before him, Ventura, Mancini and Spalletti also failed, so it means the problem is not on the bench. But it is still hard to imagine the national team restarting with the coach who led it to such a serious defeat.”

For now, no decision has been taken regarding Gattuso, but even FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and Delegation Chief Gianluigi Buffon have refused to resign.

“We have said it many times, in a mix of disappointment, anger and indignation. We must rebuild the system. We can no longer postpone it. The situation is an absolute emergency, and in such cases, there is just one solution,” Gazzetta concluded.

“To act with extraordinary measures. We need to work on the youth sectors, on regulations to protect Italian players. It will take time, it will require, above all, the right people and the right ideas. But we cannot wait any longer. Otherwise, generations of young people who have never seen Italy at a World Cup will continue to grow.”

Italy players and staff members returned to Malpensa Airport early on Wednesday morning after another World Cup play-off elimination.

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Italian players landed at the Malpensa Airport in Milan on Wednesday morning, a few hours after their defeat on penalties in the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Sportitalia have shared the video of the Azzurri’s return to Italy, showing players and staff members obviously dejected.

The Azzurri have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row, making their last appearance in the competition in 2014.

Video: Italy players land in Milan after World Cup disaster

La Nazionale #Azzurra fa rientro a #Malpensa dopo il KO contro la #Bosnia

@GianluVisco #italia #mondiali pic.twitter.com/uiMbtJb75K

— Sportitalia (@tvdellosport) April 1, 2026

Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row, marking their last appearance in the competition in 2014: here are the three teams that, sadly, made history in the wrong way for the Azzurri.

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Tuesday’s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final has kept Italy out of the competition for the third consecutive time.

Italy fail to qualify for the World Cup for 3rd time in a row

It’s another nightmare for the country and its fans, who have not seen La Nazionale play at the World Cup since Brazil 2014, while the last knockout game played in the tournament was in 2006, when they went on to lift the coveted cup under Marcello Lippi.

Back in 2017, when the team coached by Giampiero Ventura was eliminated in the play-off by Sweden, it felt surreal that the Azzurri could miss out on a World Cup. Nine years later, it has become a sad habit.

Under Ventura, there were different rules as the World Cup play-off was a two-legged tie against one team, Sweden in that case. The Azzurri lost 1-0 on aggregate.

Four years later, the play-offs were held across the semi-final and final, and in 2022, the Azzurri, coached by Roberto Mancini, lost in the semis to North Macedonia. Had they qualified for the Final, they would have met Portugal away.

This time around, Italy, under Gattuso, qualified for the play-off Final but were once again unable to qualify for the World Cup, losing on penalties to the 65th-ranked team in the FIFA rankings.

Italy’s formations that missed out on the World Cup

2018: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Candreva (76′ Bernardeschi), Parolo, Jorginho, Florenzi, Darmian (64′ El Shaarawy); Immobile, Gabbiadini (64′ Belotti). Coach: Ventura.

2022: Donnarumma; Florenzi, Mancini (89′ Chiellini), Bastoni, Emerson; Barella (77′ Tonali), Jorginho, Verratti; Berardi (89′ Joao Pedro), Immobile (77′ Pellegrini), Insigne. Coach: Mancini.

2026: 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.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Italy without the World Cup for the third time in a row

Everyone go home

The nightmare continues: Kean deceives, Bastoni gets a red card, and Bosnia equalise. We go out on penalties (5-2). Gattuso in tears and on the brink: ‘Sorry, I didn’t make it.’

Gravina resists: ‘The FIGC council decides.’

Corriere dello Sport

Third failure

Everyone go home

Italy are once again out of the World Cup. Gattuso: ‘I apologise.’ A system to be reset.

Azzurri go ahead right away with Kean. Bastoni sent off at the 41st minute. Moise and Dimarco waste the 2-0, Tabakovic scored the leveller at minute 79. Disastrous referee Turpin. Esposito and Cristante made mistakes from the spot. The coach: ‘A blow. My future? Let’s see.’

Tuttosport

Bosnia celebrate on penalties. Italy out of the World Cup for the third time in a row

Everyone out!

Kean decives, but Bastoni’s red card at minute 42 leaves the Azzurri down to ten men, but in the second half they missed three incredible chances. Then the 1-1 (illegal) of Tabakovic and the struggles until the end of extra time. Esposito and Cristante’s mistakes from the spot are decisive. The flop in Zenica is the mirror of our football: it must be rebuilt, starting from the federal leaders. Not even the referees respect us anymore: Turpin pardons Muharemovic (he deserved a red card), who then blocks a shot from Pio with his arm. Gattuso in tears: ‘I apologise to Italy, I didn’t make it.’

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Lukaku-Napoli, total clash

Gigi Buffon hinted that he and Gennaro Gattuso will remain on the Italy bench ‘until June’ to perhaps give the Federation time to find a new coach after World Cup failure.

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The Azzurri had beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 in the play-off semi-final and were leading in Bosnia and Herzegovina this evening through Moise Kean’s goal, but Alessandro Bastoni saw red and the game changed.

After the Haris Tabakovic equaliser and extra time, Bosnia won the penalty shoot-out with Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante misses.

Buffon hesitant on Italy future

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina confirmed he asked Gattuso and Buffon to remain in charge of the Italy staff, but it seems the situation is still fluid.

“This is a delicate moment, and we need to take the necessary time to make the right evaluations,” said Buffon in the press conference.

“Clearly, the sporting season ends in June, so until then it is only right and fair for us to be available to the Federation, the President, and all those who had faith in me.”

Italian football has been going through a crisis that is difficult to ignore after missing three consecutive editions of the World Cup and struggling at club level too.

At least this evening there was some real fight in the Azzurri after going down to 10 men, as they had the chances to win it.

“If you realised something is changing and improving, then I am very happy, because that was one of the objectives we set, but clearly the most important objective was to go to the World Cup,” replied Buffon to compliments from the Italian media.

“This is something that truly hurts and that means we run the risk of not thinking clearly, so I will stop there. We’ll be here until June, then we’ll see for the rest how the whole thing is tackled.”

Federation President Gravina hinted he will call elections next week, so if there is a new chief of the FIGC, then it could also prompt a change of management for the Italy squad.

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina confirms he has asked Gennaro Gattuso and Gigi Buffon to remain in the Italy staff, and is not tending his resignation after missing another World Cup.

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The President was in the stands with the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) President Luigi Bonfiglio and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin in Zenica.

Italy had taken the lead through Moise Kean, but after Alessandro Bastoni saw red for a last man foul on 41 minutes, Bosnia and Herzegovina equalised through a Haris Tabakovic tap-in.

They held on throughout extra time, and even had the chances to win it, but were heavily beaten in a penalty shoot-out when Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed the target.

Gravina resists calls to start from scratch

“Our state of mind is fairly self-evident, especially considering the way the result developed,” said Gravina in a press conference.

“Allow me to compliment the lads, who have grown in leaps and bounds over the last few months. Many of you were unable to fully appreciate the atmosphere created lately.

“We wanted to give our fans joy, and I want to compliment Rino Gattuso. He is a great coach, I asked him to remain along with Gigi Buffon, in charge of this team.”

Gravina was in the tiny locker room after the match during Gattuso’s team talk to the players.

“You missed a moment of great unity in the locker room. You all saw the match, the players were heroic in the circumstances. After that, I understand there are evaluations to be made.”

People had already called for Gravina’s resignation after disappointing Italy results, so can he really hang on to his spot after missing a third consecutive edition of the World Cup?

“There is a Federal Counsel, I already decided to call a meeting next week, and that is when there will be evaluations. I understand that people will call for my resignation, but there is a suitable situation to do that.

“Next week we will make much deeper reflections on the situation, because the questions you ask require the right place to respond. The FIGC has to decide how to choose and build its team. We can only do with what we have at our disposal in the league.”

Gravina is expected to call an immediate election for a new President of the Football Federation.

There was some controversy during the match, as while Bastoni’s red card was inarguable, there was a not dissimilar situation in extra time on Marco Palestra that only warranted a yellow card.

Italian media have also focused on a potential Edin Dzeko handling offence in the build-up to the equaliser.

“There were some choices and applications of the rules that left us somewhat perplexed,” replied Gravina.

“There were some incidents that could’ve required further investigation.”

Leonardo Spinazzola says that Italy will regret their ‘three or four’ chances they had to win the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their World Cup play-off final, and says that he is ‘enormously’ disappointed for the Italian children who will not see Italy feature at the final tournament.

For the third time in a row, Italy will not be at the FIFA World Cup after losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tuesday evening’s World Cup play-off final in Zenica. 

Moise Kean had given the Azzurri a 15th-minute lead, but a straight red card for centre-back Alessandro Bastoni just before half-time made life considerably more difficult for Gennaro Gattuso’s side. Haris Tabaković netted the equaliser in the 79th minute. 

Though they did well to hold on for penalties, Sandro Tonali was the only Italy player to succeed from the spot. Pio Esposito missed the first, Bryan Cristante hit the crossbar from the third, and with Bosnia scoring all of their first four, that was that for another four years. 

Click here to see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

• Read more: Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Italy (4-1 pens) – Player ratings

Spinazzola reflects on Italy’s World Cup misery

“After 90 minutes down to 10 men, we dragged this to penalties with our teeth, we had three or four chances to win it,” Spinazzola told RAI Sport after full-time. 

“It’s just so enormously disappointing for us, for our families, for all the Italian children who won’t see Italy at a World Cup again.

“It’s so sad to see the young players crying, but they will have a better future.”

Italy felt that Bosnia should have also been reduced to 10 men when Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic slid in for a last-ditch challenge on Marco Palestra in extra-time.

“Incidents decide the game, we knew it would be very difficult when down to 10 men, but we still created several chances,” Spinazzola said. 

“There’s no point talking about that now, there is this enormous disappointment.

“It was certainly my last chance of getting to a World Cup, but I feel bad for all of Italy.”

Gennaro Gattuso insists this is ‘not the time’ to talk about his future after Italy lost the World Cup play-off to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but he hints Calcio has deeper problems.

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The game had been going well in Zenica, taking the lead through Moise Kean, until Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for taking down Amar Memic clear on goal before half-time.

The Azzurri managed to hang on until the 79^th minute when Haris Tabakovic bundled over the line from point-blank range after another big Gianluigi Donnarumma save on Edin Dzeko.

They also had chances to win it in extra time, despite being down to 10 men for an hour, but capitulated in the penalty shoot-out when Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed the target.

Gattuso not thinking about his Italy future

“I just finished speaking to the team. I can only thank them, as it had been years since I’d seen the Nazionale play with such heart,” Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia.

“It hurts, it really hurts, but we must accept it. I don’t want to talk about referees or anything else, we could’ve scored a second goal and didn’t, we suffered with all those crosses, we gave everything.

“I am proud of them, it hurts to accept this verdict. It will take time. On a personal level, it’s a heavy blow.”

The situation was already difficult when Gattuso took over from Luciano Spalletti, as they lost the opening qualifier of the group 3-0 in Norway.

“When you are in a stadium with the fans pushing, we made a mistake and went down to 10 men, even then we had the chances to score a second goal. The team did what it had to do today.

“People had been asking for an Italy side that cared about the shirt for years, well they got that tonight, but the incidents went against us.”

What happens next for Gattuso after failing to make it to the World Cup in 2026?

“We’ll see, but I don’t think this is the time to talk about my future or anyone else’s. This is football, sometimes it makes you celebrate, sometimes it makes you suffer.”

This is the latest in a long line of difficulties for Italian football, as all the clubs were out of the Champions League before the quarter-finals.

“I won’t get into this controversy, I am a coach. We all know that it has been a struggle for a few years, I am not the right person to say what we need to improve, there are people who know more than me. So we’ll see,” concluded Gattuso.

Gennaro Gattuso apologised to the Italy fans because ‘I didn’t make it’ to the World Cup, but insists he was ‘surprised’ by how well his team played down to 10 men against Bosnia.

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The Azzurri had taken the lead in Zenica through Moise Kean and seemed largely in control, but the game changed when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off.

Despite that situation, they conceded late on with Haris Tabakovic after another fine Gianluigi Donnarumma save, and continued throughout extra time.

They capitulated on a penalty shoot-out, with Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missing the target, while Bosnia scored all their attempts.

Gattuso tears in eyes at Italy exit

“These lads didn’t deserve this, for the effort, the love, the determination. We had three chances, and most of their crosses were barely tickling us,” Gattuso told RAI Sport.

“I am still proud of my lads. If you poke me with a dagger today, nothing will come out, my blood is all gone. It was important for the Italian football movement and it feels bad to go out like this.”

There was controversy in extra time, as Marco Palestra was brought down clear on goal, but that only warranted a yellow card from referee Clement Turpin.

“I don’t want to talk about the referee or anything, but it’s fair today, this is football. I’ve been in football for many years, I celebrated and I got thumped, like today, but it’s hard to swallow this,” replied Gattuso.

“I was surprised too by the sheer heart and determination they showed today. We were there under siege, in the trenches. Yet here we are talking about not making it to the World Cup again.

“I personally apologise for not having made it, but these lads gave absolutely everything.”

Will Gattuso continue in the role of Italy coach or step aside?

“I think talking about my future today is not important. What was important was going to the World Cup. We take the performance, but it hurts. We’re disappointed.”

Italy battled through extra time down to 10 men after Alessandro Bastoni’s red card and a Moise Kean goal, but capitulated to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, so miss a third consecutive World Cup.

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The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final with Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean goals, so stuck with the same starting XI in Zenica. Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser forced extra time and Bosnia eventually beat Wales on penalties, but the only change was Ivan Basic for Benjamin Tahirovic. Familiar faces included Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac and Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

There were a couple of early scares with Riccardo Calafiori’s clearance taking a double ricochet to go over for a corner, then Ermedin Demirovic firing straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma on the counter-attack.

Italy took the lead with their first genuine opportunity, as Mateo Retegui harassed the goalkeeper into an error, so his pass was intercepted by Nicolò Barella, rolling across for Kean to sweep it first-time into the top corner with the inside of the right boot from the edge of the area. Kean became only the fourth player to score in six consecutive Italy appearances after Adolfo Balonceri in 1928, Gigi Riva in 1969 and Roberto Bettega in 1977, netting eight in that period.

Katic nodded wide and Dzeko fired over, but Donnarumma had his gloves stung by a ferocious Basic strike following a corner, while Retegui’s weak finish was smothered.

Demirovic’s glancing header flashed wide from a Bajraktarevic cross, but the game had a turning point when Donnarumma’s poor goal kick was intercepted by Amar Memic, who was surging on goal when brought down from behind by Bastoni. The red card was inevitable, and Federico Gatti came on for Retegui to bolster the defence.

Bosnia poured forward, Memic nodding wide of the back post, and they threw on 18-year-old sensation Kerim Alajbegovic for the second half, while Italy responded with full-back Marco Palestra for the more attack-minded Matteo Politano.

Demirovic just failed to get his head to a dangerous cross and Alajbegovic stung Donnarumma’s gloves from the edge of the area, but Kean nearly doubled Italy’s lead when he intercepted a ball inside his own half and sprinted forward, firing over past the on-rushing goalkeeper.

Memic went off injured, but Donnarumma got down for a sensational save to fingertip the Benjamin Tahirovic low drive round the base of the near post.

Moments later, substitute Francesco Pio Esposito fired over from the edge of the box on a smart Palestra pull-back.

Federico Dimarco also scuffed wide from a Barella pull-back, but Bosnia got their equaliser when Donnarumma made a sensational save on Dzeko’s header at the back post from Dedic’s cross, but could do nothing on the Haris Tabakovic tap-in on the rebound.

Donnarumma made another crucial save on the Demirovic header to force extra time.

Palestra ran onto a Sandro Tonali through ball and was brought down on the edge of the area by Muharemovic, but this was only a yellow card and not a red, despite being closer to goal and in a more central position than Memic in the Bastoni situation.

Palestra also stood up a cross for Esposito’s header at the back post, forcing a tough reaction save from Nikola Vasilj.

Esposito also turned Muharemovic and the finish was deflected wide off the defender’s shoulder, while Davide Frattesi charged down the Alajbegovic scorcher.

Tahirovic also drilled wide from the D after a short corner in the final minutes of extra time, so it went to a penalty shoot-out.

Esposito ballooned the first Italy kick over the bar, then Bryan Cristante blasted his onto the underside of the crossbar, allowing Bajrakterovic to maintain the perfect record against Donnarumma and send Bosnia to the World Cup.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Italy (aet)

Kean 15 (I), Tabakovic 79 (B)

Sent off: Bastoni 41 (I)

Penalties: Tahirovic (B, goal), Esposito (I, miss), Tabakovic (B, goal), Tonali (I, goal), Alajbegovic (B, goal), Cristante (I, miss), Bajrakterovic (B, goal)

31-03-2026 19:45

Final

Bilino Polje Stadium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Italy

0 0

1 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		15'		Moise Kean (Assist: Nicolò Barella)
		41'		Alessandro Bastoni

2nd half

Benjamin Tahirovic		54'
Haris Tabakovic		79'
		81'		Gianluigi Donnarumma

Extra time

Tarik Muharemovic		102'
Nikola Katic		114'

Match statistic

65

Possession %

35

30

Total shots

9

11

Shots on target

3

12

Shots off target

4

7

Blocked shots

2

10

Corners

4

2

Offsides

0

18

Fouls

9

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Italy

Starting lineups

1

Nikola Vasilj

Goalkeeper

7

Amar Dedic

Defender

18

Nikola Katic

Defender

5

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

46'

4

Tarik Muharemovic

Defender

13

Ivan Basic

Midfielder

71'

14

Ivan Sunjic

Midfielder

46'

15

Amar Memic

Attacker

71'

11

Edin Dzeko

Attacker

10

Ermedin Demirovic

Attacker

115'

20

Esmir Bajraktarevic

Attacker

1

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Goalkeeper

21

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

3

Federico Dimarco

Defender

91'

23

Gianluca Mancini

Defender

13

Riccardo Calafiori

Defender

5

Manuel Locatelli

Midfielder

71'

18

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

85'

8

Sandro Tonali

Midfielder

9

Mateo Retegui

Attacker

44'

7

Matteo Politano

Attacker

46'

11

Moise Kean

Attacker

71'

Substitutes

21

Stjepan Radeljic

Defender

9

Samed Bazdar

Attacker

8

Armin Gigovic

Midfielder

2

Nihad Mujakic

Defender

12

Osman Hadzikic

Goalkeeper

22

Martin Zlomislic

Goalkeeper

3

Nidal Celik

Defender

16

Amir Hadziahmetovic

Midfielder

115'

6

Benjamin Tahirovic

Midfielder

46'

19

Kerim Alajbegović

Attacker

46'

23

Haris Tabakovic

Attacker

71'

17

Dzenis Burnic

Midfielder

71'

19

Andrea Cambiaso

Defender

22

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

6

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

10

Giacomo Raspadori

Attacker

12

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

14

Niccolò Pisilli

Midfielder

19

Federico Gatti

Defender

44'

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

46'

16

Bryan Cristante

Midfielder

71'

15

Pio Esposito

Attacker

71'

17

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

85'

4

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

91'

It was all going so smoothly for the Italy national team in their World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the Azzurri were reduced to 10 men just before the interval after a clumsy last-ditch challenge from Alessandro Bastoni. 

Bosnia are hosting Italy at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica as the two nations do battle for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

You can follow the action as it unfolds on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Italy reduced to 10 men against Bosnia and Herzegovina after Bastoni challenge

After a troubling first-half in their play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland on Thursday, Italy looked to have put their ghosts behind them against Bosnia as Kean struck with a brilliant first-time finish to send Gennaro Gattuso’s side into a 15th-minute lead. 

Italy looked like they were on their way to seeing the half out at 1-0, but they were reduced to 10 men in the 42nd minute when Bastoni lunged in for a last-man challenge on Bosnia’s Amar Memic. 

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal-kick was poor, and headed straight back into the Italy half, where Memic looked to be racing in on goal, albeit to the left of the centre of the pitch. Bastoni, the furthest Italy defender back, slid in and was promptly sent off.

In a worryingly bad omen for Italy, referee Clement Turpin was also in charge the last time that Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs, against North Macedonia back in 2018.

Bastoni became the first Italy player to be sent off in a World Cup qualifier for almost a decade, dating back to Giorgio Chiellini’s red against Israel on September 5, 2016. 

The Inter centre-back had already been a divisive figure in Italy in the weeks leading up to the World Cup play-off campaign as a result of his antics during the Derby d’Italia between the Nerazzurri and Juventus in February.

The Italy international was dived, which resulted in the wrongful sending off of Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu, and then proceeded to passionately celebrate the decision to send the opponent off. This led to widespread criticism, not just from Juventus supporters, and there were calls from some for Bastoni to be dropped from the Italy squad altogether.

The Nerazzurri defender has also been linked with a potential summer move to Barcelona once the 2025-26 season comes to an end.

Moise Kean delivered the first blow in the World Cup play-off final between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy in Zenica on Thursday night, applying a wonderful first-time finish to give the Azzurri a significant 1-0 advantage away from home. 

Bosnia and Italy are battling it out for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Thursday evening. 

You can follow the action as it unfolds on the Football Italia Liveblog. 

Kean sends Italy 1-0 up against Bosnia and Herzegovina 

It took Kean just 15 minutes to find the back of the net against Bosnia on Thursday night. Strike partner Mateo Retegui chased down opposition goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, forcing him to play the ball straight into the feet of Nicolo Barella, who tapped it square to Kean, who applied a wonderful first-time finish from the edge of the area to send Italy 1-0 up. 

Kean also matched an Italy national team record with his strike in Zenica: He became only the fourth player to score in six consecutive national team appearances after Adolfo Balonceri in 1928, Gigi Riva in 1969 and Roberto Bettega in 1977.

The Fiorentina striker has netted eight times from his last six outings with the Italy national team.

In a worryingly bad omen for the Italy national team, the same referee that took charge of the infamous 2022 World Cup play-off semi-final defeat against North Macedonia will be tasked with officiating Tuesday’s play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

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Why is the refereeing appointment for Bosnia play-off not a good sign for Italy?

Clement Turpin has been chosen as the referee for Italy’s play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which kicks off at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening. Turpin will be joined by assistants Nicolas Dagos and Benjamin Pages and fourth official Jose Maria Sanchez from Spain. Jerom Brisard and Willy Delajod will be the Video Assistant Referees. 

Alarmingly for the Azzurri, Turpin was also chosen as the referee for the infamous 1-0 loss against North Macedonia in the 2022 World Cup play-off semi-final, which cost Roberto Mancini and his players, who were the reigning European champions at the time, a spot at the final tournament later that year. 

That game ended in heartbreak for Italy, as former Palermo striker Alesandar Trajkovski netted in the 92nd minute to prevent the Azzurri from qualifying for the World Cup for the second cycle in a row. 

Italy have not qualified for the final World Cup tournament for 12 years now, dating back to the 2014 tournament in Brazil. They have not featured in a knock-out game at the World Cup in 20 years, since beating France in the final to claim the trophy back in 2006. 

This time around, Gennaro Gattuso and his squad will have to travel to a currently frozen-over Zenica to take on Bosnia and Herzegovina for a spot at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. 

The Nazional finished second behind Norway in their World Cup qualifying group, which condemned them to the play-offs for the third tournament cycle in a row. They have since beaten Northern Ireland by two goals to nil thanks to second-half strikes from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean in Thursday’s evening’s play-off semi-final in Bergamo. 

Bosnia, meanwhile, eliminated Wales on penalties in Cardiff in order to qualify.

Guglielmo Vicario does not deny the obvious pressure on the Italy national team ahead of tonight’s World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but says that his colleagues seem ‘more ready’ after their 2-0 victory against Northern Ireland in Bergamo. 

Bosnia will host Italy at the Bilino Polje Stadium in the city of Zenica for tonight’s play-off final, which kicks off at 19.45 BST (20.45 CET). 

The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed. Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Vicario previews Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy: ‘There is pressure’

The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, so despite suggestions Francesco Pio Esposito or Marco Palestra could step in, the coach sticks with the same starting XI that played in Bergamo on Thursday.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, got the better of Wales in the semi-final after a 1-1 draw and penalty shoot-out, with ex-Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker Edin Dzeko netting the equaliser.

The pressure is all on Italy though, having missed out on the World Cup in both 2018 and 2022 by losing the play-offs.

“The pressure is still there,” Vicario, who is not officially part of the squad, but has travelled with the team regardless, told Vivo Azzurro TV ahead of kick-off. 

“But maybe subconsciously we’ve come in a little more ready and I hope a little more relaxed after the first half in Bergamo. I think we can’t afford to lose our concentration today, it’s too important.

“I’ve seen the boys looking well, fired up, we all know about the importance of this game.”

Vicario also praised the spirit and togetherness that CT Gennaro Gattuso has brought to the Nazionale following his appointment last summer. 

“Our work with the coach has been going on for months. He’s brought back the enthusiasm and a spirit of belonging. In the end, it’s what happens on the pitch that counts, not the proclamations.” 

And what does Vicario expect from Bosnia and Herzegovina this evening?

“The atmosphere will lead to them being aggressive initially, out of possession as well. “There’ll be phases of patience and counter attacking. Demirovic makes these great runs when they’re pressing. It’s a team that has quality, international level players, a lot of legs and running. The duels will be decisive.

Vicario also dismissed any potential concerns about the playing surface in Zenica. 

“It doesn’t seem to be in bad condition to me, the ball moves without major problems. I think our best qualities will come out.”

Italy swept Sweden aside 4-0 away from home to consolidate second place in the European Under-21 Championship qualifiers, as Luca Koleosho scored twice and assisted another.

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The Azzurrini were coming off a 4-0 victory against North Macedonia, but remained second in the group due to a 2-1 defeat to leaders Poland. The only changes from Thursday’s game were Seydou Fini and Michael Kayode stepping in.

Sweden had the first big chance with Nils Zatterstrom’s header fortunately straight at Lorenzo Palmisani on a corner, but the visitors received a penalty when Luca Lipani was brought down by Zatterstrom. It was converted successfully by Luca Koleosho into the near bottom corner.

The floodgates opened, as Koleosho added a second from open play moments later when pouncing on a loose ball in the final third, forcing the Hampus Skoglund error with his high press.

Cher Ndour nearly made it 3-0 on the half-hour mark, prodding wide from six yards on a ball over the top.

The third goal did arrive after the restart, with Koleosho this time threading through to send Ndour clear to beat the goalkeeper one-on-one.

Pietro Comuzzo’s header from a corner whistled just wide, then Lipani got on the end of Davide Bartesaghi’s free kick at the near post.

Luigi Cherubini scuffed his finish wide on the Ndour pull-back, but this has still boosted their goal difference.

Sweden 0-4 Italy

Koleosho pen 19, 22 (I), Ndour 50 (I), Lipani 63 (I)

Sweden U21: Bishesari; Skoglund, Amoran, Zatterstrom, Tolf (Sjostrand 59); Antwi, Karlsson (Kanga 84), Bjorklund, Sonko (Njie 67); Omorowa (Kusi-Asare 67), Rafferty (Thorell 67)

Italy U21: Palmisani; Kayode, Comuzzo (Calvani 82), Chiarodia, Bartesaghi (Ahanor 68); Ndour, Lipani, Dagasso (Venturino 57); Fini (Cherubini 57), Ekhator (Faticanti 82), Koleosho

Goalkeeper Alex Meret assures Italy ‘are ready’ for tonight’s World Cup play-off final with Bosnia and Herzegovina. ‘Every moment could be decisive.’

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT, 20.45 CEST).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean were on target in the 2-0 semi-final victory over Northern Ireland, and Gennaro Gattuso has decided to stick with the same starting XI here.

Meret sees right Italy attitude

“The moment has arrived, we are ready, and we know it won’t be easy against a tough Bosnia team,” Meret told RAI Sport and Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s a difficult match, but we are ready and want to bring home a very important result. Every moment could be decisive, so the attitude and focus on details is essential. We’ve got to start strong and earn this result.”

Bosnia and Herzegovina had to play a full 120 minutes in Cardiff on Thursday, as Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser forced extra time and an eventual penalty shoot-out victory to eliminate Wales.

Their one and only World Cup participation was in 2014.

“We feel the right focus and desire to help each other out. We are all united for this objective, and I think we’ve got the right atmosphere,” added Meret.

“I’ve been in the Nazionale a long time, so I’ve seen a lot here, but we’ve never had such an important match as this. Bosnia have two very dangerous wingers and good strikers, we all know Edin Dzeko, but we feel ready.”

The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed.

Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

Leonardo Bonucci urges Italy to call on ‘quality and heart’ in the World Cup play-off final, as he expects Bosnia and Herzegovina to ‘start strong, then try to go on the counter.’

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT, 20.45 CEST).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The tension is palpable for a Nazionale that failed at the play-offs for the last two editions of the World Cup, missing out in both 2018 and 2022.

Bonucci has faith in Italy

“The fans will create a warm atmosphere, but the match is played ultimately between the players on the pitch,” Bonucci told RAI Sport.

“We must put quality and heart onto the field tonight, because we deserve this opportunity.”

The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed.

Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

“We are sure Bosnia will start strong, fired up and enthusiastic on home turf, but after that they’ll sit in midfield and try to go on the counter-attack. That is what we expect to see,” added Bonucci, a member of Gennaro Gattuso’s coaching staff.

Coach Gattuso has chosen the same starting XI that beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final on Thursday, with Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean upfront.

“They all absolutely deserved to play again. The idea we want to get across is that everyone is participating here, even if they are in the stands.”

The appointment of Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi as the new head coach of Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur has been met with criticism from various supporters’ groups, who feel that the former Marseille and Brighton tactician will ‘create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team’. 

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De Zerbi was officially announced as the new head coach of Tottenham on Tuesday afternoon, succeeding former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor, who lasted just five matches of his short-term contract. 

De Zerbi has put pen to paper on a five-year deal that will run until the summer of 2031, and will have seven matches of the 2025-26 Premier League season to steer Spurs clear of relegation. The North Londoners are currently in 17th, one point and one position above West Ham in the drop zone. 

Tottenham supporters’ groups denounce De Zerbi appointment 

The decision to appoint De Zerbi has drawn criticism from some supporters for various reasons. 

Some have questioned the decision to hand a five-year contract to a head coach who has never previously lasted more than two full seasons in a managerial position. Others have criticised his previous comments defending Marseille forward Mason Greenwood, who was charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour in 2022. Those charges were then dropped in 2023. 

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust have released a statement highlighting the decision to appoint De Zerbi despite the club’s previous commitment to ‘challenging instances of violence against women and girls’, and have also questioned the decision to appoint a ‘divisive’ head coach at a time when the team needs unity from its supporters.

“We note the Club’s announcement of the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi to the Manager role,” a statement from the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust read. 

“While we recognise the limited pool of managers with recent Premier League experience, and the need to act with urgency as Spurs face the prospect of relegation, this appointment raises serious and far-reaching concerns, and many fans have been in touch with us to urge us to communicate the strength of feeling.  We raised these concerns directly with the Club prior to its announcement.

“The Club has previously committed to challenging instances of violence against women and girls and acting with integrity and upholding its values when faced with any incidents.

“De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed. We believe these statements, left unchecked, will create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team. It is concerning that the Club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most. Fans are rallying behind the “All Together, Always” initiative, and this appointment places heavy strain on that unity. If those remarks reflect his genuine views, they cast a troubling shadow over the values of the Club we love.

“The Club must reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear—chief among them equality, respect, and integrity. Any perceived sympathy toward alleged perpetrators of physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this Club.

“With this appointment, communications from the Club and from Mr De Zerbi must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must be backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations working to combat violence against women. 

“Our preference would have been for a short-term appointment of an individual or individuals who understand the Club and can lead the players in the seven battles to come. There would then have been an opportunity in the summer to attract a wide range of potential applicants with a track record of success in inspiring fans and players: candidates who could lead and develop sustained success for the team, for seasons to come. The Club has chosen otherwise. We will continue to support efforts to get behind the team and play our part in preserving the Club’s Premier League status but it is understandable that many fans will do so with a heavy heart.

“Our Five Principles for Spurs ownership include Leading with Integrity and Championing Ethical Standards. At present, supporters rate performance in this area at just 2.2 out of 10. This decision risks further eroding confidence unless addressed with clarity, humility, and decisive action.

“We fully understand that the immediate priority is to avoid relegation. However, this situation is the result of prolonged strategic failings. THST have warned for years that the Club was heading in this direction, and the lack of timely, sound decision-making has now left options severely compromised.

“It will take significant effort for many fans to restore their faith in the Club’s leadership. That process must begin with transparency, accountability and a renewed commitment to the principles that define Tottenham Hotspur.”

Women of the Lane, Tottenham’s official supporters’ group for women and non-binary supporters, have also been publicly critical of the decision to appoint De Zerbi.

Prior to his appointment, Women of the Lane released a statement that read: “De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.

“Clubs signal their values through the decisions they make. Who they appoint matters. The manager sets the tone, every day, for what is expected, what is tolerated, and how people are treated. At a time when Spurs needs to rebuild, that culture matters as much as anything on the pitch.

“For many in our community, this is difficult to reconcile with the club’s stated commitments to respect, safety and inclusion. This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make. It introduced unnecessary cultural risk without a clear, proven track record to justify it.

“No to De Zerbi.”

Italy stick with Mateo Retegui, Moise Kean and Sandro Tonali for the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Edin Dzeko and Ermedin Demirovic.

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It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT, 20.45 CEST).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed.

Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final with goals from Tonali and Kean, so despite the possibility of Francesco Pio Esposito and Marco Palestra coming in, Gennaro Gattuso has decided to stick with the same starting XI.

That means Retegui alongside Kean in a 3-5-2 formation, with Manuel Locatelli pulling the midfield strings, and Matteo Politano out wide on the right.

Bosnia and Herzegovina needed a late Dzeko equaliser in Cardiff to force extra time on Thursday evening, eventually winning a penalty shoot-out.

The player who came off the bench and transformed that match was 18-year-old sensation Kerim Alajbegovic, but despite reports to the contrary, he does not replace Esmir Bajraktarevic.

On the other side of the age spectrum is former Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker Dzeko, who is still spearheading the attack at age 40, partnered by Ermedin Demirovic.

Familiar faces include Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac, who shrugged off a knock to play, and Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic.

Bosnia have only ever beaten Italy once, the very first friendly the new nation ever played at home in November 1996, followed by a 1-1 draw and four defeats.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy line-ups

Bosnia: Vasilj; Dedic, Muharemovic, Katic, Kolasinac; Bajraktarevic, Sunjic, Basic, Memic; Demirovic, Dzeko

Bosnia bench: Hadzikic, Zlomislic, Mujakic, Celik, Tahirovic, Gigovic, Bazdar, Hadziahmetovic, Burnic, Alajbegovic, Radeljic, Tabakovic

Italy: Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui

Italy bench: Carnesecchi, Meret, Palestra, Spinazzola, Buongiorno, Raspadori, Pisilli, Pio Esposito, Cristante, Frattesi, Gatti, Cambiaso

Ref: Turpin (FRA)

31-03-2026 19:45

Final

Bilino Polje Stadium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Italy

0 0

1 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		15'		Moise Kean (Assist: Nicolò Barella)
		41'		Alessandro Bastoni

2nd half

Benjamin Tahirovic		54'
Haris Tabakovic		79'
		81'		Gianluigi Donnarumma

Extra time

Tarik Muharemovic		102'
Nikola Katic		114'

Match statistic

65

Possession %

35

30

Total shots

9

11

Shots on target

3

12

Shots off target

4

7

Blocked shots

2

10

Corners

4

2

Offsides

0

18

Fouls

9

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Italy

Starting lineups

1

Nikola Vasilj

Goalkeeper

7

Amar Dedic

Defender

18

Nikola Katic

Defender

5

Sead Kolasinac

Defender

46'

4

Tarik Muharemovic

Defender

13

Ivan Basic

Midfielder

71'

14

Ivan Sunjic

Midfielder

46'

15

Amar Memic

Attacker

71'

11

Edin Dzeko

Attacker

10

Ermedin Demirovic

Attacker

115'

20

Esmir Bajraktarevic

Attacker

1

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Goalkeeper

21

Alessandro Bastoni

Defender

3

Federico Dimarco

Defender

91'

23

Gianluca Mancini

Defender

13

Riccardo Calafiori

Defender

5

Manuel Locatelli

Midfielder

71'

18

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

85'

8

Sandro Tonali

Midfielder

9

Mateo Retegui

Attacker

44'

7

Matteo Politano

Attacker

46'

11

Moise Kean

Attacker

71'

Substitutes

21

Stjepan Radeljic

Defender

9

Samed Bazdar

Attacker

8

Armin Gigovic

Midfielder

2

Nihad Mujakic

Defender

12

Osman Hadzikic

Goalkeeper

22

Martin Zlomislic

Goalkeeper

3

Nidal Celik

Defender

16

Amir Hadziahmetovic

Midfielder

115'

6

Benjamin Tahirovic

Midfielder

46'

19

Kerim Alajbegović

Attacker

46'

23

Haris Tabakovic

Attacker

71'

17

Dzenis Burnic

Midfielder

71'

19

Andrea Cambiaso

Defender

22

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

6

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

10

Giacomo Raspadori

Attacker

12

Marco Carnesecchi

Goalkeeper

14

Niccolò Pisilli

Midfielder

19

Federico Gatti

Defender

44'

2

Marco Palestra

Defender

46'

16

Bryan Cristante

Midfielder

71'

15

Pio Esposito

Attacker

71'

17

Davide Frattesi

Midfielder

85'

4

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

91'

Some questions were asked when Brentford right-back Michael Kayode was not included in the Italy national team squad for the crucial World Cup play-off campaign, but the Premier League ace was named as a starter for the U21s’ European Championship qualifier against Sweden on Tuesday after receiving a late call-up to Silvio Baldini’s side. Here’s why there has been some confusion over the Fiorentina full-back’s eligibility. 

Why is Kayode playing with Italy’s U21s and not with the senior side?

Kayode is having a stellar season on a personal and collective level in the Premier League with Brentford this term, sitting in seventh place and pushing for a spot in Europe despite being tipped for relegation by many at the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign. 

Despite his individual form, Kayode was not included in Gennaro Gattuso’s 28-man Italy squad for the World Cup play-offs that have been taking place this week and was not originally named in the U21s squad either. 

Kayode was later called up to Baldini’s U21 side and went on to appear as a half-time substitute for Thursday night’s 4-0 victory over North Macedonia in qualification for the U21 European Championship. He was also named as a starter for Tuesday’s qualifier against Sweden’s U21s.

Italy U21s head coach Baldini has recently confirmed that the reason for the delay in Kayode’s call-up was due to the fact that he needed to report for additional medical check-ups in Rome and hinted that those tests might have been on his heart. 

Baldini spoke about ‘regulations’ that are ‘stricter’ in Italy compared to England, which is the case for issues relating to the heart, and is the reason why Edoardo Bove is allowed to play for Watford in the EFL Championship, but not in Serie A or Serie B.

“He was called up in September, but he didn’t have eligibility because there are much stricter regulations in Italy compared to England,” Baldini explained in a recent press conference. 

“He couldn’t play with us, otherwise, he always would have been there. And now he arrived late because he went to Rome to undergo some examinations on Monday, and yesterday he obtained eligibility. 

“I don’t understand why we shouldn’t have called him up, given that he has also been a European U19 champion in the past.” 

Kayode has since received the all-clear after his additional medical checks in Rome, but given that his eligibility was not 100% guaranteed, this might explain why Gattuso decided against giving him his first ever call-up to the senior side, particularly ahead of such a crucial run of fixtures. 

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Gennaro Gattuso and his Italy players will be hoping to avoid any close calls in this evening’s World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as goal-line technology will not be in use at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica. Here’s why. 

Why is there no goal-line technology for Bosnia vs. Italy?

The Azzurri are one game away from sealing a spot at the World Cup for the first time since 2014, but must overcome Bosnia and Herzegovina teammates in tonight’s play-off final in Zenica, kicking off at 19.45 BST.

The Bilino Polje Stadium in the city of Zenica is operating at a reduced capacity of due to crowd troubles during Bosnia’s World Cup qualifier against Romania back in November. Italy have received an allocation of 500 tickets. 

There will also be no goal-line technology in use for tonight’s play-off final between Bosnia and Italy. Goal-line technology is not mandatory, and its use depends on the decisions of the organising federation. 

Goal-line technology is not typically used at the Bilino Polje Stadium, and that will also be the case when Italy take on Bosnia this evening. 

Italy have qualified for the top eight final tournament of the European Under-19 Championship after a 1-1 draw with Turkiye.

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Today’s match was a head-to-head at the top of Group 6, as both went in on six points each, ahead of Hungary and Slovakia.

It ended 1-1 thanks to the Samuele Inacio strike, despite a Darvin Soylu equaliser, so the Azzurrini won the group thanks to a superior goal difference of +6 compared to the Turkish tally of +2.

Coach Alberto Bollini’s side won 3-0 against both Hungary and Slovakia in the Elite Round.

The winners of the groups go through to join hosts Wales in the final tournament, and the draw will be held for that in Wrexham on April 16.

This competition will run from June 28 to July 11, and also decide the European qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan.

Italy last won the European Under-19 Championship in 2023, adding to their only other triumph in 2003.

Turkiye 1-1 Italy

Inacio 33 (I), Soylu 62 (T)

Italy U19: Pessina; Nardin, Reggiani, Natali, Cocchi; Coletta (Comotto 72), Mantini, Liberali; Idele, Mosconi, Inacio

Tottenham Hotspur have officially announced the appointment of Italian head coach Roberto as head coach of the men’s first team ‘on a long-term contract, subject to work permit’. 

De Zerbi is called in to replace former Juventus head coach Igor Tudor in North London and will be tasked with steering Tottenham clear of relegation from the Premier League with seven games of the 2025-26 season left to go. 

Tottenham currently find themselves in 17th place in the Premier League table, just one point and one position away from the drop zone. 

De Zerbi’s first match in charge of his new club will come away against Sunderland at 14.00 BST on April 12. 

Reports indicate that De Zerbi has put pen to paper on a five-year contract that will run until the summer of 2031. This has led to questioning from some Tottenham supporters given that the Italian has never stayed in the same managerial position for more than two full seasons. 

This will be De Zerbi’s second job in the Premier League following his tenure with Brighton between September 2022 and June 2024, during which time he led the Seagulls to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which is the club’s highest-ever finish and also brought their first ever qualification for the Europa League.

Reports in Italy indicate that Italy’s 2006 World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta will be part of De Zerbi’s coaching staff at Tottenham, although this has not yet been officially confirmed by the club.

What De Zerbi said about Tottenham appointment

“I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world,” De Zerbi said in a statement on the club website.

“In all my discussions with the Club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.

“Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.”

Sporting director Johan Lange added: “Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.

“He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.”

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as our new Men’s Head Coach on a long-term contract, subject to work permit.

https://t.co/DtXe0YJSlr pic.twitter.com/64tybrOhmr

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 31, 2026

The sale of San Siro to Inter and Milan has run into yet more controversy after Italian financial police raided the Milan city council’s offices when investigating the €200m deal.

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The two clubs had been trying for a decade to purchase the land under the existing Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to build their own arena, but after multiple attempts and failed other projects, they eventually got the go-ahead in November 2025.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t still problems, because many in the local authorities and politics are still trying to block the demolition of the stadium.

San Siro sale subject of new investigation

This morning, officials from the Italian financial police raided the Milan city council’s offices as part of an investigation on suspicion of bid-rigging and collusion.

Computers and mobile phones were among the items seized, with nine individuals under investigation including ex-Inter CEO Alessandro Antonelli and Giuseppe Bonomi, president of Sport Life City, which is run by AC Milan.

The suggestion is that they passed on secret information and worked behind the scenes to favour the purchase by Inter and Milan, creating unfair competition with other options.

Milan and Inter are not under investigation, but there were searches at M-I, the company jointly owned by the two clubs that was set up to manage the stadium.

Juventus are reportedly ready to listen to offers of at least €60m for their star defender Gleison Bremer.

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Tuttosport reports that Juventus will listen to offers of at least €60m for their centre-back Bremer next summer.

Report Bremer can leave Juventus for 60m

The Bianconeri have not put the Brazilian on the market, but such an offer would prompt them to sit down with potential suitors.

Tuttosport highlights that the only player that Juventus are unwilling to sell under any circumstances is Kenan Yildiz, who has recently signed a contract extension until 2030.

Bremer is under contract with Juventus until June 2029.

Bremer had a €60m clause in his previous contract, and Juventus believe the same sum would reflect the player’s value in the summer.

Bremer hasn’t yet received offers from any club and scored his first goal for the Brazil national team during an international friendly against France last week.

Tuttosport adds that Juventus remain on the lookout for a new centre-forward next season, regardless of Dusan Vlahovic’s potential contract extension.

Tuttosport reports that one of Darwin Núñez’s agents visited the Uruguay international during a training session at Juventus’s training ground in Turin, as the Bianconeri continue to monitor several centre-forwards, including Romelu Lukaku.

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Juventus are currently in talks to extend Dusan Vlahovic’s contract, but they are determined to sign a centre-forward in the summer regardless of the Serbian’s future in Turin.

The club is open to listening to offers for Lois Openda and Jonathan David and has begun monitoring several forwards across Europe and beyond.

One of them is ex-Liverpool star Nunez, currently at Al-Hilal. The 26-year-old trained with the Uruguay national team in Turin on Monday ahead of tonight’s international friendly against Algeria at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.

According to Tuttosport, Nunez was visited on Monday by Tommaso Inzaghi, son of his coach Simone, and the right-hand man of Federico Pastorello, the striker’s main agent. 

Nunez is a potential target for Juventus and had already been in talks with the Bianconeri last summer before a €53m move to Al-Hilal.

According to Tuttosport, Juventus’ favourite option for the attack remains Randal Kolo Muani, but the Serie A giants have also been tracking other strikers such as Mateo Retegui, Joshua Zirkzee and Romelu Lukaku, who is expected to be frozen out at Napoli after failing to return from Belgium during the international break.

Ex-Juventus winger Hasan Salihamidzic names two Bosnia and Herzegovina talents who might hurt Italy in the World Cup play-off Final and warns the Azzurri: ‘When the Old Lady goes to the top, the national team follows.’

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Italy visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final tonight.

Salihamidzic: Bosnia will show ‘quality’ against Italy

It will be played at Zenica’s Bilino Polje Stadium, whose capacity has been cut by 20% following incidents in Bosnia’s most recent home match against Romania this past November.

“It’s a small stadium with an even reduced capacity, but the atmosphere will be unique, don’t forget it,” Salihamidzic, a former Juventus and Bosnia winger, told Gazzetta.

“The people will be the extra player, then the pitch will do the talking. Even if somebody thinks otherwise, there will be quality.

Kerim Alajbegovic, 18, and Esmir Bajraktarevic, 21, are two of the most exciting prospects in the Bosnian squad.

“I don’t know if Alajbegovic will start, but he’s a generational talent. Nobody doubts he has a bright future ahead. There are champions like Dzeko, and this team and his experience can surely be useful. But he’s not the only one,” said Salihamidzic.

“There are many young players who, when they are on their day, know how to turn games around: Bajraktarevic is making a name for himself at PSV. Demirovic is a bit older, but is now a pillar of Stuttgart.

“The Azzurri are in a difficult moment; the whole movement is weaker compared to the past, and not just this year. To me, the thermometer of football is called Juventus, a club I love. I’ll forever be a Bianconero,” he concluded.

“When the Old Lady goes to the top, the national team follows, and vice versa. I’m sure Juventus and Italy will return to the top, but hopefully after this play-off. For our people, it’s too important to go to America.”

Gennaro Gattuso says the atmosphere in the Italy squad has been ‘positive’ ahead of the World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but tells his players to avoid protests against the referee: ‘ Our opponents commit a lot of fouls.’

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Italy coach Gattuso gave his final interview with Rai Sport ahead of tonight’s World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Read more – World Cup play-off Final: Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy – probable line-ups, where to watch on TV

Gattuso’s interview before Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy

“The eyes of the boys I’ve met are good so far. Over all these days we’ve been together and the atmosphere has always been positive,” said the Azzurri boss via Gazzetta.

“Tonight we have an important match and we’ve prepared well, fully aware that we’re playing against a team with both technique and physicality. It will require a great performance from us.

“The boys are the first ones who want to go to the World Cup. If the results don’t come, they’ll suffer in silence; they pretend to have broad shoulders, but that’s not the case. I can assure you they will do everything they can. Some people would give their lives and souls to achieve this goal.”

Gattuso also spoke about the attitude he expects from his players tonight: “Bosnia are a strong side. They have strengths and weaknesses, but they are tricky. We need to focus on delivering our performance. We’ll have to hold our ground in the first 10-15 minutes and respond blow to blow,” he said.

“We’ll need to be there and endure. Our opponents commit a lot of fouls, about ten more per game than we do on average, and we’ll have to be smart not to react because the referee has great experience; he doesn’t like raised hands in protests, so we’ll need to be careful, because the match is also played on that aspect.”

Before giving his interview, Gattuso had named his 23-man squad list for the game against Bosnia.

Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso was dropped for the semifinal against Northern Ireland last week, but has now returned to the Azzurri squad with Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini going to the stands instead.

The winner of tonight’s Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy match will qualify for the World Cup and go into Group B alongside Qatar, Switzerland and Canada.

• Read more – Everything Gattuso said in his press conference ahead of Bosnia vs. Italy

Napoli confirm Romelu Lukaku did not show up for a training session on Tuesday, so the club will take ‘appropriate disciplinary’ action, including possibly freezing him out of the first team.

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Napoli are prepared to take disciplinary action against their striker Lukaku, the club confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

Lukaku pulled out of the Belgium national team last week due to poor fitness, but remained in Belgium to train individually rather than return to Naples.

Official Napoli statement on Lukaku

“Napoli announce that Romelu Lukaku did not respond to today’s call-up ahead of the resumption of training,” Napoli said.

“The club reserves the right to evaluate the adoption of appropriate disciplinary measures as well as the continuation of the player’s participation in the team on an indefinite basis.”

Previous reports claimed that Napoli would freeze Lukaku out of the team if he had failed to return by today.

As Sky Sport suggests, however, the Napoli statement means the club’s response could be even stronger as the Partenopei lawyers are currently examining the case.

Depending on the agreement between Napoli and Lukaku, the club could even consider terminating the contract, but all possible scenarios are now being scrutinised.

Napoli return to action on Monday, April 6, after the break, hosting second-placed Milan at the Stadio Maradona.

Read more – Lukaku breaks silence after missing Napoli training: ‘It took a toll mentally’

Former midfielder Demetrio Albertini is confident the Azzurri have enough quality to get to the World Cup, but feels Italy have not yet solved their main problem: ‘There aren’t enough Italian players in Serie A.”

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Italy visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off Final tonight, and Azzurri legend Albertini spoke about the state of Italian football prior to kick-off.

“Even in 1998, despite being a very strong generation and playing in the top league at that moment, we had to go through a play-off. In sports, it happens to have one or two games wrong; the important thing is to qualify,” Albertini told Tuttosport.

“The problem is that we have some good players, but not enough.

Albertini: ‘Limited selection options’ for Gattuso

“Generally, the national team coach has limited selection options, and, on top of that, some players have more Italy appearances than they do games played in European club competitions,” continued the ex-Milan midfielder, winner of three Champions League titles with the Rossoneri.

“It’s useless to beat around the bush; we are less prepared for a certain type of international match. This is why Gattuso wanted to recall Verratti, one who has played so many games at this level. That said, obviously, it doesn’t mean we don’t have the quality to win this play-off.”

Italy did not qualify for the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, but won the European Championships played in 2021.

“That was a deserved win, but it didn’t address the underlying problem: there aren’t enough Italian players in Serie A,” concluded Albertini, a 1994 World Cup finalist with the Italian national team.

“I’ve heard the FIGC has announced a new technical project for youth football. I hope that concrete actions are taken and that it doesn’t remain just empty proclamations.”

Roberto De Zerbi is in talks to become the new Tottenham coach and has reportedly offered Italy World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta a role on his staff in North London.

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Nesta to become De Zerbi’s assistant coach at Tottenham?

Tuttosport journalist Nicolò Schira reports that Italy World Cup winner Nesta has been offered a role on Tottenham’s coaching staff by De Zerbi.

The latter is in talks with Spurs over a long-term contract.

De Zerbi was initially eager to wait until the new season before choosing a new club, but Tottenham’s persistence has convinced him to consider their offer.

According to the report, Nesta has been offered the role of De Zerbi’s assistant, and the ex-defender is now considering the proposal.

Nesta has been working as a first-team coach for Miami FC, Perugia, Frosinone, Reggiana and Monza.

A legendary Italian defender, Nesta made 78 appearances with the Azzurri, winning the World Cup in 2006.

During his playing career, he also won the Champions League twice and the Serie A title three times, once with Lazio and twice with Milan.

Milan have confirmed the signing of Andrej Kostic from Fudbalski Klub Partizan, with the 19-year-old joining the Rossoneri on July 1, 2026.

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Milan have completed the acquisition of 19-year-old striker Kostic from Partizan, the Serie A giants confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

The promising centre-forward had long been in talks with the Rossoneri, and Football Italia had already reported on the negotiations in December.

Kostic arrived in Milan on Sunday to undergo medical tests.

His agent, Darko Ristic, is the representative of another Milan target in attack, Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic.

Kostic, a Montenegro international, has 11 goals in 34 appearances at a club level this season. He made his senior Montenegro debut less than a year ago, in October 2025.

Transfer expert Matteo Moretto has reported on X that Milan have paid €3.5m to sign the 19-year-old and will add a maximum of €4.5m in add-ons, plus a sell-on clause, for Partizan.

Kostic will end the season at Partizan and formally join Milan from July 1, 2026.

He will initially be part of the Milan Futuro team.

Kostic joins Milan – official statement

“AC Milan is delighted to announce the signing of Andrej Kostic from Fudbalski Klub Partizan, who will be joining the Club from 1 July 2026.

“The forward, born in 2007, will be part of the Milan Futuro Project, dedicated to the growth and development of young talents.”