Italy is "staying home" to watch the World Cup.

Having to watch the World Cup on television for the third consecutive time is an unbelievable reality for a football nation that has won the World Cup four times like Italy.

From their world-class peak in 2006 to the present, the "Azzurri" have endured a prolonged period of decline, reflecting systemic problems. The Italian national team has had to go through the play-offs three times in a row, losing both matches against Sweden (2018), North Macedonia (2022), and most recently, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Serie A has lost its prestige.

The root cause stems from the decline of Serie A. Once the center of world football, the league can no longer keep up with its two powerful rivals, the English Premier League and La Liga. The rise of new "giants" like Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Man City... has caused traditional powerhouses like AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus to gradually lose their influence.

Italy missed three consecutive World Cups (Photo: THE GAZETTA)

The renowned Catenaccio defensive style of play, once a trademark of Italian football, has become a barrier in the context of modern football that prioritizes speed and creativity.

Attacking crisis

While Italian football continues its tradition of producing top goalkeepers and defenders like Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Paolo Maldini, the attacking line lacks the talent it once had.

From the "golden generation" with Paolo Rossi, Roberto Baggio, Francesco Totti, and Alessandro del Piero, Italian football now only has names like Ciro Immobile, Gianluca Scamacca, and Andrea Belotti – players who lack the class to make a difference on the big stage.

Coach Gennaro Gattuso currently has to rely on the striking duo of Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean, who have lacked influence even at their respective clubs, reflecting the reality of the Italian-made attack – a promising but inconsistent force.

Players and coaches

One problem plaguing Italian professional football administrators is the excessively high proportion of foreign players in Serie A. In the 2025-2026 season, nearly 70% of the players will be foreign, significantly reducing opportunities for domestic players. In the last 10 years, only Ciro Immobile and Fabio Quagliarella have won the top scorer award – a very modest number compared to the past.

Italian football also has no shortage of talented coaches, but those chosen for the national team, such as Roberto Mancini, Antonio Conte, Luciano Spalletti, and Gennaro Gattuso, despite their successes at club level, have consistently seen their teams falter at crucial moments.

Following the failure at the 2010 World Cup, Roberto Baggio was appointed Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

He drafted a 900-page report aimed at reforming the country's football. However, this document was completely ignored, with no plans or actions taken, forcing Baggio to resign in 2013. This is seen as a missed opportunity for reform.

Three consecutive World Cup absences are a stark warning. Without radical reform, the glorious past of the "Azzurri" will fade further and further away, and the Azzurri will become frequent "outsiders" not only at the World Cup but possibly also at the Euros and Nations League.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/y-lai-ngoi-nha-xem-world-cup-196260401203723771.htm