There are no more excuses. No more inquests to commission, no more tactical experiments to justify, no more managers to sack in the hope that the next one will be the answer.


Italy have missed a third straight World Cup. On Tuesday night in a UEFA playoff final, Bosnia and Herzegovina beat them 1-1 after extra time, then 4-1 on penalties. Four-time world champions. Three consecutive tournaments absent. The first champion nation in the history of the competition to suffer that fate.


What Happened


Italy went ahead early. Nicolo Barella intercepted a poor goalkeeper pass and fed Moise Kean, who finished clinically in the 14th minute. For a spell it looked like the nightmare was finally going to end.


It didn't. Bosnia equalised before half-time and the match went to extra time. In the shootout, Italy missed two of their kicks. American-born Esmir Barjaktarevic stepped up and scored the decisive penalty to send Bosnia through.


The Record That Stings


Italy missed the 2018 World Cup after a historic failure to qualify. Then 2022. Now 2026. Three straight tournaments. No other nation that has won the World Cup has ever failed to qualify for three consecutive editions. Not Brazil. Not Germany. Not Argentina. Not France.


Italy have now achieved something uniquely shameful in the history of international football.


What Comes Next


Gennaro Gattuso's position as manager is untenable. The Italian Football Federation will convene in the coming days and the fallout will be significant. There are genuine quality players in this squad — Kean, Barella, Tonali, Frattesi but quality alone is clearly not enough.


The 2030 World Cup is now the target. That is a sentence that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. Right now, for Italian football, it is the reality.


Sweden, Türkiye, Czechia and Bosnia all qualified through the UEFA playoffs. Viktor Gyökeres scored a dramatic 88th-minute winner for Sweden against Poland in a 3-2 thriller. Türkiye beat Kosovo 1-0. Czechia eliminated Denmark on penalties.


The World Cup will happen this summer. Italy will watch it on television. Again.