Italy’s long and painful World Cup crisis has taken another devastating turn. The four time champions will miss the tournament yet again after Bosnia and Herzegovina beat them on penalties in the playoff final, extending one of the bleakest runs in the country’s modern football history.
For Bosnia and Herzegovina, this was a night of emotion, courage and deserved celebration. For Italy, it was another crushing failure that now makes three straight missed World Cups.
Bosnia and Herzegovina recovered after falling behind early
Italy struck first and, for a while, it looked as though they might finally escape another playoff disaster. Moise Kean took his chance well after Bosnia were punished for a mistake in possession, giving the visitors an early lead and briefly settling some of the tension around them.
But Bosnia and Herzegovina did not lose control of the game. They kept pushing, kept creating chances and looked the more dangerous side for long stretches, even before Italy were reduced to 10 men just before halftime when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off.
That pressure was eventually rewarded in the 79th minute, when Haris Tabakovic forced home the equaliser after Italy failed to deal with an earlier attempt. From that point, the tie swung even more toward the hosts emotionally, even if the extra period became tighter and more cautious.
Italy never truly looked convincing despite the lead
Even when ahead, Italy played with anxiety rather than authority. Bosnia were more aggressive, more enterprising and more comfortable driving at their opponents, while the Azzurri often looked rattled and uncertain.
Gattuso’s side were clinical with their opening chance, but outside of that they struggled to control the tempo. The red card to Bastoni only deepened the sense that Italy were hanging on rather than building toward victory.
Kean did have a big chance later in the match to make it 2 0, but he missed the target after breaking clear, and that miss became one of the defining moments of the night once Bosnia found their way back.
The shootout finished what the match had been suggesting
By the time penalties arrived, Italy looked more relieved than confident simply to still be alive. Bosnia and Herzegovina, having already come through one shootout days earlier, appeared calmer in the decisive moments.
That composure told. The hosts converted four from four, while Italy faltered badly. Francesco Esposito sent one over the bar and Bryan Cristante hit the woodwork, allowing Bosnia and Herzegovina to complete a famous qualification.
It was the perfect ending for a team that had outplayed Italy for much of the night and refused to be shaken by going behind.
Another World Cup failure deepens Italy’s crisis
This latest exit adds to a growing sense of disbelief around the Italian national team. Missing the 2018 World Cup was once described as an apocalypse. Missing 2022 made it feel like a national trauma. Missing 2026 again now makes this collapse feel less like a shock and more like a pattern.
An entire generation of Italian players is now in danger of going through their careers without ever appearing at a World Cup. For a country with Italy’s football history, that reality is staggering.
Gattuso admitted as much afterward, describing the result as difficult to accept and apologising personally. He praised the effort of his players, but the result leaves little room for consolation.
Bosnia and Herzegovina earned the spotlight
As painful as this is for Italy, the night should not be framed only as another Azzurri collapse. Bosnia and Herzegovina were brave, dynamic and fully worthy of the place they claimed.
They attacked with purpose, created the better chances for much of the game and never stopped believing they could turn the tie. The shootout only confirmed what their performance had already suggested.
For them, this is a historic step. For Italy, it is another night that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
