Italian football has hit a low point this season, and the setbacks have been stark across both club and country. In European competition, no Italian side progressed beyond the quarter‑finals, and the only Serie A club to reach the Champions League round of 16 was Atalanta.
The situation was far worse for the Azzurri. For the first time in modern history Italy failed to qualify for three consecutive World Cups, a shocking outcome for a nation that has lifted the trophy four times. The first two failures to qualify were softened by the euphoria of winning Euro 2020 at Wembley, a triumph that gave fans a brief glimpse of hope. The latest disappointment, however, proved to be the final straw.
The 48‑team World Cup did not feature Italy, prompting a wave of resignations: head coach Gennaro Gattuso stepped down, Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina quit, and legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon relinquished his role as head of delegation. "It’s a painful subject for me," Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports. "Missing three World Cups in a row is terrible, and Italy simply does not deserve this." In a surprising turn of events, the federation turned back the clock and reinstated Roberto Mancini, the manager who guided Italy to Euro 2020 glory five years ago. "We have to work.
The only way forward is to work," Donnarumma added. "With a new coach and Mancini back at the helm, our goal is to rebuild and bring Italy back to the place it rightfully belongs." Mancini’s return is more than a nostalgic gesture; it is a strategic attempt to restore a nation that has lingered far below its historical standards for over a decade.
The current World Cup debacle is merely the latest chapter in a long‑running decline that began after Italy’s triumph at the 2006 tournament. Two decades later, the penalty‑shootout victory over France remains Italy’s last appearance in a World Cup knockout round, and the Azzurri have recorded only one World Cup win since – a 2‑1 success against England in Brazil 2014. The 2012 European Championship run, which saw Italy reach the final, was the last bright spot before a period of stagnation. Several factors explain the slide.
First, the talent pipeline that produced world‑class players like Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Del Piero has dried up. By 2012, that golden generation was still represented by veterans such as Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo, but the retirement of stalwarts Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci has left a void that the younger cohort has struggled to fill. Data from the CIES Football Observatory highlights the problem: between 2020 and 2025 Italy exported only 413 footballers abroad, ranking 24th globally – behind nations such as the United States, Japan and Russia. The other four major European leagues each produced over 1,000 exported players in the same period, underscoring how Italian talent is no longer in high demand among Europe’s elite clubs.
The shortage of emerging stars is evident in the national team’s composition. From June 2025 to February 2026, just one capped player – Inter’s 19‑year‑old forward Pio Esposito – was under the age of 24, whereas England fielded a dozen youngsters in the same window. Moreover, in 2025 only 1.9 % of Serie A minutes were played by players under 21, the second‑lowest figure among the world’s top 50 leagues, surpassed only by the United Arab Emirates Pro League.
Serie A’s own quality has suffered. While high‑profile veterans like Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Jamie Vardy were signed, the league has lacked fresh creative spark.
Coaching turnover has also contributed to stagnation; established managers such as Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Gattuso, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri have rotated among the top clubs without delivering innovative tactics. Even this summer saw Sarri move to Atalanta and Allegri to Juventus, a reshuffle that offered little new ideas. Occasionally, external influences have produced breakthroughs.
Cesc Fàbregas’s appointment at Como sparked a remarkable rise that culminated in Champions League qualification, while Ruben Amorim’s stint at AC Milan injected an eye‑catching style of play. These examples suggest that fresh tactical perspectives can revitalize Italian football, but they remain exceptions rather than the rule. Mancini’s renewed squad does show promising signs. The 34‑player roster for his first call‑up featured nine uncapped players and eleven under‑23s, indicating a willingness to blend experience with youth.
Among the newcomers are 18‑year‑old Borussia Dortmund striker Samuele Inácio, Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor – soon to join Chelsea – and Brentford’s Michael Kayode. Inter’s rising forward Pio Esposito, who has already netted five goals in nine caps, joins the mix, as does FC Nürnberg’s Ali Zoma, a prolific scorer in Germany’s second division, and Sporting CP midfielder Issa Doumbia.
"There will certainly be some established players. We’re getting older, but we’re still young, and there will also be some very young players joining the team," Donnarumma explained.
"It will be a mixture, and we need to help these young players integrate well. They can give us a great deal of help.
They’re certainly talented players who need to play and gain experience, but I’m sure Italy will return to where it belongs." The upcoming Nations League campaign places Italy in a daunting Group A alongside Belgium, Turkey and France – a test that will demand both resilience and ingenuity. Yet, after years of darkness, the Azzurri need only a single spark to reignite their fortunes.
For viewers eager to follow the analysis, Sky Sports News will host "The World Football Show" this Thursday at 2 p.m., offering deeper insight into Italy’s challenges and a preview of Mancini’s second spell at the helm. In summary, Italy’s football crisis is multi‑faceted: a dwindling talent pipeline, limited youth participation in top‑level matches, and a lack of innovative coaching have all contributed to the current malaise.
However, Mancini’s return, coupled with a wave of youthful prospects and occasional tactical fresh‑blood, provides a glimmer of optimism. If the Azzurri can harness this blend of experience and emerging talent, they may yet restore the nation to its rightful place among football’s elite, fulfilling the historic expectation that Italy should always be present on the world stage.