Italian football has hit a historic low point this season. Across Europe, no Italian club advanced beyond the quarter‑final stage, and Atalanta stood alone as the sole Serie A side to make the Champions League round of 16. Yet the domestic league’s modest showing pales in comparison with the national team’s recent woes.
For the first time in three consecutive World Cup cycles, Italy failed to qualify for the tournament—a shocking outcome for a nation that has lifted the trophy four times. The first two failures were softened by the euphoria of the Euro 2020 victory at Wembley, which offered a brief glimmer of hope. The third miss, however, proved to be the final straw.
The 48‑team World Cup did not feature Italy, prompting the resignations of head coach Gennaro Gattuso, Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina, and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who had been serving as the team’s head of delegation. "It’s a painful subject for me because missing three World Cups in a row is devastating, and Italy simply doesn’t deserve that," captain Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports.
In a surprising twist, the Azzurri have turned back the clock: Roberto Mancini, the architect of the 2020 European triumph, has been reappointed as head coach. "We have to work. The only way forward is to work," Donnarumma added.
"With a new coach, the return of Mr. Mancini, our goal is to rebuild and bring Italy back to the place it rightfully belongs." He continued, "I know it isn’t easy for the fans, but especially for us, because we understand how much it means to compete in a World Cup. We will give everything to restore Italy to its historic stature.
History teaches us that Italy should always be present on the world stage, so we must earn our place again." There is no doubt that Italy belongs among the elite, but the team has been far from that level for several years. The recent World Cup debacle is just the latest chapter in a long decline that began after the nation’s 2006 triumph.
Two decades later, the penalty‑shootout victory over France remains Italy’s last appearance in a World Cup knockout round. Since then, the Azzurri have recorded only a single World Cup win—a 2‑1 triumph over England in Brazil 2014. The 2012 European Championship run, which saw Italy reach the final, was a fleeting resurgence. Since that campaign, the squad has struggled to replicate the quality of earlier generations.
The 2006 champions featured legends such as Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Del Piero. By 2012, the core had shifted to veterans like Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo. Yet the retirement of stalwarts Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci has left a void that the current crop of players has yet to fill.
Data from the CIES Football Observatory underscores the talent shortage. Between 2020 and 2025, Italy produced only 413 football exports, ranking 24th globally—behind the United States, Japan and Russia. All four of Europe’s other major leagues exported well over a thousand players in the same period, indicating that Italian talent is no longer in high demand among the continent’s elite clubs.
The scarcity of youth is evident in the national team as well. From June 2025 to February 2026, just one capped player under the age of 24—Inter’s forward Pio Esposito—took the field, whereas England fielded a dozen youngsters in the same timeframe. Moreover, in 2025 Italy allocated a mere 1.9 % of Serie A minutes to players under 21, the second‑lowest figure among the world’s top 50 leagues, surpassed only by the UAE Pro League. Serie A itself has suffered from a lack of fresh ideas.
High‑profile signings such as Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Jamie Vardy arrived, but the league’s creative spark has dimmed. Managers like Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Gattuso, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri have rotated among the top clubs with little tactical innovation. This summer, Sarri moved to Atalanta and Allegri to Juventus, underscoring the limited mobility of ideas. Occasionally, an outsider’s influence can reignite the Italian game.
Cesc Fàbregas’ tenure at Como, which culminated in a Champions League berth, demonstrated how fresh tactical concepts can break the cycle. Similarly, Ruben Amorim’s stint at AC Milan produced eye‑catching football, suggesting that openness to new philosophies could be a catalyst for revival. Encouraging signs have emerged from Mancini’s first squad selection.
The 34‑player roster featured nine uncapped names and eleven players under 23, indicating a deliberate push toward youth. Among the prospects are 18‑year‑old Borussia Dortmund striker Samuele Inácio, Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor—soon headed for Chelsea—and Brentford’s Michael Kayode, all part of what the media has dubbed a "young revolution." Inter’s rising forward Pio Esposito, who boasts five goals in nine caps, joins the mix, as does FC Nürnberg’s Ali Zoma, a prolific scorer with 20 goals in 36 games in Germany’s second division. Midfielder Issa Doumbia, currently shining for Sporting CP, also adds depth. This infusion of talent points to a new generation of Italian stars ready to make their mark.
"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." Italy now faces a daunting Nations League Group A, alongside Belgium, Turkey and France. The competition will be fierce, but a nation that has lingered in obscurity for too long needs only a single spark to reignite its fortunes.
For a deeper analysis of Italy’s recent struggles and a preview of Roberto Mancini’s second spell, tune in to The World Football Show this Thursday at 2 p.m. on Sky Sports News.