Italian football has hit a historic low point this season, with clubs and the national team both struggling to make an impact on the European stage. In continental competitions, no Italian side progressed beyond the quarter‑finals, and the only Serie A team to reach the Champions League round of 16 was Atalanta.
The situation was dramatically worse for the Azzurri, who missed out on a third consecutive World Cup, a scenario that seemed unthinkable for a nation that has lifted the trophy four times. The first two failures to qualify for the tournament were softened by the euphoria of winning Euro 2020 at Wembley, a triumph that gave fans a glimmer of hope. The third missed World Cup, however, proved to be the final straw.
The 48‑team format excluded Italy entirely, prompting a wave of resignations: head coach Gennaro Gattuso stepped down, Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina quit his post, and legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon relinquished his role as head of delegation. "It’s a painful subject for me because missing three World Cups in a row is terrible, and Italy simply doesn’t deserve that," captain Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports.
The disappointment sparked a call for a return to familiar leadership, and Roberto Mancini – the architect of the 2020 Euro victory – was reinstated as head coach. "We have to work.
The only way forward is to work," Donnarumma added. "Now we have a new coach, the return of Mr. Mancini, and our goal is to rebuild and bring Italy back to where it belongs.
I know it isn’t easy for the fans, but for us it means everything to compete in a competition like the World Cup again. We will give everything to restore Italy’s rightful place.
History teaches us that Italy should always be there, and we must honour that legacy." Indeed, Italy’s place among the elite has been eroding for years. The 2006 World Cup win – secured by a dramatic penalty shoot‑out against France – remains the last time the Azzurri reached the knockout stage of a World Cup. Since then they have recorded just a single victory in the tournament, a 2‑1 win over England in Brazil 2014. While the 2012 European Championship run, which culminated in a final appearance, offered a brief resurgence, the national side has not recaptured its former dominance.
Several factors explain the decline. The golden generation that powered the 2006 triumph featured icons such as Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Del Piero. By 2012, remnants of that era – Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo – still anchored the squad. Yet the retirement of stalwarts like Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci left a vacuum that the next wave of talent has struggled to fill.
Data from the CIES Football Observatory underscores the issue: between 2020 and 2025 Italy exported only 413 players abroad, placing the country 24th globally, behind nations such as the United States, Japan and Russia. By contrast, the other four major European leagues each produced over 1,000 exported players in the same period, highlighting how Italian talent is no longer in high demand among Europe’s top clubs. The scarcity of youth is evident in the national team’s composition. From June 2025 to February 2026, merely one capped player under the age of 24 – Inter’s promising forward Pio Esposito – featured for Italy, whereas England fielded a dozen youngsters in the same window.
Moreover, Serie A clubs allocated only 1.9 percent of total playing minutes to players under 21 in 2025, the second‑lowest figure among the world’s top 50 leagues, surpassed only by the United Arab Emirates Pro League. Club football has mirrored these trends. High‑profile signings such as Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Jamie Vardy have arrived at Serie A sides, but the league still suffers from a lack of creative homegrown talent.
Coaching turnover adds to the problem: seasoned managers like Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Gattuso, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri have rotated among the top clubs with little variation in philosophy. Even recent moves – Sarri to Atalanta and Allegri to Juventus – illustrate a domestic coaching carousel that offers few fresh ideas. Occasional breakthroughs, however, suggest that change is possible.
Cesc Fàbregas’ appointment at Como sparked a remarkable turnaround, culminating in a Champions League berth earlier this year. Similarly, Ruben Amorim’s stint at AC Milan produced an attractive brand of football that reminded observers of the benefits of importing innovative tactics. Mancini’s first squad selection after his return contains several encouraging signs.
Out of a 34‑player roster, nine players have never earned a senior cap, and eleven are under the age of 23. Among the newcomers are 18‑year‑old Borussia Dortmund striker Samuele Inácio, Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor (who is set to join Chelsea), and Brentford’s Michael Kayode – all part of what could be described as a “young revolution”. In addition, Inter’s rising forward Pio Esposito has already netted five goals in nine appearances for Italy, while FC Nürnberg’s Ali Zoma boasts 20 goals in 36 matches in Germany’s second division. Midfielder Issa Doumbia, currently shining for Sporting CP, also adds depth to the emerging talent pool.
"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 challenging Group A alongside Belgium, Turkey and France, a test that will reveal whether the new blend of experience and youth can compete at the highest level. After years of darkness, the Azzurri need only a single spark to reignite their storied legacy. For a deeper analysis of Italy’s recent struggles and a preview of Roberto Mancini’s second tenure, tune in to The World Football Show this Thursday at 2 p.m.
on Sky Sports News. The program will explore tactical adjustments, player development pathways, and the realistic prospects of restoring Italy to the summit of world football.