Italian football has hit a historic low point this season. Across Europe, no Serie A side advanced beyond the quarter‑finals, and Atalanta was the sole Italian representative to reach the Champions League round of 16. Yet the domestic struggles pale in comparison with the national team’s woes. For the first time in three consecutive World Cups, Italy failed to qualify, a shocking outcome for a nation that has lifted the trophy four times.
The earlier two failures were softened by the euphoria of the Euro 2020 triumph at Wembley, which gave fans a glimmer of hope. This third miss, however, proved to be the final straw. The 48‑team World Cup left Italy out in the cold, prompting the resignations of head coach Gennaro Gattuso, Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina, and even veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who stepped down as the team’s delegation chief. "It’s a painful subject for me because missing three World Cups in a row is unacceptable, and Italy certainly doesn’t deserve this," Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports.
The Azzurri have now turned back the clock, reinstating Roberto Mancini – the architect of the 2021 Euro victory – as head coach. "We have to work.
The only way forward is to work," Donnarumma added. "With a new coach and the return of Mr.
Mancini, our goal is to rebuild and bring Italy back to the place it deserves. I know it’s hard for the fans, but especially for us players, because we understand how much it means to compete in a World Cup.
We’ll give everything to restore Italy to its rightful position. History has taught us that Italy belongs at the top, and we must live up to that legacy." Indeed, Italy’s place among football’s elite is undeniable, but the team has lingered far below that level for several years.
The recent World Cup failure is just the latest episode in a long‑term decline that began after the 2006 triumph. Two decades later, the dramatic penalty shoot‑out win over France remains Italy’s last appearance in a World Cup knockout round, and the Azzurri have recorded only one World Cup victory since – a 2‑1 win against England in Brazil 2014. The 2012 European Championship run, which saw Italy reach the final, was a bright spot, yet the nation has never fully recaptured that form.
Multiple factors explain the downturn. First, Italy no longer produces the world‑class talent that defined the 2006 side – players such as Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Del Piero.
By 2012, that golden generation persisted only through stalwarts like Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo. Since the retirements of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, the pipeline of elite Italian players has thinned dramatically.
Data from the CIES Football Observatory underscores the problem: between 2020 and 2025 Italy exported merely 413 players, ranking 24th globally and trailing nations like the United States, Japan and Russia. All other major European leagues produced over a thousand exports in the same period, indicating that clubs across Europe view Italian talent as less desirable. The scarcity of high‑quality home‑grown players is also evident in the national squad. From June 2025 to February 2026, only 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, in 2025 Italy allocated just 1.9 % of Serie A playing minutes to players under 21, the second‑lowest figure among the world’s top 50 leagues, exceeded only by the UAE Pro League. Serie A itself suffered from a lack of youthful vigor. While high‑profile veterans such as Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Jamie Vardy made headline‑grabbing moves, the league’s creative spark waned. Coaching turnover added to the stagnation: Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Gattuso, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri rotated among the top clubs without delivering fresh ideas.
Even Sarri’s summer switch to Atalanta and Allegri’s move to Juventus reflected a domestic coaching carousel rather than innovation. Breakthroughs from outside the traditional Italian system hint at a possible renaissance. Cesc Fàbregas’s influence at Como, which propelled the modest club into the Champions League, demonstrated how novel tactical concepts can revitalize a side. Similarly, Ruben Amorim’s tenure at AC Milan produced eye‑catching football, suggesting that importing fresh philosophies could benefit the league and, by extension, the national team.
Encouraging signs emerged in Mancini’s first squad selection. The 34‑man roster featured nine uncapped players and eleven individuals under 23, indicating a deliberate push toward youth. Among them are 18‑year‑old Borussia Dortmund striker Samuele Inácio, Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor (soon heading to Chelsea), and Brentford’s Michael Kayode – all part of a burgeoning "young revolution." Inter’s forward Pio Esposito, who has already netted five goals in nine caps, joins the mix, alongside FC Nürnberg’s prolific Ali Zoma (20 goals in 36 second‑division matches) 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 blend, and we need to help these youngsters integrate well. They can give us a great deal of help. They’re talented and need experience, but I’m confident Italy will return to where it belongs." Italy now faces a daunting Nations League Group A, sharing the stage with Belgium, Turkey and France – a test that will gauge whether the new generation can compete at the highest level.
After years of darkness, the Azzurri need just one spark to reignite their fortunes. For a deeper look at Italy’s challenges and a preview of Mancini’s second spell, tune in to The World Football Show this Thursday on Sky Sports News at 2 p.m., where experts will dissect the nation’s recent plight and explore the path forward for the beloved Azzurri.