Italian football has hit a historic low this season, with clubs struggling on the continental stage and the national team facing an unprecedented crisis. No Italian side progressed beyond the quarter‑finals in Europe, and only Atalanta managed to reach the Champions League round of sixteen. Yet the domestic disappointment pales in comparison to the national side's woes. For the first time since 2018, Italy failed to secure a place at the World Cup, missing out on a third consecutive tournament—a shocking outcome for a nation that has lifted the trophy four times.
The previous two absences were softened by the euphoria of the Euro 2020 triumph in Wembley, which gave fans a glimmer of hope. This latest failure, however, proved to be the final straw. The 48‑team World Cup format excluded Italy, prompting a cascade of resignations: head coach Gennaro Gattuso stepped down, the Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina quit, and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon relinquished his role as head of delegation. "It’s a painful issue for me because not qualifying for three World Cups in a row is terrible, and Italy certainly doesn’t deserve that," Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports.
The federation responded by turning back the clock and reinstating Roberto Mancini, the architect of the 2020 Euro victory, 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 the level it deserves." He continued, "I know it’s not easy for the fans, but especially for us, because we understand how much it means to compete in a tournament like the World Cup. We will give everything to restore Italy to its rightful place.
History has taught us that Italy should always be there, so we must bring the Azzurri back where they belong." The sentiment is clear: Italy belongs among the elite, but the team has been far from that standard for years. The current World Cup disaster is merely the latest chapter in a long decline that began after the 2006 triumph. Two decades later, the dramatic penalty‑shootout win over France remains Italy’s last appearance in a World Cup knockout round, and the Azzurri have secured just one World Cup victory since then—a 2‑1 win over England in Brazil 2014.
The 2012 European Championship run, which saw Italy reach the final, was a bright spot, yet the nation has struggled to replicate that success. Several factors explain the downturn.
First, the talent pool has thinned. The 2006 squad featured world‑class players such as Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Del Piero.
By 2012, the remnants of that generation were still present in the form of Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo. Since the retirements of stalwarts like Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, the next wave of Italian stars has failed to emerge in comparable numbers. Data from the CIES Football Observatory underscores this issue. Between 2020 and 2025, Italy produced only 413 football exports, ranking 24th globally—behind the United States, Japan and Russia.
By contrast, each of the other major European leagues (England, Spain, Germany, France) exported well over 1,000 players in the same period. Italian talent, whether seasoned or youthful, simply isn’t as sought after by Europe’s top clubs. The scarcity of young talent is also evident in the national team’s composition.
From June 2025 to February 2026, only one capped player was under 24—Inter’s forward Pio Esposito—while England fielded a dozen youngsters in the same window. Moreover, in 2025 Italy allocated merely 1.9 percent of Serie A minutes to 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 itself has suffered from a lack of fresh ideas.
High‑profile signings such as Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Jamie Vardy highlighted the league’s reliance on veteran imports rather than nurturing home‑grown creativity. Coaching turnover has been similarly stagnant; seasoned managers like Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Gattuso, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri have rotated among the big clubs without delivering innovative tactics. Even this summer’s moves—Sarri to Atalanta and Allegri to Juventus—did little to shake the status quo.
Occasional breakthroughs demonstrate what fresh thinking can achieve. Cesc Fàbregas’ influence at Como propelled the modest club into the Champions League, while Ruben Amorim’s tenure at AC Milan produced an exciting brand of football. Such examples suggest that external ideas can revitalize Italian football.
Mancini’s first squad selection offers a glimmer of optimism. The 34‑player roster featured nine uncapped athletes and eleven players under 23, signaling a deliberate shift toward youth.
Among them 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 netted five goals in nine caps, also makes the list, alongside FC Nürnberg’s Ali Zoma (20 goals in 36 games in Germany’s second tier) 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 challenging Group A alongside Belgium, Turkey and France, a test that will reveal whether the new generation can compete at the highest level. After years of darkness, the Azzurri need a spark—perhaps the return of Mancini, combined with the infusion of youthful vigor, can ignite a revival.
For a deeper analysis of Italy’s current predicament and a preview of Mancini’s second spell, tune in to The World Football Show this Thursday at 2 p.m. on Sky Sports News.