Italian football has hit an unprecedented low point this year, with clubs and the national team both struggling to make an impact on the European stage. In the Champions League, only Atalanta managed to break into the round of 16, while every other Serie A side fell short of the quarter‑finals. The situation was even more dire for the Azzurri, who missed out on a third consecutive World Cup qualification – a scenario that seems almost unimaginable for a nation that has lifted the trophy four times. The first two failures to qualify for the World Cup were softened by the euphoria of winning Euro 2020 at Wembley, a triumph that gave Italian fans a brief respite and a glimmer of hope.
However, the third miss proved to be the final straw. The 48‑team World Cup, held without Italy, triggered a cascade of resignations: head coach Gennaro Gattuso stepped down, Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina quit, and veteran 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 a huge blow, and Italy simply doesn't deserve this," Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports. "We have to get back to work.
The only way forward is hard work." Donnarumma added that the return of Roberto Mancini, the manager who guided Italy to Euro glory five years ago, offers a fresh start. "The objective is to rebuild and bring Italy back to where it belongs.
History teaches us that the Azzurri should always be among the elite, and we have a responsibility to live up to that legacy." Indeed, Italy belongs at the top of the football table, but the gap between expectation and reality has widened over the past decade. The latest World Cup debacle is just the latest episode in a long‑running decline that began after the 2006 triumph. Twenty years later, the penalty‑shootout victory over France remains Italy's last appearance in a World Cup knockout round, and the team has recorded only one World Cup win since then – a 2‑1 victory 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 recovered its former stature.
Several factors explain the downturn. First, the pool of world‑class talent has dried up. The 2006 squad featured icons such as Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Del Piero. By 2012, that generation was still represented by the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo, but the retirement of stalwarts such as Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci has left a void that the next wave of players has struggled to fill.
Data from the CIES Football Observatory underscores the issue: between 2020 and 2025 Italy produced just 413 football exports, ranking 24th globally – behind the United States, Japan and Russia. All four of Europe’s other major leagues exported well over 1,000 players in the same period, indicating that Italian talent is no longer in high demand among the continent’s elite clubs.
The scarcity of young talent is also evident in the national team roster. 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 timeframe. Moreover, in 2025 Italy allocated a mere 1.9 % of Serie A playing 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’s own quality has suffered. While high‑profile veterans such as Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Jamie Vardy have been signed, the league has lacked fresh creative ideas. Managers like Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Gattuso, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri have rotated among the top clubs without delivering a clear tactical evolution.
In contrast, outsider influences have sparked success: Cesc Fàbregas’s appointment at Como led to a surprise Champions League qualification, and Ruben Amorim’s stint at AC Milan produced an exciting brand of football. There are, however, encouraging signs that Italy may be on the cusp of a renaissance.
Mancini’s first squad selection featured a blend of experience and youth, with nine uncapped players and eleven under‑23s in a 34‑man roster. 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, all part of what the media has dubbed a "young revolution." Inter’s rising forward Pio Esposito, who has already netted five goals in nine caps, joins the mix alongside FC Nürnberg’s prolific striker Ali Zoma (20 goals in 36 games in Germany’s second division) and Sporting CP midfielder Issa Doumbia. These players represent a new generation of Italian talent eager to prove themselves on the international stage. "We will have a mix of established veterans and younger players," Donnarumma explained.
"We need to integrate the youngsters properly; they have a lot to offer, and with the right guidance, Italy can return to its rightful place." Italy now faces a daunting Nations League Group A, sharing the pool with Belgium, Turkey and France – a test that will reveal whether the emerging talent can compete against top‑tier opposition. After years of darkness, the Azzurri need just one spark to reignite their fortunes.
For a deeper dive into Italy’s challenges and a preview of Mancini’s second tenure, tune in to The World Football Show this Thursday at 2 p.m. on Sky Sports News.