Italian football has hit a low point this season, with the nation’s clubs struggling on the continental stage and the national side facing an unprecedented crisis. No Italian team advanced beyond the quarter‑finals in Europe, and Atalanta was the sole Serie A representative to make it to the Champions League round of 16. Yet the domestic disappointment pales in comparison with the national team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup – a scenario that seemed unthinkable for a country that has lifted the trophy four times.
The first two missed qualifications were softened by the euphoria of the Euro 2020 triumph at Wembley, a victory that restored a measure of hope for the Azzurri faithful. The latest setback, however, proved to be the final straw. The expanded 48‑team World Cup omitted Italy altogether, prompting a cascade of resignations: head coach Gennaro Gattuso stepped down, Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina quit his post, and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon relinquished his role as team delegate. "It’s a very painful issue for me because missing three World Cups in a row is terrible, and Italy simply doesn’t deserve that," Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma told Sky Sports.
The captain’s words echo a collective sense of disappointment that has settled over the country. In a surprising twist, the Azzurri have turned back the clock. Roberto Mancini, the architect of the 2020 European Championship win, has been re‑appointed as head coach. Donnarumma summed up the new direction: "We have to work.
The only way forward is to work. With a new coach and the return of Mr. Mancini, our goal is to rebuild and bring Italy back to where it belongs." He continued, "I know it isn’t easy for the fans, but especially for us, because we understand how much it means to play in a competition like the World Cup.
We will give everything to restore Italy’s rightful place. History has taught us that Italy should always be there, so we must bring the team back to its proper standing." Indeed, Italy’s historical pedigree suggests it belongs among the elite, but the reality on the pitch tells a different story.
The 2022 World Cup disaster is merely the latest chapter in a long decline that began after the 2006 triumph. Twenty years after that penalty‑shootout victory over France, Italy has not reached a World Cup knockout stage. In fact, the Azzurri have recorded only one World Cup win since then – a 2‑1 triumph over England in Brazil 2014.
The 2012 European Championship run, which saw Italy finish as runners‑up, remains a bright spot, but the team has failed to recapture that form. Several factors contribute to the downturn. First, the pool of world‑class talent that powered the 2006 side – players like Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Del Piero – has dwindled. By 2012, the remnants of that generation were limited to Gianluigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo.
Since the retirements of stalwarts such as Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, the subsequent generation has struggled to fill the void. Data from the CIES Football Observatory underscores the issue: between 2020 and 2025 Italy produced just 413 exported players, ranking 24th globally – behind nations such as the United States, Japan and Russia. By contrast, the other four major European leagues each exported over 1,000 players in the same period, indicating that Italian talent is less sought after by the continent’s top clubs.
The scarcity of young talent is also evident in the national squad. From June 2025 to February 2026, only one capped player under the age of 24 – Inter’s forward Pio Esposito – featured for Italy, whereas England fielded a dozen youngsters in the same window. 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. This talent gap has rippled into Serie A itself.
While high‑profile veterans such as Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić and Jamie Vardy were signed, the league has struggled to produce home‑grown creativity. Managerial stagnation adds to the problem: figures like Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri, Gattuso, Luciano Spalletti and Maurizio Sarri have rotated among the top clubs with little variation in style. Even this summer saw Sarri move to Atalanta and Allegri to Juventus, perpetuating a familiar cycle.
Occasional breakthroughs, however, hint at a possible shift. Cesc Fàbregas’s tenure at Como, which culminated in a Champions League berth, demonstrates how fresh tactical ideas from outside Italy can invigorate the league. Similarly, Ruben Amorim’s influence at AC Milan has produced attractive football, suggesting that innovation can still arise. Mancini’s first squad selection offers further optimism.
The 34‑man roster featured nine uncapped players and eleven under‑23s, including Dortmund’s 18‑year‑old striker Samuele Inacio, Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor (soon to join Chelsea), and Brentford’s Michael Kayode. Alongside Inacio, promising talents such as Inter’s Pio Esposito – who has already netted five goals in nine caps – FC Nürnberg’s Ali Zoma (20 goals in 36 games in Germany’s second tier) and Sporting CP midfielder Issa Doumbia signal a budding new generation. "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 challenging Nations League group alongside Belgium, Turkey and France, a test that will gauge the progress of Mancini’s rebuilding project. For a nation that has lingered in obscurity for too long, a single spark could reignite the flame of past glory.
For deeper analysis of Italy’s current predicament and a preview of Roberto Mancini’s second spell, tune in to The World Football Show this Thursday at 2 pm on Sky Sports News.