Lionel Scaloni admitted he was saddened by Italy missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the four-time champions continue a worrying trend.
Italy’s absence marks a historic low point for one of football’s most decorated nations. For a third straight tournament, they will not be part of the global stage.
The failure has drawn reactions from across the football world. Scaloni was among those who spoke openly. And his response reflected both respect and disappointment.
Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP via Getty Images
Lionel Scaloni reacts to Italy missing the 2026 World Cup
Scaloni’s comments about Italy were shared by an X handle, where the Argentina boss made his feelings clear.
“What happened to Italy makes me sad. I have some Italian roots, besides having played there, it’s a brother country to Argentina and they love us a lot,” Scaloni said.
He added: “Not having them at the World Cup isn’t something Argentines like.”
Scaloni’s words underline the respect Italy still command globally. Their absence is felt beyond Europe.
It also highlights how unexpected this continued decline has been for a nation with such history. For many, Italy missing out again is one of the biggest shocks of the qualification cycle.
Italy playoff collapse confirms third straight World Cup miss
Italy’s campaign ended in a playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where they were eliminated after a penalty shootout loss.
The match finished 1-1 after extra time, but Italy lost 4-1 on penalties, sealing their exit from qualification.
They had taken the lead earlier in the game before being reduced to ten men, which shifted momentum late in the match. The equaliser forced extra time, and Italy were unable to recover control before the shootout defeat.
This result confirms their third consecutive absence from the World Cup, following failures in 2018 and 2022. For a nation of Italy’s stature, it represents a prolonged period of underperformance that continues to raise serious questions.
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