World Cup playoffs loom
©IMAGO
The Italian national team continues to be in good form under Gennaro Gattuso. Despite the 3-1 win against Estonia and the confident 3-0 win against Israel, qualification for the 2026 World Cup is in jeopardy. The 47-year-old has already joked about personal consequences if the Squadra Azzurra misses the tournament for the third time in a row.
“If I fail, I will have to leave Italy and move abroad,” said Gattuso after the game against Israel. Mateo Retegui (45th+2/74th) put the four-time world champion on the road to victory with a brace before Gianluca Mancini (90th+3) made the final score. It was the fourth win in the fourth game under Gattuso, who took over the team from Luciano Spalletti in June.
With two games to go, Italy is three points behind leaders Norway in Qualifying Group I, against whom they lost 3-0 in June. The Squadra Azzurra will still face Moldova and Norway. If Erling Haaland’s team wins its game against Estonia in November, even a victory for the Italians in a direct duel will probably not be enough, because Norway’s goal difference is 16 goals better. In the event of a tie, this determines placement.
Since only the first team in the group qualifies for the World Cup, Italy would have to play in the playoffs in March, which was their downfall at the last two World Cups. In 2017 they failed against Sweden, in 2022 the final stop was against North Macedonia. Since winning the World Cup in 2006, when Gattuso was still a player, Italy have not made it past the group stage.