NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Italy made heartbreaking history Tuesday night when they missed their third straight attempt at the World Cup following a loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Italy is now the first World Cup-winning team to miss three consecutive tournaments following a penalty shootout defeat in the European playoffs.
The nation was once a football powerhouse, winning all four times, most recently in 2006. But recent years have not been kind to the Italian team, and they felt the pain of defeat after the match.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Pio Esposito of Italy disappointed during the KO play-off match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers between Bosnia and Herzegovina. Herzegovina and Italy at the Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Image photography agency)
“We still don’t believe it, that we are out and that it happened this way,” Italian Leonardo Spinazzola told reporters, according to the New York Post. “It is disturbing for everyone. For us, for our families and for all the children who have never seen Italy in a World Cup.”
After 90 minutes and extra time, both nations were locked in a 1-1 draw, with a penalty shootout needed to determine a winner. Italy eventually lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 on penalties, with Esmir Bajraktarevic securing the victory with the final goal.
THERE ARE SIX PLACES LEFT FOR THE WORLD CUP! ITALY, POLAND, JAMAICA AMONG THE TEAMS THAT CAN CLASSIFY
It didn’t help that Italy played with only 10 men on the field after Alessandro Bastoni received a red card before half-time. Bosnia and Herzegovina took advantage of the man advantage to tie the match in the 79th minute, when Haris Tabakovic scored the equalizer.
Italian defender Alessandro Bastoni receives a red card from the referee during the final football match of the European qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy at the Bilino-Polje stadium in Zenica on March 31, 2026. (Elvis BARUKCIC/AFP)
Moise Kean was able to score the first for Italy in the 15th minute, giving them the boost they were looking for before the match. However, in the end they were never able to recover.
While Italy remains one of only three nations to have won the World Cup four times in history, they can’t seem to find what it takes to reach the tournament.
In 2018, Italy fell to Sweden, while North Macedonia surprised them in 2022 in the qualifiers.
Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-off match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Srdjan Stevanovic – UEFA)
Now, Bosnia and Herzegovina will try their luck in Group B when the World Cup kicks off, starting with a match against Canada. They will also face Qatar and Switzerland in the group stage.
