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The FIFA World Cup 2026 is just days away, with 48 teams having qualified for the footballing major. Yet again this year, Italy will not play in the tournament held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
The team failed to qualify after losing 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia in the playoff final. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, with Moise Kean scoring for Italy and Haris Tabakovic equalizing for Bosnia. Meanwhile, talking about the setback, captain Gianluigi Donnarumma expressed his heartbreak and revealed that he cried after the loss.
Donnarumma admits he cried as Italy misses out of FIFA World Cup 2026
Donnarumma took over his official Instagram account to address the situation. He wrote:
“Last night, after the match, I cried.”
The Manchester City goalkeeper added:
“I cried with disappointment at not being able to take Italy to where it deserves to be. I cried because of the immense sadness I’m feeling together with the entire Azzurri squad of which I am proud to be captain, and which, I know, at this moment, you too are feeling, supporters of our national team.”
Donnarumma continued by stating that the team needs “a lot of strength, passion, and belief” to bounce back. The Italian, who has made 81 appearances for his national side, stated that he will fight to bring Italy back to where it deserves.
Italy played with 10 men following Alessandro Bastoni’s red card in the first half, and they faltered in the shootout as Bosnia advanced to their first World Cup since 2014.
The result marks the third consecutive major tournament absence for the Azzurri, who last appeared in the World Cup in 2014. As four-time champions, Italy’s repeated qualification failures represent a significant low point in their storied football history, prompting calls for reflection and rebuilding within the national team setup.
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