Italy is out again in World Cup, Bosnia shootout wins qualify for first time since 2014
One of soccer’s historic powers has reached a once-unfathomable low.
Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup after getting beat in a penalty shootout with 10 men at 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs on Tuesday.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina earns a spot in the 2026 tournament, joining Group B with Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.
Moise Kean scored early on for Italy but then Azzurri center back Alessandro Bastoni was sent off with a direct red card before the break and Bosnia substitute Haris Tabakovic equalized in the 79th to send the game into extra time at 1-1.
The defeat added more misery for Italy’s once-proud national team after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.
Bosnia won the shootout 4-1 and qualified for the first time since 2014 — its only previous appearance.
In the shootout, Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their spot kicks and U.S.-born Esmir Bajraktarević converted the decisive penalty for Bosnia.
In Tuesday’s other European playoff finals, Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic each qualified. Sweden beat Poland 3-2; Turkey beat Kosovo 1-0; and the Czechs beat Denmark in a shootout.
Italy’s latest ouster means that the 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 champions will go at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.
Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions. Although the Azzurri did win the European Championship in 2021.
Italy’s last World Cup knockout match was when it won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.
The only other World Cup that Italy did not qualify for was in 1958.
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