Third time unlucky

Rome: The first time was considered a fluke. The second was treated as a crisis. Now, with Italy failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, it has become almost expected for the once-proud soccer nation.

The four-time champions’ penalty shootout loss to 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the qualifying playoffs comes after the Azzurri were eliminated at the same stage by Sweden ahead of the 2018 World Cup and by North Macedonia in 2022.

A front-page editorial in the Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday labeled the latest ouster “The third apocalypse,” noting “there’s no longer a feeling of shock or an unexpected catastrophe. It’s becoming the norm.” The issues in Italian soccer extend beyond the national team. The last Italian club to win the Champions League was Inter Milan in 2010; while in this season’s continental competition, all four Italian clubs were eliminated before the quarterfinals.

“It’s like we’re not ready for the big match. We’re not ready when it matters … when you need to give that extra … when you have the pressure on,” Salvatore Corso, a 34-year-old Italian who works in a tech startup, said after watching the Italy defeat at a pub in Rome on Tuesday.

Sports Minister Andrea Abodi called on Italian soccer federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina to resign.

“It’s evident to everyone that Italian soccer needs to be overhauled,” Abodi said, “and that process needs to start with new leadership at the FIGC.”

National team neglected

Between the every-four-years failures, the national team gets neglected. One Italy coach after another has lobbied unsuccessfully

for more training camps outside the pre-set FIFA international breaks.

Under pressure from TV rights holders, Serie A consistently refuses to move up matches to give national team players more time to rest before Italy games.