Four-time champions Italy suffered a shocking elimination from World Cup contention on Tuesday, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout during their playoff final at the 14,000-capacity Bilino Polje Stadium.
The defeat marks Italy as the first former champions to miss three consecutive World Cups, with none of the current squad having previously featured at the tournament.
Italy started strongly, with Moise Kean opening the scoring early, but their momentum was disrupted before halftime when centre-back Alessandro Bastoni received a direct red card.
Bosnia seized the opportunity late in the match, as substitute Haris Tabakovic equalised in the 79th minute, sending the game to extra time at 1-1.
With Italy reduced to 10 men, neither side managed to find a winner in the additional 30 minutes. In the decisive penalty shootout, Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante failed to convert, while U.S.-born Esmir Bajraktarević scored the winning penalty, securing Bosnia’s historic victory.
“We still don’t believe it that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola said.
“It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families, and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”
The result continued Italy’s recent struggles on the global stage, following playoff eliminations by Sweden and North Macedonia in previous campaigns.
The Azzurri last won a World Cup knockout match in 2006, defeating France in the final.
Italy had reached Tuesday’s playoff final after a 2-0 semi-final victory over Northern Ireland, while Bosnia advanced by beating Wales in their own penalty shootout.
Elsewhere in Europe, Sweden and Türkiye secured their World Cup places.
Sweden defeated Poland 3-2, Türkiye edged Kosovo 1-0, and Czechia triumphed over Denmark in a shootout.
Italy’s absence from the upcoming tournament means that the 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006 champions would go at least 16 years without playing at a World Cup.
Their recent decline dated back to 2010 and 2014, when they failed to advance beyond the group stage, although they did lift the European Championship in 2021.
Italy had only previously failed to qualify once, in 1958.
Bosnia, making their second World Cup appearance after debuting in 2014, would compete in Group B alongside co-host Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.
The defeat has intensified scrutiny on coach Gennaro Gattuso, who was appointed in June following Luciano Spalletti’s dismissal.
Gattuso oversaw a six-match winning streak before Italy’s November loss to Norway, which left them second in their group and forced into the playoffs.
“I want to personally apologize since we didn’t make it,” Gattuso said. “Today talking about my future is not important. Today it was important to get to the World Cup.”
Despite Italy’s higher FIFA ranking of 12 compared to Bosnia’s lower position, the team struggled throughout the match, extending their World Cup absence yet again.
