ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Francesco Pio Esposito shows his dejection of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
Italian national teams are serial winners and finalists at various age levels but have missed three World Cups in a row. Giancarlo Rinaldi looks at why their teenage starlets keep failing to make the grade.
Maybe, like Roberto Baggio when he was being substituted by Arrigo Sacchi, people thought he was mad. And yet, there was a message Roberto Mancini was trying to send when he claimed that Simone Pafundi was the first name on his call-up list. Italy needs to cherish its young players more and have a bit more faith in them if it hopes to succeed. Otherwise, qualification for international football’s biggest competition may remain little more than a mirage.
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