when will Italy’s national soccer team rebuild from the ruins… three straight World Cups at stake

italy suffers another shocking World Cup qualifying defeat

in their first European qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Italy suffered a humiliating 0-3 loss to Norway, a devastating result that raised the possibility of a third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup, following Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
italy currently sits nine points behind Norway, with Norway having won all four games and a superior goal difference. Italy has played two fewer games, but must win all five of their remaining matches to qualify. a recent 2-0 win over Moldova was a consolation, but it doesn’t mean much against an opponent ranked 154th in the FIFA rankings.

‘Savior’ Spalletti’s departure…what went wrong?

luciano Spalletti, who was appointed as Napoli’s Scudetto-winning coach in August 2023, announced his resignation shortly after the match against Norway after six defeats in 24 games. a poor Euro 2024, a flurry of Nations League performances, and a last-minute tactical change (from 3-4-2-1 to 3-5-2) followed, and Spalletti was left with a limited squad. “Spalletti confused us with too many tactical ideas,” said local media.

structural problems in Italian soccer: generational change vs. methodology crisis

it wasn’t just Spalletti, but the entire Italian soccer system had long been ailing. only 34-36% of players in Serie A are Italian, and youth teams are taught to be more tactical and physical than creative. in contrast, countries like Spain, Germany, and France emphasize technical skills and creativity.
former AC Milan coach Fabio Capello criticized Italy’s youth teams for being “obsessed with tactical discipline and safe play, rather than creativity.” Despite recent youth successes, including U-17 and U-19 European champions and U-20 World Cup runners-up, few prospects are getting first-team opportunities.

closing thoughts

italy is a four-time World Cup winner and a symbol of European soccer, but the past decade has seen a string of failures that have not lived up to its reputation. it’s not Spalletti’s failure alone, but the entire Italian soccer system that is under fundamental questioning, and it’s time for a shift in philosophy and structural reforms over tactics. football fans around the world are watching to see if Italy can rise from the ruins.