Italy’s failure to reach the 2026 World Cup in North America has prompted strong debate, with Roberto Baggio insisting the national team must show faith in younger players while accepting that the Azzurri face several structural problems after another painful qualifying campaign.
The four-time world champions missed out on the 2026 finals following a play-off defeat against Bosnia-Herzegovina on penalties in March, extending a bleak run that already saw Italy absent from the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, and making Italy the first former winners to miss three straight World Cups.
The disappointment in Zenica led to Gennaro Gattuso stepping down as Italy head coach, leaving the federation searching for a replacement while reflecting on a starting line-up in that decisive match where every player was at least 26 years old, highlighting how few emerging Italian options were trusted on the biggest stage.
Italy have not appeared at a World Cup since 2014, a long gap for a country with such rich football history, and that drought frames Baggio’s concerns about how the national team is built, how talent pathways are managed and why younger Italians are struggling to gain opportunities in Serie A.
Baggio, who represented Italy at three World Cups and famously missed the decisive kick in the 1994 final defeat by Brazil, described the current situation as complex and pointed to a shortage of domestic footballers being trusted at the highest level within the Italian league.
The former playmaker believes the lack of young talent is one of the issues holding back the current side. “There are so many things to fix,” he told Corriere della Sera. “Kids aren’t playing in the street any more. And in Serie A, there are not many Italians.”
Baggio highlighted the growing reliance on naturalised players as a symptom of deeper weaknesses in youth development and club policy, saying: “If you have to go and get a player from somewhere else and naturalise them, it means that you haven’t been able to find an Italian ready at the same level.”
For Baggio, the solution requires a clear strategy that protects local talent and ensures meaningful chances at senior level. “We need to create a formula that really encourages the use of Italian youngsters. The talent is still there, but we have to seek it, protect it and recognise the value. And you need to have the courage to trust them.”
As Italy attempt to recover from another missed World Cup and appoint a new manager, Baggio’s comments add weight to calls for a deeper rebuild, focused on producing and promoting Italian youngsters so the Azzurri can again match historical achievements on future global stages.
Story first published: Monday, May 11, 2026, 2:23 [IST]
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