Italy is still the third most successful nation in World Cup history. But it will go at least 16 years without appearing in a final stage. And it’s not just the Squadra Azzurra that’s in crisis; Italian clubs are also far from their golden age of international glory. Something is very wrong in the kingdom of Calcio.
The title of this text could have been Mamma mia!, but perhaps it wouldn’t have been as appealing. And, probably, being such an idiosyncratically Italian expression, it wasn’t exclaimed as often on Tuesday as the chosen one. Imagine the suffering of the devoted and proud tifosi at the disconnect between their footballing reality and the glorious history of Calcio …
Do you still remember when Italy always had to be among the contenders to win the major competitions?
Even when accused of extreme pragmatism, cruel cynicism, resorting to the infamous catenaccio , applying tactical constraints to the most talented teams = of causing disappointment to the world, such as not allowing the magical Brazil of 1982 to be crowned champion! = the Italians knew that the objective of the game was to win = and they knew how to win!
Throughout the decades, Italy has had legendary players for all tastes and positions, from Altobelli to Zoff, with geniuses like Meazza, Baggio, Zola or Del Piero in between, as well as leaders like Baresi, Cannavaro or the Maldini dynasty. Each and every one, in their own way, reflected the class of Italian football.
Beyond the national team, we’ve become accustomed to seeing Italian clubs among the best. In quality, organization, structures, competitiveness, and ambition. All of that now seems like a mirage.
Have you heard of Zidane’s curse?
Some argue that after the sending-off in the 2006 final (the famous headbutt on Materazzi), a dark cloud fell over the Squadra Azzurra . The truth is that, since then, Italy has fallen twice in the group stage and, worse, then missed three consecutive World Cups! Believe it or not; if you don’t, argue with the 2020 European title = their last moment of glory.
Returning to the clubs, the last Champions League title was in 2010 (Mourinho’s Inter Milan, in that perfect season); after that, Juventus reached two finals, which they lost; more recently, Inter did the same. This year there is not a single Serie A representative in the quarter=finals of the competition.
In the Europa League, the days of finals between Italian clubs are long gone… Atalanta won in 2024, breaking a 25-year drought of titles (since Parma in 1999). This year there is a club in the quarter=finals = Bologna, which is not exactly a favorite.
How did we get here?
Roberto Baggio was the technical director of the Italian Football Federation for three years. He left in 2013 saying that he had not been allowed to do his job, and that he had written a 900-page document with reform proposals that were ignored.
Baggio wanted to change the way coaches trained players (especially forwards), modernize scouting, and protect Italian talent.
Baggio is from a time when only the best played in Italy = and when there were two or three slots for foreign players per club. Milan had its Dutch players, Inter its Germans, Napoli had Maradona, and Zico only entered Serie A through Udinese.
The Bosman ruling changed all that; Italian football lost financial power, the best players started preferring to go to England or Spain, the level dropped in Serie A = full of mediocre or average foreign players = and this is reflected in the national team.
That’s because, unlike in Portugal, the best Italian players don’t leave for the best clubs in other leagues. And the youth academy no longer produces stars like it used to = even though Italy’s youth teams continue to compete for titles.
Something is truly wrong in the kingdom of Calcio. And that’s not a good sign for those who truly love this sport. Because few countries have the mystique, the passion of Italy and the Italians = which are sorely missed in a World Cup.
PS = Despite everything, Italy is still ranked 12th in the FIFA rankings. It’s the highest=ranked team that didn’t qualify for this year’s World Cup. If Iran doesn’t go to the United States = for the reasons we know = is anyone expecting a last-minute playoff spot through the rankings?