Ahead of the 2026 World Cup: Why did the Italian Azzurri fail to make the final round?

JAKARTA - Why Gli Azzurri Italy, The Blues in modern football times, after their name became the FIFA World Cup (Jules Rimet Cup era, failed 1958), actually failed for the third time, alias hattrick: 2018, 2022 and 2026? For Italian national team fans, it is certain to be sad, frustrated and angry. The reason is that Italy, one of the world's elite teams, has won the world championship four times in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006.

In the history of football tactics, Italy is also one of the inventors of the "Catenaccio" tactic, from the figure of Helenio Hererra, coach of Inter Milan 1960-68. And the concept of tactics from the World Cup that was very prominent at that time.

Then, it was changed as the most hated tactic by any club or national team. Because the concept of Catenaccio, is negative football, using the libero, and in front of it there is a double centre-back. Benfica, which had Eusebio in his time, as the most super-violent striker, was defeated by Inter Milan, in the 1965 European Cup final. Inter always won quite easily with a score of 1-0.

However, entering the Italian golden age, starting when Serie A was really very super glamorous, as the most luxurious competition in 1983 - 1995. Where, all the football celebrities, play in the Italian League.

Let's just say, Michael Platini, Zico, Falcao, Ian Rush, Enzo Scifo, Michael Laudrup, Diego Maradona, Careca, Alemao, Lotthar Matthaes, Juegen Klismann, Andreas Brehme, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, Frank Rikjaard, Gianluca Vialli, Giuseppe Gianinni, Franco Baresi, Maolo Maldini, Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto Donadoni, George Weah, Tomas Brolin, Glenn Hysen, and Ramon Diaz.

In the film "Histoty of Football", the theme "Head to Head" between Marco Van Basten versus Juergen Klinsmann, plus four panelists Lotthar Mattheus, Gary Lineker, Ryan Giggs and Gianfranco Zola, mention simultaneously, whose points - that in the 80s, the Serie A competition was very glamorous, very tight competition and very close to the World Cup.

Therefore, when deciding Marco van Basten, he was more powerful than Klinsmann, although Klinsmann had won the world champion with West Germany in 1990. In fact, all panelists, chose Basten as the winner.

Likewise, when "head to head" between Pele vs Maradona, the four finalists above also choose with criteria, skills, teamwork, assists, and big names and legends. Therefore, Maradona is more superior, than Pele who won three world championships, while Maradona only once won the world championship title. Why?

Because, in 1986, Maradona's move from Barcelona to Napoli was considered one of his strengths in achieving the title as a legendary player of the 20th century. Imagine, at that time, Napoli was one of the few low-caste clubs from southern Italy, it was Maradona's choice. At that time, Maradona was very optimistic and super confident, "I promise to bring Napoli to the championship," he said.

At that time, Maradona's promises were more effective and honest, rather than politicians and gangsters in the city of Naples, which was poor, poor and used to a lot of crime in all corners of the city. However, when Maradona's promise was fulfilled, at that time Maradona was immediately hailed as a "Saint" - the savior of the city of Naples, as well as burying all the dreams of clubs of the caliber of AC Milan, Juventus, and Inter Milan, which at that time, were swarming with stars and used to be champions.

That is what made Matthaes, Lineker, Zola and Giggs choose Maradona over Pele, who never played in Europe's super-tightest top-flight competition.

Compare, with the bustle of the Serie A competition in the 21st century. Since the bribery case hit Italian football 2002-2006. And, then when Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, many world football observers considered it a "accident". If Zidane did not head Materazzi, it could have been Italy home with sadness.

Around that time, the Italian players only left two players who were truly geniuses, namely Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso. The rest, the players who were called into the Italian national team squad, were average. And, now when failing to Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and AS/Canada/Mexico 2026, in addition to the competition getting worse, it also did not produce world-class stars, except Sandro Tonali, who plays at Newcastle United.

When I covered Euro 88 in West Germany, back then - Italy, it was already buzzing with the name of "young guns" Gianluca Vialli, 19 years old.

Compare, with the three names of the young Italian national team in 2018. At that time, there were names such as striker Patrick Cutrone (20/AC Milan), Federico Chiesa (20/Fiorentina), and midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini (21/AS Roma). However, since Roberto Mancini has been in charge, the young players should be given the mandate as starters.

When the 2022 Azzurri failed to reach Qatar, Roberto Mancini again did not give flying hours to young people, such as Sandro Tonali (21 years old/AC Milan), Samuele Ricci (20 years old/Torino FC), Salvatore Esposito (20 years old/Spezia Calcio), Fabio Mirreti (19 years old/Juventus), and Matteo Cancellieri (19 years old/Lazio Roma).

The impact, when the Italian national team failed for the third time, this 2026 season. Nongol analysis of Roberto Baggio. Namely, when Baggio was appointed as the Technical Director of the FIGC or PSSI of Italy, in 2010.

Baggio, gathered the 50 best people in the sector of coaches, technocrats, sports experts, and consultants. The result, the Italian PSSI, had to overhaul, the youth coaching system, in the form of a 900-page book, in 2011.

The essence of the Italian football revolution, Baggio's idea of changing the outlook at the academy level, which does not prioritize physical problems, but also technical aspects, namely ball possession, decision-making, intelligence of the game. The point is, prioritize technique over tactical strategy.

Roberto Baggio, who won the 1993 Ballon d'Or, also gave an important note, about coaches at the youth level, with a good educational background, not only in football. The point is, Baggio gives firmness, so that collaboration between researchers from universities and coaching teams.

In fact, Baggio broke into the FIGC, that his PSSI Italy must build a training center in 100 districts in this Spaghetti Country. So that, the number of matches in the age group, is more. And, talented players, have a flying hour that is already qualified since a young age.

As a player, who once felt deeply disappointed, when he failed to take a penalty kick, in the 1994 World Cup final, against Brazil, Baggio also emphasized, that all talented players at a young age, have a statistical record, and their development can be recorded neatly. So that, children are easy to monitor since they are potential seeds.

More importantly, in the 900-page "White Paper" of the FIGC, Baggio emphasized moral education, as long as they are at a young age, so that morality, ethics and social responsibility. Baggio's ambition is that, from a young age, Italian children are educated to form intelligent individuals, not just as football athletes.

Because, the Italian PSSI's 900-page book, which was only displayed in the FIGC office, and, as a result, in 2026, the Italian national team, failed to qualify for the "hattrick" failed to qualify for the greatest party in the sky, in a row. Tragic!

Similarly, Erick Thohir, who doesn't understand the history of national football. Doesn't understand the intricacies of forming the Indonesian national team. And, never knew, that, PSSI has been 30 years, not holding a competition for coaching. Erick Thohir's tricks make the Indonesian national team seem like a luxury item, by stealing other countries' coaching, taking the shortcut of naturalization.

So what are the three reasons Italy failed to go to Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and the US/Canada/Mexico 2026? Two reasons from within the country, one from outside Italy.

First and second, the coaches of the Italian national team, did not experience a very depressing pressure, as Enzo Bearzot experienced when he held Italy 1982 and Azeglio Vicini when he held Italy 1990. Almost in that era, besides the press and television, as well as all Italian football fans, no one agreed and was confused when Enzo Bearzot chose Paolo Rossi, due to the case of bribery. Meanwhile, Vicini recruited Salvatore Schillaci as a "child of a cough".

The third problem from outside Italy, which is rarely analyzed, is that there are many third-class countries from the 55 UEFA member countries - the European football federation, in the 2022 World Cup, such as Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland, Wales, Slovenia, Ukraine, Montenegro, Georgia, have entered the 2nd class radar, and are ready at any time, to enter the first class.

Meanwhile, the second-class countries, often eliminated in the European zone group stage, such as Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Rep. Ireland. Denmark, Poland, Northern Ireland, in the 90s were always present, now they are just spectators.

Now, in the 2026 World Cup, the names of European countries from the 2nd and 3rd classes, there is always a surprise, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Scotland, and Sweden, will be a nightmare for the highest class countries, which have won the World Cup and European Cup titles, such as Germany, France, Spain, England, Portugal, and the Netherlands.

There is a tradition and the greatness of the team which is now coached by Luciano Spalletti and Gennaro Gattuso, as a trace of history. Or, later there will be the next successor to Gattuso. If you want to form the Italian national team. Must, there is a trace of "mess", for example, bribery, or there is a big scandal.

"In my opinion, don't hesitate, the Italian coach later, who tends to like dissent, and don't care about the press, television, or tifosi. Rather, find a genius player even if he likes to be in trouble.

Don't hesitate to look for players who can suddenly be scored as heroes. For example, when recruiting Paolo Rossi (1982) and Toto Schillaci (1990). As well as during the 2006 World Cup bribery scandal.

Can the Italian national team, produce the "guardian of the spirit" libero-libero of the famous Italian tactics like "Catenaccio" which was awarded the title of the greatest tactics of all time, which was played in Claudio Gentile (World Cup 1982 and 1986) and Franco Baresi (World Cup 1990 and 1994), and Fabio Cannavaro (2006)?

Embarrassing, is the most despicable word for the current Italian national team. It's just that football never dies, giving birth to things that come close and score luck and miracles.

Italy, once had many wonders. We just have to wait for the 2030 World Cup, at least in the 2028 Euro, there will be a European football party - and hopefully Italy will not stumble again. Shame ah with Bosnia and Herzegovina.