The Italian National Team Is Only A Spectator At The 2022 World Cup, Leonardo Bonucci: It Hurts

The captain and defender of the Italian national team, Leonardo Bonucci. (Photo: Instagram.com/@bonuccileo19)

JAKARTA - The captain and center-back of the Italian national team, Leonardo Bonucci, felt disappointed and sad when he was able to watch the Qatar 2022 World Cup opening party. Understandably, his country did not qualify for this year's World Cup because it lost to Macedonia in the playoffs last March.

The opening party of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar took place lively at the Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday, November 20 evening WIB. This event has attracted the attention of the public because it is broadcast in almost all corners of the world.

This euphoria was also not missed by the Gli Azzurri retainers. The opening party was held just hours before they had a friendly against Austria.

Roberto Mancini's men watched it at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna on screen.

The moment was later recognized by Bonucci as a painful thing. The Italian national team can only enjoy the fun as spectators, not participants.

"Of course, we still feel disappointment and sadness. Several players watched the opening ceremony of the World Cup, and this hurts," said Bonucci as quoted by Football Italia on Tuesday, November 22.

"However, we can't keep crying over something that has happened. That is the past and we cannot change it. Now, we look to the future", he continued.

The situation that makes Bonucci et al can only be spectators of the World Cup is not just this time. Gli Azzurri also missed this opportunity in a row during the 2018 edition of the World Cup in Russia.

After watching the opening of the 2022 World Cup and then appearing for a friendly match, Bonucci's sadness grew. Because in the match against Austria, Italy lost 0-2 to the hosts who scored through the execution of Xaver Schlager and David Alaba.