After their play-off heartbreak for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Italy face another nerve-wracking route to the finals. No former winner of the World Cup has missed out on the finals three times in a row. Italy must do it the hard way if they are to avoid an unwanted piece of history. "It won't be easy, not at all," sad Verri, who added there is an issue "with the speed of the game" in Italy. "Italy have four World Cups, so there is still an expectation to be competitive in every game," Verri said.

Source: BBC March 23, 2026 14:16 UTC