Italy, four time world champions, have always been known as a powerhouse in men’s football. But a generation of fans have not seen them play in a FIFA World Cup. And that will extend now to at least another four years.
Some would say the Azzurri are cursed following their 2006 World Cup triumph in Germany. But the more analytical followers of the game would simply term it as one of the steepest and most sustained declines in modern international football.
Italy’s 2006 triumph is more widely remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt on Marco Materazzi than for the football itself. The French midfield maestro’s final international outing ended with a red card in extra time, following a verbal altercation with Materazzi.
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Italy went on to win the match 5-3 on penalties, but two decades on, that victory stands in stark contrast to the Azzurri’s recent World Cup fate.
Here’s a look at how the four-time champions have fared in each World Cup tournament since scaling the summit in Berlin.
2010 South Africa: The Defending Champion Curse
Italy arrived in South Africa as reigning champions but failed to register a single win. Draws against Paraguay and New Zealand left them needing a win against Slovakia in their final outing. The Azzurri went on to lose 3-2, ultimately finishing at the bottom of Group F, becoming one of the few defending champions to exit the tournament in the group stage without a single win.
2014 Brazil: The Infamous Bite And Another Group Stage Exit
Italy’s 2014 campaign began with a faint glimmer of hope as they managed a 2-1 win over England. However, a surprise 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica left them needing a win in their final group outing to qualify for the next round. Italy’s final game was against Uruguay, a match overshadowed by Luis Suárez’s bite on Giorgio Chiellini and a red card to Claudio Marchisio.
Diego Godin’s late header saw Uruguay leapfrog Italy to finish in second spot while the Azzurri bowed out of the tournament, finishing third in the group. Little did anyone know that the chaotic encounter would be their last World Cup appearance, atleast for the next 16 years.
2018 Russia: The Sixty-Year Shock
Italy missed the World Cup for the first time since 1958 after a playoff defeat to Sweden. A 1-0 loss in the first leg and a goalless draw in Milan sealed their elimination. The result triggered widespread scrutiny of Italy’s footballing structure, while marking the international end for several senior players, with legends and World Cup winners such as Gianluigi Buffon and Daniele De Rossi exiting the international stage in tears.
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2022 Qatar: From European Kings to Global Outcasts
Despite winning Euro 2020 (2021), Italy’s World Cup qualifying campaign faltered due to a series of draws, including missed penalties in key fixtures. In the playoffs, they dominated North Macedonia but conceded a stoppage-time goal to lose 1-0. The defeat confirmed back-to-back World Cup absences for the first time in their storied history.
2026 USA, Canada & Mexico: First Former Champions To Miss Three Consecutive Tournaments
Italy’s failure to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup underscores the depth of the decline. After finishing behind Norway in their group, they fell to Bosnia & Herzegovina in their final playoff game. Reduced to 10 men early in the game, the Azzurri held on for a 1-1 draw but barring Sandro Tonali, no other player could convert from the spot as they lost 4-1 in the shootout.
The decline is stark. Since 2006, Italy have not progressed beyond the group stage, with the final in Berlin remaining their last World Cup knockout match. Their failure to qualify for the 2026 edition means they will go at least 24 years without playing another World Cup knockout match, a gap that fans of Italian football will hope does not extend further.
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