Italy’s World Cup Hopes Dwindle After Narrow Win Over Moldova
CHIȘINĂU, Moldova — The pressure intensifies when prestigious nations face elimination, and Italy finds itself on the brink of a World Cup crisis. Despite not yet missing out on the 2026 World Cup, the atmosphere surrounding the Azzurri is fraught with disappointment.
After securing a late 2-0 victory against Moldova, Italian player Federico Dimarco could not wait to exit the field, and neither did his teammates or coach Gennaro Gattuso. None acknowledged the 400 supporters who traveled to Chișinău, following protests against the Italian Federation and jeers directed at the players and Gattuso, who has been at the helm since June.
Gattuso responded to the frustrated fans, emphasizing the burden they all carry. “This isn’t the time for anyone to suggest the players find other jobs,” he stated. “I cannot accept the boos from fans. Unity is necessary now more than ever.”
The match against Moldova marked Italy’s sixth win in their last seven attempts in Group I of UEFA World Cup qualifying. However, a 2-0 scoreline is insufficient, as the four-time World Champions need to trounce Norway by nine goals in Milan on Sunday to qualify for their first World Cup since 2014.
Italy struggled to break through against Moldova, only managing to score after 88 minutes from a header by Gianluca Mancini. The prospect of achieving a nine-goal victory seems nearly impossible against a Norwegian team boasting a perfect record in the group.
If Italy falls short, they may face a playoff draw against perennial challengers like Sweden and North Macedonia, who previously thwarted Italy’s World Cup ambitions in 2018 and 2022, respectively.
Dimarco and his teammates exhibited their discomfort post-match by quickly leaving the field. They are aware of the looming threat of Italy becoming one of the sport’s giants to miss a World Cup for the third consecutive time, having qualified for 14 straight tournaments prior.
Gattuso expressed frustration about the changes in World Cup qualification. “Previously, the best runners-up moved directly to the World Cup, but that is no longer the case,” he remarked.
He believes the current structure necessitates revision, particularly when comparing it to South America, where a greater proportion of teams qualify directly. Italy’s juxtaposition with teams like Germany, Spain, England, and France, who haven’t faced similar struggles, adds to the pressure.
Italy’s disappointing 3-0 loss to Norway at the beginning of the qualification campaign was a substantial setback, resulting in the dismissal of former coach Luciano Spalletti.
Norway’s striking performances have significantly boosted their goal difference, markedly expanding the gap between them and Italy, which capped off its chances despite five consecutive victories.
Norwegian star Erling Haaland has scored 14 goals in the qualification round, vastly outpacing Italy’s top scorer, Mateo Retegui, who has only five.
As the playoff scenarios loom once more, Italy faces the daunting task of escaping another qualification crisis. Their recent performance against Moldova was disappointing, emphasizing their need for improvement in the final game against Norway.
Italy had the opportunity to create hope ahead of their final match, needing a dominating win against Moldova to maintain slim aspirations of a miracle outcome against Norway. However, as they departed the pitch, the reality of their situation set in.
With a final score of 4-0 against Estonia, Norway quashed any chance Italy had for qualification before they even took the field, forcing Italy into a position where they would need a monumental 19-goal swing to progress.
Despite lingering hopes of enhancing their squad with players like Moise Kean and Federico Chiesa returning from injury, as well as Riccardo Calafiori regaining fitness, Italy’s current state remains precarious. The team squad’s shortcomings could cost them dearly as they prepare for yet another grueling playoff, firmly aware of their questionable status in the footballing world.
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