Italy lost again in the World Cup after the victory in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The story will be another Italian apocalypse, another disaster for the nation that has won four World Cups, but is beginning to believe that it may not be headed for another one after losing for the third time in a row.

After North Macedonia’s bolt from the blue in 2022, and a two-legged defeat by Sweden five years earlier they found a new way to show themselves in 2026 – they were eliminated on penalties in their final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

But this night should also be remembered for the electric performance by the hosts, they are very deserving of the place they claimed in this summer’s competition. Although he fell behind before Moise Kean’s goal, Sergej Barbarez’s team kept their heads, kept attacking and eventually played the Italians out of the park. The only place they showed themselves was to score goals their performance deserved. Baile put that right in the shot, turning four on four.

There were more than enough chances to win the game during the 90 minutes. Even before Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for Italy at the end of the half, Bosnia and Herzegovina led on 11 shots to two. It took them until the 79th to find an equalizer through Haris Tabakovic, but it was enough. They battled through cagey extra time and won on penalties for the second time in five days.

As their celebrations began, the alarming situation in Italy continued. An entire generation of players will never know what it means to play in the World Cup. It was the then president of the Italian Football Federation, Carlo Tavecchio, who used the word “apocalypse” to describe the failure to qualify in 2018 – the first time Italy has missed out in 60 years – before taking responsibility and resigning. So what do we call it now that it has become a habit?

“It’s hard to digest,” said the Italian manager, Gennaro Gattuso. He thanked his players for their efforts, saying he thought they deserved better. He said: “Even today they surprised me with the heart they showed. “But we are talking about the twelfth time without going to the World Cup. I apologize for that.”

Italy looked nervous from the start, conceding just one chance in the third minute when Amar Memic was given space to cross from the left. His low cross crossed the six-yard box before Riccardo Calafiori chipped it past Manuel Locatelli for a corner. Ermedin Demirovic fired another shot that bounced before reaching the hands of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

What Gattuso’s side lacked control, they made up for with ruthlessness. Mateo Retegui’s pursuit of the Bosnian defender caused goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj to panic and give the ball straight to another Italian, Nicolò Barella. He found Kean, cutting through the middle, who fired a first-time finish into the top right corner. His sixth consecutive game against Italy.

Barbarez had joked before the start that if his team got first they might have to park the bus, but “if we give one, we might have to put it somewhere else”. They were using it now to chase their visitors all over the pitch now, driving well at their opponents with a team full of players who almost all seemed comfortable getting on the ball and dribbling.

Italy looked like a team about to hear the half-time whistle, even before Bastoni was sent off for a last-man foul on Memic. Gattuso responded to his dismissal by withdrawing the midfielder and sending on another defender, Federico Gatti. But the half ended with plenty of chances for Bosnia and the second started with Ermedin Demirovic failing to get his head to a cross by Memic.

Kean could have sealed the victory for Italy in the 60th minute. Reading Memic’s intentions on the play, he intercepted and ran past the home team’s midfielders. As Vasilj advanced, he fired early and shot high. Italy squandered that missed opportunity, as Tabakovic pounced on the back of Edin Dzeko’s attempt and forced the ball into extra time.

It took a more cautious pace. Perhaps the hosts were feeling tired from the 120 minutes they played against Wales. Italy appealed for their opponents to be reduced to 10 when Tarik Muharemovic brought down Marco Palestra, holding on after Sandro Tonali’s pass through the middle, but the defender received a yellow. Dzeko finished the game receiving treatment for a shoulder injury.

If Bosnia and Herzegovina were already troubling Italy as before, the visitors looked more relaxed until the penalties. But Francesco Esposito destroyed their first attempt on the crossbar, and Bryan Cristante hit his penalty against it.

While the hosts celebrated, Italy remained trapped in their own hell, the only World Cup winners not to qualify for this year’s edition. It doesn’t sound like a surprise anymore.