Without Italy but with Iran: this is how the World Cup will be
Bosnia, executioner of the Italians in penalties, qualifies at the last minute along with the Czech Republic, Sweden and Turkey
BarcelonaAll groups for the summer World Cup, which will take place between June 11 and July 19, have now been defined. It will be the biggest edition in the competition's history, with 48 teams, 104 matches, and 16 venues spread across various cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It will be the last World Cup for football legends like Leo Messi, the reigning champion with Argentina in the 2022 edition held in Qatar, or Cristiano Ronaldo, with a Portugal that is among the favorites. Also among the favorites are Lamine Yamal's Spanish team, winner of the last European Championship (2024), Kylian Mbappé's France – the current World Cup runner-up – or Brazil. However, Italy will not be there for the third consecutive time.
The penalty shootout elimination of the transalpine team in the playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a national drama (1-1, 4-1). If eight years ago they were eliminated by Sweden and four years ago they fell to North Macedonia, this Tuesday the Italians lost to the Bosnians in a match played in Zenica where Moise Kean scored to make it 0-1, but a red card before halftime for Bastoni, Inter Milan's center-back, ended up conditioning everything. The Bosnians equalized thanks to Tabakovic with 10 minutes left, and the match was decided in a penalty shootout, in which Pio Exposito and Cristante missed. Bosnia and Herzegovina, who did not miss any, qualified for their second final tournament just days after eliminating Wales, also on penalties.
The Italians, a team with four World Cups won that had also won the 2020 European Championship, have now gone three World Cups without qualifying, something that had never happened before. The last World Cup they had played in was Brazil in 2014, when they were eliminated in the group stage. The 2014 World Cup was also the first for Bosnia, who will now return to a final phase for the second time in a match in which their great star, Edin Dzeko, ended up injured. The current Schalke 04 player is one of the survivors of that team.
After finishing behind Norway in the group stage, Gattuso's team –which, despite the defeat, received the support of the president of the Italian Football Federation, Gabriele Gravina– had defeated Northern Ireland in the play-off semi-finals, but fell at the last hurdle, against the Bosnians. Bastoni's red card in the 41st minute was decisive. Until then, Italy was controlling the match. But losing a player gave the locals a boost. Bastoni had already received a lot of criticism this season for some unsportsmanlike conduct, such as when he faked an assault during an Inter-Juve match, and has ended up at the center of criticism for the Italian national team.
Gattusso, for his part, took charge of the team after Luciano Spalletti was sacked a year ago, and with him the team had improved results, but without achieving their goal of being in the World Cup. He has said he does not intend to resign. The Italians, World Cup champions in 2006, did not advance from the group stage in 2010 or 2014. And then came the drama with the three play-off defeats against the Swedes, Macedonians, and now the Bosnians. Previously, Italy had played in absolutely all World Cups except on two occasions, in 1930 when they withdrew and in 1958 when they were eliminated by Northern Ireland.
Lewandowski, without a World Cup
The blaugrana Lewandowski will also not be at the World Cup: Poland fell 3-2 against Roony's Sweden, who was ruled out for the match. The Turkey of the madridista Güler broke Kosovo's heart (0-1) and returns to a World Cup 24 years later. Christensen's Denmark (injured) was eliminated by the Czech Republic on penalties (2-2, 3-1). With these matches, all qualified European teams were defined. The Czech Republic completes group A with Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea, while Turkey will go to the group formed by Paraguay, the United States, and Australia. Bosnia is placed in group B, in which it will compete with Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland, and Sweden will play against the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
Iran will be at the World Cup, Infantino guarantees
The Democratic Republic of the Congo beat Jamaica in extra time (1-0), and has entered group K, with Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia. It will be the second World Cup for the Congolese, since in 1974 they played when it was still called Zaire. The last ticket for the World Cup was secured by Iraq, after defeating Bolivia (1-2) and the Asian country returns to a World Cup 40 years later. They will play in group I, with France, Senegal and Norway. Iran will also be in the World Cup, assured Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president. The Iranian team, in group G with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, has asked to play the group stage matches in Mexico and not in the United States.