Hello and welcome back to another rendition of the Full 90. I wanted to discuss the fallout of the final World Cup qualification spots. The biggest headline from these final qualifying matches came from Zenica, a small city in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the final playoff match, footballing powerhouse Italy visited the host city to decide which team will acquire the final spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Days prior, a video showed Italian players Federico Di Marco and Guillaume Vicario watching Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first-leg game against Wales. The Italian players celebrated and cheered when Wales fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout, insinuating that the easier opponent had one and that the Italians had an easier path to the World Cup.
“Gugliemo Vicaro from the Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Team on the field. Vicaro is the goalkeeper of his team. Photo courtesy @guglielmovicaro on Instagram.”
The actions of Di Marco and Vicario were ridiculed and widely discussed in the lead-up to the final showdown between Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with many soccer fans saying this was clearly Italy underestimating its opponents.
The game started with Italy controlling much of the possession. For long stretches of the game, the Italians kept control of the ball; however, they never really turned that possession into clear-cut chances in front of goal. The buildup was lethargic, allowing Bosnia and Herzegovina to stay compact and organized within a defensive low block.
The Bosnians were comfortable sitting deep, absorbing the pressure the Italians put on them, waiting for their moment to counterattack. Italy was able to find the back of the net in the 15th minute through Fiorentina striker Moise Kean. Nikola Vasilj could not clear his lines, and the ball fell to Italian midfielder Nicolò Barella, who rolled the ball into the path of Kean, who dispatched his goal with a touch of first-time class.
This was a dream start for Italy, allowing its long spells of possession to play in its favor and forcing the Bosnians to chase the game. This continued throughout the first half until the 40th minute when Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for a poorly timed challenge on Bosnian winger Amar Memić.
From a simple play like a goal kick, Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian goalkeeper, scuffs the ball, and the Bosnian midfielder heads it back into the path of Memic, who was through on goal until Bastoni chopped him down outside the box. Although the team hadn’t conceded a goal, this was a huge turning point in the game as Italy were now down to 10 men and Bosnia and Herzegovina could smell blood in the water.
Coming out of halftime, Bosnia and Herzegovina pushes forward and applies pressure to Italy’s 10-man defense. They continue to exert sustained pressure, forcing Italy to sit deeper and struggle to relieve it. The Bosnians create multiple chances until finally, in the 79th minute, the Italian defense breaks. Haris Tabaković equalized for Bosnia after a cross was fizzed in from the right flank. Donnarumma saved the first header, but the Italians could not clear, and Tabaković pounces to equalize in the 79th minute. The Bosnians push for another against the weakened Italian defense; however, at the end of regulation time, the game ends 1-1.
“Federico DiMarco about to kick the soccer ball during a game. He plays as a defender for Inter Milan. Photo courtesy of @federicodimarco on Instagram.”
The extra time period is best summed up through chaos and fatigue, with Italy’s faltering 10-man defense hanging on for dear life, now playing for penalties against a team some of them mocked before the match. Extra time finished, and penalties were in order to determine who would go to the 2026 World Cup. Bosnia and Herzegovina struck first in the shootout, with a well-placed driven penalty sending the Italian goalkeeper the wrong way. Italy’s first penalty is blasted over the net and into the sea of Bosnia fans behind the goal, showing the pressure and Italy’s repeated mistakes in crucial moments.
The second Bosnian penalty is scored beautifully into the top corner, taking a 2-0 lead. Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali dispatched Italy’s second penalty with class, bringing them back into it. The third Bosnian penalty is scored, and the gap narrows for Italy. The third penalty for Italy and the most important is rocketed off the crossbar and stays out of the Bosnian goal. Italy must save the next Bosnian penalty, or its World Cup dreams are over. Esmir Bajraktarević, born in Appleton, Wisconsin, representing Bosnia and Herzegovina, scored his penalty under the arms of Donnarumma to win the shootout 4-1 and send his team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the Italian curse continuing.
The crushing defeat further adds to the narrative around Italy’s “curse” in World Cup qualification. Since their last World Cup appearance in 2014, the Italians have fallen short in every World Cup qualification since.
It has been 12 years since their last appearance, and they have missed out on three different World Cup summers. For supporters, the disappointment cuts deeper each time they fail. The World Cup is not just a tournament for Italy. The four-time World Cup winners have missed out yet again on the opportunity to repeat their country’s best sporting moments, with many fans questioning the Italian football federation.
Times have changed for the once European powerhouse, with many fans wondering when it will be restored to its former glory. Until then, one of football’s most storied nations remains on the outside looking in, its legacy remaining intact but its future uncertain.