The Azzurri's failure to reach Qatar 2022 sparks calls for federation chief's head as Italian football hits rock bottom.
Italian football is in complete meltdown after the four-time World Cup winners crashed out of qualification for Qatar 2022, marking an unprecedented third consecutive tournament absence. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi has publicly demanded FIGC President Gabriele Gravina step down immediately, as the nation grapples with its biggest sporting humiliation in decades.
The Azzurri's spectacular fall from grace is staggering – just over a year after lifting the European Championship trophy at Wembley, they've become the first former world champions to miss three straight World Cups. Their qualification campaign was a masterclass in underachievement, stumbling against lesser opposition and failing to secure automatic qualification from their group.
While Italy wallows in despair, African nations are celebrating a golden era on the global stage. Five African teams have secured spots in Qatar – Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Ghana – matching the continent's best-ever World Cup representation. The contrast couldn't be starker as African football continues its meteoric rise while traditional European giants stumble.
Gravina's position looks increasingly untenable as calls for wholesale changes echo throughout Italian football. The federation chief, who has overseen this historic decline, faces mounting pressure from government officials, media, and furious fans who watched their beloved Azzurri become a cautionary tale of complacency and poor leadership.
