Italy has spent the past decade in an unfamiliar place: watching major tournaments from home. Missing the 2026 World Cup marked their third consecutive absence from football's biggest stage. Structural issues run deep through Italian football.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The decline of the four-time world champions remains hard to overstate. A generation featuring Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci retired without leaving clear successors. Domestic academies failed to produce elite talent to fill the void.
The Italian Football Federation has initiated structural changes from top to bottom. Qualifying for Euro 2028 represents the minimum standard required during this rebuilding process. Officials recognize papering over the cracks is no longer an option.
Targeting an elite manager remains central to the federation's long-term project. Reports link Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to the role ahead of Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. Hiring a proven winner would signal a genuine shift in ambition.
According to recent reports, Germany's appointment of Jürgen Klopp serves as a blueprint for the Azzurri. Italy must prove it can build a modern international side. Qualifying for Euro 2028 is merely the first step toward restoring former glory.