Italy Failed To Participate In Two Consecutive World Cup Events

The Italian national team suffered a tragic fate when the defending European champions failed to qualify for the next World Cup.

The Italian national team has failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The certainty comes after Gli Azzurri was humiliated by North Macedonia in the 2022 World Cup play-off semi-final at Renzo Barbera in Palermo on Thursday (24 March 2022).

As the hosts with all statistical advantages, Roberto Mancini's side lost 1-0 due to an injury-time goal. Aleksandar Trajkovski hits Gianluigi Donnarumma's goal from a long-range shoot.

As a result, the Italian national team has entered a pit of regret just eight months after winning the Euro 2020 championship cup. Last July, the Gli Azzurri beat England on penalties to win the European Cup.

With the team material that is not much different and the same coach, the Italian national team now has failed to advance to the 2022 World Cup.

It's tragic because it's the first time in their history that Gli Azzurri has experienced something like this. Italy has missed two consecutive World Cups for the first time since missing Russia in 2018.

In addition, Italy must join the ranks of the worst European champions who have failed to advance to the world cup after their success in European. Czechoslovakia, Denmark, and Greece make up this rare list.

The Czechs were Euro 1976 winners but were knocked out of qualifying for the 1978 World Cup. Denmark missed the 1994 World Cup just two years after unexpectedly becoming champions at the 1992 European Championships. Then Greece suffered a similar fate, unable to continue its success from Euro 2004 to the 2006 World Cup. This year, the Italian national team suffered a serious setback.