World Cup
Two Football Nations, One Shared Pain: Like Nigeria, Italy again at the brink of successive miss-out in World Cup
Just like Nigeria, whose World Cup journey ended painfully in Rabat on Sunday night, four-time world champions Italy are once again standing on the edge of a disastrous back-to-back World Cup miss-out.
On Sunday in Bergamo, Italy fell 4–1 at home to resurgent Norway in their final World Cup qualifying match — a defeat that forced the Azzurri into the playoffs for the third successive edition, and revived painful memories of their failed attempts to reach the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
For Nigeria, whose own heartbreak came only hours earlier, the Italian collapse felt eerily familiar: dominance without efficiency, hopes raised and dashed, and another detour into the dangerous uncertainty of playoffs.
Norway, who had not reached the World Cup since 1998, sealed qualification in style with a perfect record of eight wins. The emphatic 4–1 victory over Italy ensured they finished six points clear at the top of the group.
Italy came into the match needing nothing short of a miracle — a nine-goal win to overturn Norway’s superior goal difference.
They started with urgency and even took an early lead in the 11th minute through Francesco Pio Esposito. The hosts dominated the first half and threatened repeatedly, while Norway looked subdued and only produced a half-chance from Antonio Nusa.
But the second half belonged entirely to the visitors. Nusa levelled in the 63rd minute before Erling Haaland, left unmarked in a moment of shocking defensive lapse, fired home in the 78th minute and struck again one minute later to take his tally to 16 goals in the campaign.
Jorgen Strand Larsen added a fourth in stoppage time, completing a memorable night for the Norwegians — and a brutal one for the Italians.
Hours after Nigeria’s penalty shootout exit to DR Congo, Italy’s own nightmare unfolded. Before kickoff, Italians already knew their fate: the playoffs were inevitable unless they produced a historic scoreline.
It was a scenario they had seen too many times.
- In 2018, they finished behind Spain and lost their playoff to Sweden.
- In 2022, they finished behind Switzerland and were stunned by North Macedonia in the playoffs.
- Now, in 2026, they must survive yet another playoff to avoid a humiliating third straight absence from world football’s biggest stage.
Coach Gennaro Gattuso admitted the 4–1 scoreline was “heavy” and painful for the fans.
“We’ll find a solution. We want to reach the semi-finals, push through to the final, and earn our place at the World Cup,” he told Rai Sport.
“The first half was very good, but the second half was nowhere near the standard we set.”
Italy’s wastefulness in front of goal — a problem that has plagued them across multiple cycles — resurfaced again, mirroring the finishing troubles that haunted Nigeria during the qualifiers.
While Italy and Nigeria grappled with disappointment, Norway erupted in celebration. After nearly three decades of dashed hopes, setbacks and near-misses, their return to the World Cup felt like a national rebirth.
Captain Martin Ødegaard, despite being injured, described the feeling as “unreal.”
“We have stood in so much rubbish, so many setbacks. To be here in this moment means everything,” he told Norwegian TV2.
“We always believed, and now we are getting the reward.”
Two Football Nations, One Shared Pain
For Nigeria and Italy — nations with strong football traditions and passionate supporters — Sunday delivered a bitter parallel. Both entered the night with high expectations, both fell short, and both now watch the World Cup picture take shape without the comfort of security.
For Italy, the playoffs offer one final lifeline. For Nigeria, the road has reached its end. Yet on a night when global qualifying drama unfolded, the heartbreaks of Abuja and Rome felt painfully alike.
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Own goals are rapidly becoming one of the defining statistical features of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with Australia’s Cameron Burgess becoming the seventh player to inadvertently score against his own team.
Burgess’s unfortunate contribution came during Australia’s 2-0 Group D defeat to the United States, adding his name to a growing list of players who have experienced one of football’s most painful moments on the sport’s biggest stage.
The tally of seven own goals after the opening rounds of matches highlights an unusual trend at the tournament and has sparked debate among analysts over the reasons behind the phenomenon.
Among the possible explanations are the increased pace of modern football, relentless high pressing, defensive fatigue, and the pressure created by technically gifted attacking players.
Before Burgess’s own goal, six other players had already found the wrong net.
The US have twice benefited from own goals at the World Cup 2026
Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla was the first to suffer the misfortune, followed by Egypt defender Mohammed Hany. Iraq captain Aymen Hussein and Jordan’s Yazan Al-Arab also endured similar moments, while Qatar’s Mohamed Al-Mannai and Switzerland’s Miro Muheim completed the unwanted list.
While own goals have always been part of football, their frequency at the 2026 tournament has made them a notable talking point, with several matches significantly influenced by defensive errors and unfortunate deflections.
As the World Cup progresses, teams will be hoping to tighten up at the back and avoid joining a list that no player wishes to be part of.
World Cup 2026 Own Goals So Far
| Player | Country |
| Damian Bobadilla | Paraguay |
| Mohammed Hany | Egypt |
| Aymen Hussein | Iraq |
| Yazan Al-Arab | Jordan |
| Mohamed Al-Mannai | Qatar |
| Miro Muheim | Switzerland |
| Cameron Burgess | Australia |
Quick Facts
- Total own goals: 7
- Latest own goal: Cameron Burgess (Australia vs USA)
- Teams affected: Paraguay, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Switzerland and Australia
- Tournament trend: Own goals have featured prominently during the group stage and have become one of the notable statistical storylines of World Cup 2026.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK
Norway will look to strengthen their position in Group A when they take on Senegal in a potentially decisive FIFA World Cup 2026 encounter.
Much of the spotlight will once again fall on prolific striker Erling Haaland, who arrives in scintillating form. The Manchester City forward has scored an astonishing 22 goals in his last 11 competitive appearances for Norway and remains the Scandinavians’ biggest attacking threat.
Norway’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stage could hinge on Haaland maintaining that remarkable scoring run against a Senegal side renowned for their resilience and tournament experience.
The West Africans have built a reputation as difficult opponents on the global stage and possess an impressive record in second group-stage matches at the World Cup. Senegal have never lost their second fixture in the competition, recording one victory and two draws in their previous appearances.
With both teams eyeing a place in the last 32, the clash promises to be a fascinating battle between Norway’s attacking firepower and Senegal’s disciplined, organised approach.
A victory for either side would provide a significant boost to their qualification ambitions ahead of the final round of group matches.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK.
History could be made when Argentina take on Austria in Group E as Lionel Messi bids to become the outright leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.
Already among the most celebrated players the game has known, Messi has another opportunity to add to his remarkable legacy on football’s biggest stage. The Argentine captain will be the focal point as the South Americans seek to secure another important result in their quest for World Cup glory.
Standing in their way is an Austrian side contesting its 31st World Cup match. Interestingly, Austria have never been involved in a goalless draw at the finals, a statistic that suggests goals could once again be on the agenda.
Meanwhile, Jordan continue their search for a first-ever FIFA World Cup point when they face Algeria in another intriguing contest.
The Jordanians have shown admirable determination on their World Cup debut but now face an Algerian side eager to strengthen its position in the group.
The fixture also carries historical significance for Algeria. It comes exactly 12 years after the Desert Foxes defeated the Republic 4-2 in Brazil, their biggest victory margin in World Cup history and their only previous finals meeting with an Asian Football Confederation opponent.
Algeria will be hoping that the anniversary proves a good omen as they seek another positive result against AFC opposition, while Jordan aim to make history by collecting their first points on the world stage.
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