World Cup
Italy risk third straight World Cup absence as 2006 winners lament two‑decade decline
Italy’s failure to develop and trust young players lies at the heart of a 20-year decline, 2006 World Cup winners Massimo Oddo and Marco Amelia told Reuters, as the Azzurri head into another playoff at risk of missing a third successive finals.
After lifting the trophy 20 years ago, Italy crashed out at the group stage in the next two editions, winning just one game. They have since missed the last two World Cups, losing out in the playoffs.
Former goalkeeper Amelia says those results were not isolated setbacks.
“The victory in 2006 covered and hid the limits that the national system already had in terms of structures and preparation,” Amelia said.
“We didn’t put enough faith in promising young players, and clubs invested too little in long-term planning.
“In Serie A there’s a very high percentage of foreign players. The only way to change this is for clubs to invest more in young Italians, knowing that some of those investments might fail.”
According to former defender Oddo, Italian football has been left behind.
“Other leagues have overtaken Serie A, due to economic and infrastructural factors,” Oddo said
“Before, Italian players never went abroad. Now they do, and mediocre players arrive in Italy, taking space away from Italians. Italian football should modernise the youth sector, because the talent exists, but is not well supported.”
Oddo, now coach of AC Milan’s reserve team, believes a complete mentality shift is needed.
“Much more should be invested in those who are called coaches and turn them into educators,” he said.
“You have to focus a lot on the individual growth of the boys, not so much on results. Today, the coach is questioned even in the youth sector. Everyone expects results, and if results don’t come, the coach is replaced.
“Where this kind of problem exists, the coach ends up playing the boy who is perhaps readier, but who has less long-term potential.”
A FALSE DAWN
Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph briefly masked deeper problems.
“At both the World Cup and Euros we won, Italy did what it had to do, relying on a strong defensive unit,” Oddo said.
“(Alessandro) Nesta, (Marco) Materazzi, (Gianluca) Zambrotta in 2006, (Giorgio) Chiellini and (Leonardo) Bonucci at the Euros.
“And the great defenders we once had – I believe Chiellini was the last truly great Italian defender – no longer exist.”
Amelia agreed that the Euros were not a turning point, pointing to the current qualifying campaign that included two heavy defeats by Norway and left Italy as group runners-up.
“Italy won the Euros playing a more modern football, but also relying on what has always been our DNA – the ability to defend well,” he said.
“In qualifying we conceded too much. Now we need to think about results, and results come from teams that know how to defend well and make the most of their attacking qualities.”
Italy’s only previous failure to reach a World Cup before this barren spell came in 1958, when they finished behind Northern Ireland in their qualifying group.
On Thursday they face the same opponent in a playoff semi-final in Bergamo, with the winners travelling to meet Wales or Bosnia & Herzegovina for a place at the finals.
“Failing to qualify for the World Cup would be an enormous blow, above all on an economic level,” Oddo said.
“Also for everything around football, the media, the fans. This lack of results at international level dents the enthusiasm of the fans, which is fading, that’s the harsh reality.”
Amelia believes the outcome of the playoff should not distract from the wider issues.
“Not qualifying wouldn’t be a disaster,” he said.
“It would simply be a reality that needs to be analysed properly, because even if we do qualify, the problems of Italian football remain the same.”
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja.
The race for the final places at the FIFA World Cup 2026 enters its decisive phase this week, with six nations set to compete in the intercontinental play-off tournament beginning on 26 March.
Bolivia, DR Congo, Jamaica, Iraq, New Caledonia and Suriname will battle for just two remaining tickets to the expanded 48-team global finals, bringing years of qualification campaigns down to a handful of decisive matches.
The tournament will be staged in Mexico, with matches played at Guadalajara and Monterrey, where semi-finals will take place on 26 March before the finals on 31 March.
Pathway One: DR Congo Await Opponent
In Guadalajara, New Caledonia face Jamaica in the opening semi-final, with the winner advancing to meet DR Congo in the decisive clash.
For DR Congo, this represents a chance to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they competed as Zaire. Their journey to this stage has been remarkable, having eliminated continental heavyweights Cameroon and Nigeria in African qualifying.
Jamaica, seeking a first World Cup appearance since France 1998, will rely on the attacking threat of players such as Leon Bailey, while New Caledonia are chasing a historic debut on the global stage.
The winner of this pathway will advance to a challenging group featuring Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan at the World Cup.
Pathway Two: Bolivia, Iraq Eye Return
In Monterrey, Bolivia take on Suriname in the second semi-final, with Iraq awaiting the winner in the final.
Bolivia, who last appeared at the World Cup in 1994, are aiming for a return after an encouraging qualifying campaign that included a notable victory over Brazil.
Suriname, meanwhile, are targeting a historic first qualification, having already reached unprecedented heights by making the play-off tournament.
Iraq, bidding for their first World Cup appearance since 1986, progressed dramatically through Asian qualifying and will be confident of finishing the job in Mexico.
The successful team from this pathway will move into a formidable group alongside France, Norway and Senegal.
Dreams on the Line
For all six teams, the play-off tournament represents a final opportunity to turn years of effort into World Cup qualification.
While nations such as DR Congo, Iraq and Bolivia seek long-awaited returns, New Caledonia and Suriname are chasing history with potential maiden appearances.
With only two places available, the margin for error is nonexistent, making the Mexico showdowns a high-stakes climax to the global qualifying campaign.
By the end of March, two nations will celebrate entry onto football’s biggest stage, while four others will see their World Cup dreams come to an end.
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- Summary
- * New Zealand midfielder Thomas says Iran deserve their spot at World Cup
- * Winger Barbarouses says switching match would not derail team’s preparations
- * Iran have threatened to boycott matches in US but want to play in World Cup
New Zealand soccer players have said they would be willing to play Iran outside the United States in their opening match at the 2026 World Cup, as uncertainty persists over the fixture amid geopolitical tensions.
Iran were one of the first nations to qualify for the finals, but their participation has been in doubt since the U.S.-Israeli conflict with the Islamic Republic broke out at the end of February.
Team Melli are scheduled to play all three of their opening-round group matches in the U.S., with their June 15 opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles, but the Iranian soccer federation has threatened to boycott fixtures on U.S. soil.
New Zealand are preparing as if the Los Angeles match will go ahead but players said on Wednesday they could accommodate a switch outside the U.S. if necessary.
Netherlands-based midfielder Ryan Thomas said Iran had earned their spot at the World Cup, and the All Whites would be able to manage the extra attention generated by the match.
“They deserve to be there as qualifiers,” he told Reuters.
“If we’ve got to play them in Mexico or Canada, then yeah, we play them there. It’s not really a big deal for me.”
During the June 11-July 19 World Cup, New Zealand will be based in the southern California city of San Diego, which is a short drive to the Mexican border.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said last week her country would be open to hosting Iran’s World Cup fixtures, although the final say on any venue switch would be FIFA’s.
Australia-based winger Kosta Barbarouses said players would leave it up to “the people in charge” to make a decision on the match, but did not think a switch would harm New Zealand’s campaign.
“I don’t think it would derail our preparation at all,” he told Reuters.
“We’ve got a base before our first game, anyway. So, yeah, I don’t see why not.”
SECURITY WORRIES
FIFA has declined to comment on the possibility of switching the venues for Iran’s games but said it was in contact with the Iranian soccer federation and looking forward to teams competing as per the current match schedule.
Iran also play Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle during the group phase.
Barbarouses, a 36-year-old father of two, acknowledged concerns about security for the New Zealand-Iran match in Los Angeles but said he trusted authorities to ensure the safety of players and their families as the All Whites play their first World Cup since the 2010 finals.
“I understand there will be worries for people, but I just think with the magnitude of the event, I would love to have family there,” the Western Sydney Wanderers winger said.
“I would feel safe for them to be over there. I don’t think they’d miss it.”
Thomas said the New Zealand players’ nerves would be high before the match, but that was normal for any opener at a major tournament.
“Obviously, there’s a big buildup before the first game,” the 31-year-old said.
“So it’s going to be interesting to see how we deal with that, but I’m confident in the group to deal with it on the pitch.”
-Reuters
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European soccer fans have lodged a formal complaint over the high cost of tickets for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and the consumer rights organisation Euroconsumers filed an 18-page complaint on Tuesday with the European Commission in Brussels.
“FIFA holds a monopoly over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and has used that power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market,” FSE and Euroconsumers said in a joint statement.
They argue that ticket prices are significantly higher than at any previous World Cup. Tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19 start at $4,185 — seven times the cost of the cheapest ticket at the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.
The complaint accuses FIFA of engaging in “bait advertising,” “uncontrolled” dynamic pricing, “pressure-selling tactics” and a lack of transparency about seat locations and refund policies.
“Dynamic pricing turns fans’ loyalty into a bidding war, inflates costs without added value and locks out many supporters,” said Els Bruggeman, head of policy and enforcement at Euroconsumers, per ESPN.
The allegation of bait advertising, which is illegal under European Union consumer laws, is a reference to FIFA’s claim in October that group-stage ticket prices started at $60. However, after fans’ groups across Europe complained about the lack of availability at that price, FIFA had to release more tickets at that price in December.
“Football is a universal passion but FIFA is treating it like a private luxury by exploiting its absolute monopoly over World Cup ticketing,” said Marco Scialdone, head of litigation at Euroconsumers, per The Athletic.
“We are calling on the European Commission to intervene immediately with interim measures to halt these exploitative practices before the 2026 tournament begins.”
The World Cup opens on June 11, with matches taking place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
-Reuters
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