For generations, playing in the World Cup was akin to Italian birthright.
The nation made every tournament from 1958 to 2014. It joined Brazil and Germany as the only nations to win the World Cup four times, its most recent title coming in 2006. A run deep into the knockout stage became as expected as the Azzurri’s signature blue jerseys.
Then Italy was stunningly knocked out of the group stage at World Cups in 2010 and 2014. It failed to qualify at all for the 2018 edition — then, it missed out in 2022, as well.
Even when the field for this summer’s World Cup was expanded from 32 to 48 teams, the largest in tournament history, Italy was stunningly still no lock to qualify. In December, when 42 teams learned their opponents in the group stage, Italy had to wait four more months to know whether its previously unthinkable World Cup drought
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