Italy misses World Cup by inches in heartbreaking shootout moment
· Yahoo Sports
It seems unthinkable for Italy to miss any World Cup. But the country that won back in 2006 and three other WC tournaments will miss out on a third straight World Cup.
It all came down to a shootout in the playoffs against Bosnia and Herzegovina. If Italy could survive that, it would make it the 2026 World Cup. But with Esmir Bajraktarevic shooting against Gianluigi Donnarumma, a stop would have kept the dream alive.
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It didn't happen. Donnarumma guessed right... but the ball went underneath his hands and in. No World Cup appearance for Italy, which is the most stunning.
ITALY FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT WORLD CUP 🤯
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) March 31, 2026
Wisconsin-born Esmir Bajraktarevic scores the spot kick to send Bosnia and Herzegovina to the big dance, breaking Italian hearts and enshrining his special place in Bosnian ones 🇧🇦pic.twitter.com/69eCM1uafy
Absolutely heartbreaking for Italy. Congrats to Bosnia and Herzegovina for getting in.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Italy misses World Cup by inches in shootout vs. Bosnia