How old will the current Italy squad be at the start of the 2030 FIFA World Cup?

Moise Kean struck after 15 minutes, but an Alessandro Bastoni red card just before the interval made life considerably more difficult for Gennaro Gattuso’s side. ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: The referee Clèment Turpin shows the red card to Alessandro Bastoni of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images) Haris Tabakovic levelled for the hosts in the 79th minute, which was enough to send the game to extra-time and then a penalty shootout, where Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante both missed within the first three attempts, and with Bosnia scoring all of their first four, that was that four another four years.

How old will the current Italy squad be in 2030? Only eight of the 28-player squad that Gattuso called up for the World Cup play-off campaign will still be in their 20s by the time the 2030 World Cup rolls around: They are Goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile, defenders Marco Palestra, Riccardo Calafiori, Giorgio Scalvini and Diego Coppola, Niccolo Pisilli in midfield and forwards Pio Esposito and Niccolo Cambiaghi. ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia & Herzegovina competes for the ball with Marco Palestra of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images) For the likes of Leonardo Spinazzola, who will be 37 in the summer of 2030, Matteo Politano, who will be 36 and Bryan Cristante, who will be 35, the chances of ever appearing at a World Cup finals is now looking highly unlikely. There will be question marks over the likes of Nicolo Barella, who will be 33 by the start of the 2030 World Cup, or Federico Dimarco or Manuel Locatelli, both of whom will be 32. Goalkeepers ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy reacts after the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

(Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images) Gianluigi Donnarumma – 31 in 2030 Marco Carnesecchi – 29 in 2030 Alex Meret – 33 in 2030 Elia Caprile – 28 in 2030 Defenders FLORENCE, ITALY – OCTOBER 08: Riccardo Calafiori of Italy in action during a Italy training session at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on October 08, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) Marco Palestra – 25 in 2030 Federico Dimarco – 32 in 2030 Leonardo Spinazzola – 37 in 2030 Alessandro Buongiorno 31 in 2030 Riccardo Calafiori – 28 in 2030 Federico Gatti – 31 in 2030 Andrea Cambiaso – 30 in 2030 Gianluca Mancini – 33 in 2030 Giorgio Scalvini – 26 in 2030 Diego Coppola – 26 in 2030 Midfielders BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Sandro Tonali of Italy scores his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Manuel Locatelli – 32 in 2030 Sanro Tonali – 30 in 2030 Niccolo Pisilli – 25 in 2030 Bryan Cristante – 35 in 2030 Davide Frattesi – 30 in 2030 Nicolo Barella – 33 in 2030 Forwards ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Francesco Pio Esposito shows his dejection of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.