Arsenal man called out after his country misses World Cup
Riccardo Calafiori has become a focus for the Italian media after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.For the third consecutive edition, Italy were required to progress through the playoffs...
Arsenal man called out after his country misses World Cup Riccardo Calafiori has become a focus for the Italian media after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. For the third consecutive edition, Italy were required to progress through the playoffs, meeting Bosnia in the final last night. The match began promisingly as the Italians took the lead, but they were eventually reduced to ten men following a red card.
Playoff Heartbreak Italy conceded an equaliser before ultimately losing the game on penalties, meaning they will miss this summer’s World Cup, twenty years after their triumph in the competition. This marks a generation of fans who have not witnessed Italy play at a World Cup, and the media have been quick to scrutinise the players’ performances. Following the match, Corriere dello Sport wrote: “[Gianluigi] Donnarumma kept us in the game on at least three occasions, so I wonder how players like [Federico] Dimarco and Calafiori could be outplayed in such an important match.
“Qualification had become a matter of national dignity. Not being part of a tournament open to 48 nations is downright humiliating. Those who created the project, those who wanted and supported it, cannot tolerate this third failure.
At home. Like us. ” Calafiori’s Performance Calafiori is widely regarded as one of the finest Italian talents, and his poor showing came at the most inopportune moment.