‘I was joking with Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson about Italy possibly playing Wales in the World Cup play-offs. I told them both that we’re going to win it, 100 per cent!’ Destiny Udogie on what he said to Spurs team-mates

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Destiny Udogie of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images).

The thought of four-time winners Italy missing a third consecutive World Cup tournament would have been barely comprehensible back in the day, but that’s the situation staring the Azzurri in the face going into this month’s play-offs.

Should Gennaro Gattuso's side come unstuck against either Northern Ireland in their semi-final or versus either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final, then their wait to return to the globe’s biggest sporting tournament will go on until at least 2030.