Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Chris Wilson

Italy fail to qualify for third consecutive World Cup after more play-off heartbreak

Italy failed to reach the first-ever 48-team World Cup and the four-time winners will be watching from home - (REUTERS)

Italy have failed to qualify for their third straight World Cup finals after Gennaro Gattuso’s side fell to a heartbreaking play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties.

Italy players were in tears as the magnitude of the result dawned on them, with the four-time champions now the first former winners to miss three finals in a row, having failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 editions.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.