The first time was considered a fluke. The second was treated as a crisis. Now, with Italy failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, it has become almost expected for the once-proud soccer nation.
The four-time champion’s penalty shootout loss to 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the qualifying playoffs comes after the Azzurri were eliminated at the same stage by Sweden ahead of the 2018 World Cup and by North Macedonia in 2022.
