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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Graham Ruthven

Pitch Points: could Italy really miss another World Cup? And why has Wirtz started slowly at Liverpool?

Florian Wirtz Liverpool World Cup Italy Mauricio Pochettino another World Cup Alexi Lalas Azzurri Arne Slot Christian Pulisic
Nicolo Barella (R) and Sandro Tonali of Italy react during the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers Group I soccer match between Estonia and Italy in Tallinn, Estonia, 11 October 2025.
Italy have missed the last two World Cups and are on the verge of missing out on 2026 as well. Photograph: Toms Kalniņš/EPA

Could Italy really miss another World Cup?

By the time next summer’s World Cup kicks off, it’ll have been 12 years since Italy last played at the tournament they have won more times (four) than any other nation besides Brazil (five) and Germany (also four). The way things are going, the Azzurri’s 12-year wait for World Cup qualification could become a 16-year one at the very least.

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