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Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s  zona mista (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.Other major teams that missed the cutNo encore for SánchezChile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.Curtain call cut shortPoland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.Mbeumo misses the partyBryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup

As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.

Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.

Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.

The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.

Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.

Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s  zona mista (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.Other major teams that missed the cutNo encore for SánchezChile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.Curtain call cut shortPoland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.Mbeumo misses the partyBryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP

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Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP

A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.

But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.

“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.

The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.

Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026.

A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

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A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”

Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s  zona mista (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.

That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.

Other major teams that missed the cut
No encore for Sánchez

Chile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.

Curtain call cut short

Poland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.

Mbeumo misses the party

Bryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.

In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.

Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.

Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.

For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.

For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.

In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.

Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence.

Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library

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Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library

In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.

The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.

The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.

Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.

Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.

The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP

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Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP

His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.

DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.

After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.

When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.

This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

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As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.

Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.

Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.

The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.

Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.

Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

lightbox-info

Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.

But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.

“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.

The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.

Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026.

A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

lightbox-info

A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”

Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s  zona mista (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.

That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.

Other major teams that missed the cut
No encore for Sánchez

Chile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.

Curtain call cut short

Poland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.

Mbeumo misses the party

Bryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.

In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.

Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.

Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.

For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.

For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.

In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.

Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence.

Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Photo Library

lightbox-info

Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Photo Library

In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.

The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.

The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.

Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.

Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.

The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

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Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.
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His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.

DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.

After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.

When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.

This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

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Deadspin | Strong second period carries Flyers past Penguins for 3-0 edge <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28787186.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28787186.jpg" alt="NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Travis Konecny (11) checks Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) during the first period in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Trevor Zegras, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nick Seeler and Noah Cates all scored their first career playoff goals to guide the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-2 home victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday and a three-games-to-none series lead.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>After capturing Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia scored three times in the second period of this one, and Dan Vladar took care of the rest with 28 saves.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Owen Tippett had the other goal for the Flyers. Cates and Zegras each added an assist, and Jamie Drysdale, Sean Couturier and Noah Juulsen logged two assists apiece.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson scored for Pittsburgh, which needs to win Saturday in Philadelphia to save its season. Stuart Skinner made 24 saves for the Penguins.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Pittsburgh opened the scoring 4:18 into the contest on a power play. Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and Malkin connected on a tic-tac-toe passing sequence that ended with Malkin’s tally from the doorstep.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>That was the only goal of the first period, but the middle session saw plenty of offense — all from Philadelphia — and a significant amount of physical play.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>The second-period scoring began with Zegras’ power-play goal on a one-timer from the right circle at 5:18.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-8"> <p>At the time, there were 11 players in the penalty boxes. Following a scrum on the previous shift, all 10 skaters were assessed roughing penalties with Rust getting an extra minor that had to be served by a teammate.</p> </section> <section id="section-9"> <p>Less than four minutes later, the teams were back at full strength when Ristolainen scored from the right circle after a nice feed from Juulsen. Ristolainen received the puck with space and beat Skinner through the five-hole.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>About two minutes later, Seeler’s shot from the blue line got through traffic and found the back of the net.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Pittsburgh pressured in the third period, which turned out to be an eventful stanza for Vladar. He lost a skate blade early in the session and then hurt his right arm on a collision with Rust a couple minutes later.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>The injury appeared to affect Vladar, as he promptly allowed a power-play goal when Karlsson’s shot snuck just under his arm with 10:21 remaining.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>However, Philadelphia regained the momentum with a power-play goal less than three minutes later when Cates took a pass on the doorstep, reverse-pivoted into the crease and lifted a forehand under the crossbar.</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>Tippett’s empty-netter with 1:12 left put an exclamation point on the victory.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Strong #period #carries #Flyers #Penguins #edge

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Deadspin | Saints WR Ja’Lynn Polk, 24, placed on retired list Aug 8, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots receiver Ja’Lynn Polk (1) runs the ball during the first half against the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images The New Orleans Saints placed 24-year-old wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk on the reserve/retired list on Sunday. A reason for Polk’s decision to retire was not yet known. Head coach Kellen Moore said Polk had been excused from the past two training camp practices for personal reasons. The receiver’s Instagram account also appeared to be deactivated or removed as of Sunday evening. Polk was the 37th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. As a rookie, Polk played in 15 games, making seven starts, and totaled 12 receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He did not play in 2025 due to a shoulder injury. While Polk was on injured reserve in September, the Patriots traded him to the Saints along with a 2028 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2027 sixth-rounder. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Saints #JaLynn #Polk #retired #listAug 8, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots receiver Ja’Lynn Polk (1) runs the ball during the first half against the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints placed 24-year-old wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk on the reserve/retired list on Sunday.

A reason for Polk’s decision to retire was not yet known. Head coach Kellen Moore said Polk had been excused from the past two training camp practices for personal reasons. The receiver’s Instagram account also appeared to be deactivated or removed as of Sunday evening.


Polk was the 37th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. As a rookie, Polk played in 15 games, making seven starts, and totaled 12 receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns.

He did not play in 2025 due to a shoulder injury. While Polk was on injured reserve in September, the Patriots traded him to the Saints along with a 2028 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2027 sixth-rounder.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Saints #JaLynn #Polk #retired #list">Deadspin | Saints WR Ja’Lynn Polk, 24, placed on retired list Aug 8, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots receiver Ja’Lynn Polk (1) runs the ball during the first half against the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images The New Orleans Saints placed 24-year-old wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk on the reserve/retired list on Sunday. A reason for Polk’s decision to retire was not yet known. Head coach Kellen Moore said Polk had been excused from the past two training camp practices for personal reasons. The receiver’s Instagram account also appeared to be deactivated or removed as of Sunday evening. Polk was the 37th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. As a rookie, Polk played in 15 games, making seven starts, and totaled 12 receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He did not play in 2025 due to a shoulder injury. While Polk was on injured reserve in September, the Patriots traded him to the Saints along with a 2028 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2027 sixth-rounder. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Saints #JaLynn #Polk #retired #list

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Alexander Zverev warned on Sunday of burnout and dropouts due to overly long ATP Masters 1000 events as he returned to the scene of his 2017 title in Canada.

The top seed and world number two told reporters in Montreal that he has his doubts about the wisdom of the 12-day Masters tournaments, which can seem as long and draining to players as a Grand Slam fortnight.

This edition of the elite Canadian hard court tournament is missing world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who has not played since April due to a wrist injury.

“I think (the pullouts) are a result of the two-week Masters event. I think it’s just too long for some players, too much before the US Open,” Zverev said.

“I used to play more 500 events, 250 events when the Masters were shorter, but now I don’t do that anymore just because of time spent away and time spent on tournaments.”

Zverev said that he and his team also seriously considered bypassing Canada this year.

“We had a thought also of maybe skipping Montreal, but then we decided to play it

But the reigning Roland Garros champion and Wimbledon finalist last month added: “I need to play matches. I need to play tournaments.

“I don’t think maybe I’ll play my best tennis here, but the result of playing here, I think I’ll play better in Cincinnati and then hopefully my best tennis in New York,” he said, looking ahead to the US Open that starts on August 31.

Also read | Zverev says sanctions won’t solve problem of bloated Masters events

Despite fatigue, the 29-year-old is hoping to take his summer momentum into the North American hard court build-up before the final major of the season.

“The two months that I had was fantastic. Of course, I wanted to win Wimbledon, I wanted to win the final (against Sinner).

“But I played an opponent who also knows how to play in these moments, and he played a phenomenal match, a great match which could have gone a bit longer. I feel like it could have gone in the fifth set.

“I played a lot of tennis in that period. So I went on holidays for a week and then after started practicing and preparing myself the best I can for this swing.”

Zverev leads the tournament field, with Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime seeded second ahead of Australian Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev and title holder Ben Shelton.

With rain marring the opening day in the French-speaking city, completed matches were a rarity, with China’s number 270 Jerry Shang defeating Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay 6-3, 6-3 before afternoon rains set in.

Published on Aug 03, 2026

#Canadian #Open #Zverev #remains #wary #12day #Masters #events">Canadian Open: Zverev remains wary of 12-day Masters events Alexander Zverev warned on Sunday of burnout and dropouts due to overly long ATP Masters 1000 events as he returned to the scene of his 2017 title in Canada.The top seed and world number two told reporters in Montreal that he has his doubts about the wisdom of the 12-day Masters tournaments, which can seem as long and draining to players as a Grand Slam fortnight.This edition of the elite Canadian hard court tournament is missing world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who has not played since April due to a wrist injury.“I think (the pullouts) are a result of the two-week Masters event. I think it’s just too long for some players, too much before the US Open,” Zverev said.“I used to play more 500 events, 250 events when the Masters were shorter, but now I don’t do that anymore just because of time spent away and time spent on tournaments.”Zverev said that he and his team also seriously considered bypassing Canada this year.“We had a thought also of maybe skipping Montreal, but then we decided to play itBut the reigning Roland Garros champion and Wimbledon finalist last month added: “I need to play matches. I need to play tournaments.“I don’t think maybe I’ll play my best tennis here, but the result of playing here, I think I’ll play better in Cincinnati and then hopefully my best tennis in New York,” he said, looking ahead to the US Open that starts on August 31.Also read | Zverev says sanctions won’t solve problem of bloated Masters eventsDespite fatigue, the 29-year-old is hoping to take his summer momentum into the North American hard court build-up before the final major of the season.“The two months that I had was fantastic. Of course, I wanted to win Wimbledon, I wanted to win the final (against Sinner).“But I played an opponent who also knows how to play in these moments, and he played a phenomenal match, a great match which could have gone a bit longer. I feel like it could have gone in the fifth set.“I played a lot of tennis in that period. So I went on holidays for a week and then after started practicing and preparing myself the best I can for this swing.”Zverev leads the tournament field, with Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime seeded second ahead of Australian Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev and title holder Ben Shelton.With rain marring the opening day in the French-speaking city, completed matches were a rarity, with China’s number 270 Jerry Shang defeating Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay 6-3, 6-3 before afternoon rains set in.Published on Aug 03, 2026 #Canadian #Open #Zverev #remains #wary #12day #Masters #events

Zverev says sanctions won’t solve problem of bloated Masters events

Despite fatigue, the 29-year-old is hoping to take his summer momentum into the North American hard court build-up before the final major of the season.

“The two months that I had was fantastic. Of course, I wanted to win Wimbledon, I wanted to win the final (against Sinner).

“But I played an opponent who also knows how to play in these moments, and he played a phenomenal match, a great match which could have gone a bit longer. I feel like it could have gone in the fifth set.

“I played a lot of tennis in that period. So I went on holidays for a week and then after started practicing and preparing myself the best I can for this swing.”

Zverev leads the tournament field, with Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime seeded second ahead of Australian Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev and title holder Ben Shelton.

With rain marring the opening day in the French-speaking city, completed matches were a rarity, with China’s number 270 Jerry Shang defeating Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay 6-3, 6-3 before afternoon rains set in.

Published on Aug 03, 2026

#Canadian #Open #Zverev #remains #wary #12day #Masters #events">Canadian Open: Zverev remains wary of 12-day Masters events

Alexander Zverev warned on Sunday of burnout and dropouts due to overly long ATP Masters 1000 events as he returned to the scene of his 2017 title in Canada.

The top seed and world number two told reporters in Montreal that he has his doubts about the wisdom of the 12-day Masters tournaments, which can seem as long and draining to players as a Grand Slam fortnight.

This edition of the elite Canadian hard court tournament is missing world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who has not played since April due to a wrist injury.

“I think (the pullouts) are a result of the two-week Masters event. I think it’s just too long for some players, too much before the US Open,” Zverev said.

“I used to play more 500 events, 250 events when the Masters were shorter, but now I don’t do that anymore just because of time spent away and time spent on tournaments.”

Zverev said that he and his team also seriously considered bypassing Canada this year.

“We had a thought also of maybe skipping Montreal, but then we decided to play it

But the reigning Roland Garros champion and Wimbledon finalist last month added: “I need to play matches. I need to play tournaments.

“I don’t think maybe I’ll play my best tennis here, but the result of playing here, I think I’ll play better in Cincinnati and then hopefully my best tennis in New York,” he said, looking ahead to the US Open that starts on August 31.

Also read | Zverev says sanctions won’t solve problem of bloated Masters events

Despite fatigue, the 29-year-old is hoping to take his summer momentum into the North American hard court build-up before the final major of the season.

“The two months that I had was fantastic. Of course, I wanted to win Wimbledon, I wanted to win the final (against Sinner).

“But I played an opponent who also knows how to play in these moments, and he played a phenomenal match, a great match which could have gone a bit longer. I feel like it could have gone in the fifth set.

“I played a lot of tennis in that period. So I went on holidays for a week and then after started practicing and preparing myself the best I can for this swing.”

Zverev leads the tournament field, with Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime seeded second ahead of Australian Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev and title holder Ben Shelton.

With rain marring the opening day in the French-speaking city, completed matches were a rarity, with China’s number 270 Jerry Shang defeating Daniel Vallejo of Paraguay 6-3, 6-3 before afternoon rains set in.

Published on Aug 03, 2026

#Canadian #Open #Zverev #remains #wary #12day #Masters #events

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