Italy’s repechage to the World Cup: the debate ignites and some people get straight to the point

The European evening that could have lifted the mood of Italian soccer turned into another slap in the face to the credibility of the movement. Vincenzo Italiano’s Bologna, beaten 3-1 at the “Dall’Ara” by Aston Villa, and Paolo Vanoli’s Fiorentina, defeated 3-0 at home by Crystal Palace, severely complicated their path in the Europa League and Conference League by getting results that, for many fans, are not mere stumbles but yet another confirmation of a structural decline.

The discontent that had already exploded after the national team’s elimination against Bosnia in the playoff final to go to the World Cup was further exacerbated in light of the results of the latest Serie A representatives in Europe, who were called upon to perform a real feat in the return matches to enter the semifinals of the two minor European competitions.

All this is happening, among other things, while there is discussion about Italy’s possible repechage to the next World Cup for regulatory and geopolitical reasons, a hypothesis to which a substantial part of fans reacts with annoyance: “It would be an undeserved reward given what we are showing on the field, from the national team to the clubs,” one reads on social media, under posts commenting on Thursday night’s matches.

Italy’s repechage to the World Cup, FIFA takes time and reasons

The tone of posts and comments is harsh: the defeats of Bologna and Fiorentina are read as another sign of a movement unable to compete with continuity, and the European finals reached in recent years (only two won, by Roma in the Conference League in 2022 and Atalanta in the Europa League in 2024) are considered exceptions, not evidence of a revival.

Criticism strikes at every level, from clubs to the Federcalcio, passing through Lega Serie A: Italian fans are calling for a solid base, targeted investments and a shared model, to overcome the fragilities shown once the winning cycle of the beginning of the millennium ended. Many fans recognize the value of the work of coaches and players, but point the finger at factors such as pace, intensity, infrastructure and management of the nurseries, calling them inferior to those of other realities firmly at the top of European and world soccer.

The discussion on Italy’s possible repechage to the World Cup thus adds another layer of tension. For some fans, it would be a relief to be able to participate in an event that Italy has not played since as far back as 2014. For others, however, it would represent a short-circuit: “We don’t deserve shortcuts,” writes one fan on ‘X.’ “First let’s fix the movement, then think about the World Cup.”